Without a word, she fled the engagement party, her footsteps echoing like a desperate escape into the night.
It was nearly impossible to hail a cab at this hour. After wandering through the deserted streets for over three hours, the cold wind gnawed at her skin and left her head pounding. Eventually, she stumbled her way back to Belmont Villa.
As soon as she stepped onto the first floor, Hazel saw them in her bridal suite, locked in a tight embrace, whispering words that only lovers could share.
Her chest tightened, but she forced herself to turn on the surveillance camera, piecing together the scattered fragments to reveal the truth.
It turned out that while she had been blissfully unaware, Ambrose and Scarlett had shared a scandalous past.
Eight years ago, in a bid to shed the label of a privileged heir, Ambrose had ventured into entrepreneurship. But his ambitions crumbled, and he teetered on the edge of ruin.
At his lowest, he crossed paths with Scarlett in a rundown youth hostel. Within a month, Scarlett had replaced Hazel, his childhood sweetheart. She carved herself into the most pivotal role in Ambrose’s heart.
But because the Wright family would never accept a daughter-in-law from such humble beginnings, Ambrose settled for Hazel, all the while secretly cherishing Scarlett in his heart.
She believed their bond, built from childhood, was fate’s design. In truth, she was nothing more than a stand-in, chosen out of convenience.
Her feet, raw and bleeding, mirrored the shattered fragments of her heart. The imprint of his slap, like a searing brand of humiliation, destroyed decades of trust and devotion.
A resolute fire ignited within her; she would let go of the man she had clung to for over a decade.
But this wedding wasn’t just an event; it was her dream, a vision of love and promise she had nurtured for years. It had been her lifeline during her darkest days, the glimmer of hope that kept her moving forward.
She refused to let the wedding she had meticulously crafted become a prize for the very people who had betrayed her.
So, Hazel decided that this wedding would mark the final chapter of her decade-long devotion. It would be her last act of closure before severing ties with both her biased family and the unfaithful man she had once loved.
After pouring out her emotions, she took a deep breath, pulled out her phone, and booked a flight for seven days later.