Chapter 3
I suddenly remembered the wedding gift Jared had prepared for me. I hadn’t opened it yet.
When I finally did, I found a box filled with paper stars and origami cranes.
On the card, he’d writ
“I folded these with my own hands!”
But when I unfolded
of the stars, I recognized my own handwriting inside.
It read: “Jared Donovan, wishing you everlasting health and happiness!”
ck in high school, Jared had fallen seriously ill. I’d heard a rumor that folding 999 paper stars and 1,000 cranes could bring good luck and help a patient recover.
So, I had painstakingly folded each one, pouring my heart into every fold as a prayer for his recovery.
Now, he had taken a handful of them and repackaged them as my wedding gift, while sparing no expense on French–imported flowers for Cora.
The video ended abruptly, and my heart shattered into countless pieces.
The excitement and joy I’d felt moments ago turned into icy despair.
I kept repeating Jared Donovan’s name in my mind, my love turning into bitter hatred.
He knew how I felt about him. He knew I was about to marry someone else. And yet, he chose to humiliate me like this.
The childhood friend who used to hold me like a treasure, who made wishes with me under meteor showers, promising we’d be together forever and ever–he was long gone.
Jared Donovan, I will never love you again.
“Jared, you said I didn’t give you a wedding gift, right? Here, take this.”
I removed the bracelet from my wrist and handed it back to him.
Jared stared at the bracelet, deep in thought.
Years ago, before his mother left, she had entrusted this bracelet to me.
She told me that after her remarriage, I would likely be the one person in the world who cared for Jared the most. That’s why she gave me this
heirloom bracelet.
Back then, I had been secretly delighted, believing that it was only a matter of time before Jared and I would naturally end up together, as a couple
meant to be.
But today, it was his engagement day–with someone else.
Cora Hope stepped forward and snatched the bracelet from my hand.
“Thanks, Elizabeth. Jared and I will treasure this as we build our happiness together,” she said sweetly.
She gave me a once–over, her gaze landing on my wedding veil. Reaching out, she touched it lightly.
“Elizabeth, this wedding dress of yours looks pretty expensive. Since you’re not going to need it anymore, why don’t you take it off and let me try it
on?”
I was stunned by her audacity and took a step back.
“Cora,” I snapped, “you’re still wearing the custom bridesmaid dress I paid for, and now you’re shameless enough to ask for my wedding gown too?”
Cora glanced down at the dress she was wearing and frowned slightly.
“Well, you did say it’s a bridesmaid dress. But I’m the bride now, aren’t I? Besides, I already know you and your husband only got married to satisfy
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The Bride’s Awakening
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Chapter 3
your families. Now that you’ve run off to chase Jared, there’s no way your wedding can still happen today.”
“So why not lend the dress to me?
not like you’ll be
using it.”
I shot back, raising my voice, “Who says my wedding isn’t happening? I only stepped out for a moment. Once I go back, my wedding will proceed as planned.”
I pointed to the grand hall behind the lawn.
“I’ll be getting married there in just a bit.”
Cora burst into laughter. “Oh, sure. Your husband must love you to death- -so much so that he doesn’t even mind his bride running off for another man and humiliating him in public like this.”
e looked at me with mock sympathy.
“Elizabeth, I know this must be hard for you, but wasn’t this all your choice? Don’t embarrass yourself further with such ridiculous lies.”
“You know how much it costs to hold a wedding in the grand hall at Emerald Manor? Just the venue fee alone is 200,000! And that’s not even considering the connections you’d need to pull it off.”
“Jared pulled strings for months just to book this lawn for me. You’re seriously claiming you’re getting married in the hall? Don’t blow your cover–it’s embarrassing.”
Behind her, Jared’s group of friends erupted into laughter.
“Elizabeth’s really lost it. Making up nonsense like this–what a joke.”
“Tsk, tsk. A delusional runaway bride–honestly, I feel a little sorry for her.”
Seeing my reluctance to take off the gown, Cora turned to Jared with a pout.
“Jared, what do you think? Should the bride’s wedding dress stay on her, or should I be the one wearing it?”
Without even glancing at me, Jared raised an eyebrow and answered confidently, “Do you even need to ask? Of course, it would look better on you babe.”
With his declaration, Cora wasted no time.
She stepped forward and yanked at my veil.
Cora Hope laughed, “I know this wedding dress is pretty pricey. Didn’t your pathetic husband buy it for you from some fancy designer overseas? Elizabeth, we’re such good friends–let me try it on, okay?”
It was because we were such good friends that I had asked her to be my bridesmaid.
But I never imagined she had already gotten tangled up with Jared Donovan.
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