Chapter 8
On the day Hugo and Steffie held their wedding, a crowd of famous people came to attend.
The banquet hall was full of excitement, with bright lights shining everywhere, glasses clinking together, and the smell of wine drifting through the room as people chatted loudly.
Even though the wedding wasn’t real, the Bernard family still threw a big celebration.
Most guests didn’t know the truth and believed it was a real ceremony. Many of them sighed with emotion, thinking Steffie had finally become part of the Bernard family after getting expecting with their children.
Hearing those comments made Hugo feel uncomfortable, but he couldn’t do anything about it.
At first, he strongly objected to having the wedding at all–fake or not.
He had always dreamed of marrying Adeline and making her his wife.
However, his parents pressured him into agreeing to marry Steffie.
Just as things were tense between them, Steffie stepped in to calm the situation. She said that she had been living at the Bernards‘ estate for over a year with no title, all for Hugo’s sake. And to give the Bernard family a son, she got expecting again soon after giving birth to her first child.
She didn’t ask for much, just that Hugo go through a fake wedding with her so that their kids would one day believe their parents had loved each other and gotten married.
By then, Hugo’s heart had already started to give in.
10-12
Chapter 8
288 Vouchers
What really made Hugo oblige without fighting back was the offer Steffie made. It was one that was too good for him to say no to.
She told him that if he agreed to go through with the wedding, she would let him leave with Adeline right afterward. He wouldn’t need to wait until their second child was born or stay with her during her recovery.
Since they already had children together and were even holding a wedding ceremony, she claimed she didn’t need anything else.
Hugo was surprised by how generous she was, and for a moment, he felt a little ashamed.
If he hadn’t loved Adeline first, Steffie probably would’ve made a wonderful partner.
That was why even though he hadn’t planned to spend much on the wedding, he ended up putting in both time and money.
He hoped it could help ease some of the guilt he carried.
The thought of being able to start a new life with Adeline after the wedding filled him with joy.
He deeply understood how much Adeline had given up and how much she had suffered in the past year, all for their future together.
That was the reason Hugo chose not to tell Adeline that they would be leaving right after the wedding. He wanted it to be a surprise.
Once he stepped away from his current life, he promised himself to treat her better and make up for everything.
Hugo had even begun imagining what life would be like when they had children of their own together.
Just then, someone knocked on his door. It was the wedding coordinator.
10.125
Chapter 8
288 Vouchers
“Mr. Bernard, the wedding is about to start. Please prepare quickly.”
Hugo gave a short reply, got up, and walked to the mirror. He slipped into his suit, carefully buttoning it all the way.
He drew in a slow breath, adjusted his expression, and began walking toward the venue.
The entire hall was filled with beautiful flowers.
He walked along the flower–lined aisle, heading for the stage. As he walked past, many guests offered their congratulations.
At the front, he noticed the happy faces of his parents.
Then, as the soft piano music played, a door that had been shut began to open. Steffie appeared in a white wedding gown, holding her father’s hand as she slowly approached.
Hugo understood he was supposed to smile and welcome his bride.
But at that moment, he couldn’t even force a smile as his mind was filled with thoughts of Adeline.
“What could she be doing right now?
“Is she watching the wedding unfold on a news live stream, or has she curled up somewhere alone, crying quietly?”
No matter the answer, Hugo felt a heavy weight in his chest, making it hard to breathe.
Since the wedding was just for show, they skipped most of the formal parts and went straight to the moment where they exchanged rings.
The deep, steady voice of the pastor echoed in his ears, but Hugo stayed still.
10:121
Chapter 8
“The groom may now put the ring on the bride’s finger.”
288 iVouchers
The pastor’s words cut into Hugo’s thoughts like a rope pulling him back from somewhere far away.
He looked down at the diamond ring handed to him by the wedding coordinator. It rested on a soft velvet pad, shining under the bright lights above. Each glint stabbed into his eyes like cold needles.
His hand moved slowly, his fingers shaking slightly. Just as he reached for the cold ring, a strange burning pain shot up from his ring finger. It was sharp and fast like a shock of electricity or an unseen flame brushing his skin.
The sudden sting made him almost pull his hand back. Then, out of nowhere, a voice broke through his thoughts, distant but clearly emotional. The voice was trembling with tears. “Are you really going to marry her? Then what about me? What am I to you?”
89.26%
