Chapter 2
Arnold laughed loudly and said, “I just called Sara to get her to prepare the wedding details. Guess what? She really thought I was going to marry her!
10:47 PM ·
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“She’s dumb as hell, isn’t she?”
Peter said, “She has no idea. The drama can only happen if we catch her off guard. It’s only fun if Sara makes a fool of herself. That’s what Esther will find entertaining.”
I covered my mouth in disbelief.
Even my half–brother, I didn’t know when, had chosen Esther’s side.
Tyler immediately chimed in, “How about we swap the confetti over her head with water balloons? That’ll drench her and make her look like a drowned rat.
“Just make sure Esther doesn’t find out ahead of time. Otherwise, it’ll be no fun.”
They all seemed thrilled with their plan to prank me.
Their faces showed that they were sure of their success.
I stood frozen at the door, unable to move.
The wedding I had so eagerly anticipated was nothing more than a farce to amuse Esther.
The three people who once ran all over town just to buy me my favorite cake to make me happy… Where had they gone?
When had they changed so much?
In my memories, Peter, Arnold, and Tyler were the ones who cared the most about me.
But ever since Esther came into this family, everything changed.
Her depression was severe.
So severe that just seeing me would bring her down, and every time she had an episode, she’d beg them to stay with her.
At first, they were dismissive, thinking it was all an act.
But gradually, their focus shifted from me to Esther.
Arnold was the man I’d loved for seven years; Peter and Tyler had always been by my side.
Now, they were willing to turn my wedding into a joke just to get a smile out of Esther.
Making Esther happy had become their biggest goal even if it meant exchanging my humiliation for that.
They tiptoed around Esther but showed no concern for how they turned me into the laughingstock.
The thought sent a numbing pain to my heart.
Today, I was indeed getting married.
Just not to Arnold.
I fixed my hair, trying to look presentable, and lifted the microphone to announce to everyone, “What just happened was a small Interlude. Please be patient for just a moment.”
Then I took my dampened, heavy wedding dress and added, “I’ll go change into another dress, or I won’t have time to change when my husband
arrives.
Thankfully, I had predicted how things would go today and hadn’t worn my favorite dress.
To my surprise, Arnold stared at me like I was come kind of clown.
10:47 PM S
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“Sara, are you insane because I’m not marrying you?” he suddenly asked.
“I told you, this wedding was all a trick. There’s no groom!”
Peter added with mocking laughter, “Sara, even if you’re embarrassed, there’s no need to lie!
“And by the way, I know exactly whether anyone wants you or not. As your brother, I’m pretty sure I’d know.”
His words drew laughter from everyone.
For all these years, it was a well–known fact that I had chased after Arnold.
Tyler pretended to ponder for a while. Then, he said, “Could it be that you’re trying to make Arnold jealous on purpose?
“Such a low–level trick. Sara, don’t you find it hilarious?”
Esther softly intervened and turned to persuade me, “Sara, this whole farce was just them trying to make me happy. I’m really touched that you’re willing to play along and entertain me.
“I know you’ve liked Arnold for a long time, but love is a two–person thing…
“A girl should value herself. Mom and Dad are down there, and there are so many guests. Don’t drag this out any longer.”
She looked at me, her tone gentle, but her words implicitly criticized me for embarrassing myself.
I turned to see my father in the audience, his face dark, constantly explaining to the guests.
I took a deep breath and emphasized, “This is really my wedding, and my groom is on his way.”
With that, I picked up my phone and dialed the top contact.
