Chapter 23
But it wasn’t too late now.
To make sure the wedding was perfect, Hurst spared no expense. He personally oversaw every detail, from the tiny wedding ring to the design of the entire venue.
Nettie, however, remained silent about the whole affair. She certainly wasn’t looking forward to the wedding itself; what she truly anticipated was the look on Calvin’s face when Hurst’s dream finally came crashing down.
“Are you really going to be this ruthless to Hurst? Compared to what Calvin did to you, Hurst’s actions seem almost harmless,” the system’s voice rang in her mind, tinged with a trace of pity after witnessing Nettie’s plans for revenge.
Nettie let out a cold laugh. “And what, exactly, would you call merciless?“)
True, Hurst’s betrayals hadn’t been as cruel as Calvin’s, but every time Calvin took his revenge, Hurst never tried to stop him–instead, he always nodded along in silent approval. He wore the mask of a good guy, but his actions were downright disgusting.
Even knowing she had no one else, Hurst still chose to abandon her and help Charis in the end. Someone whose heart had so thoroughly strayed no longer deserved Nettie’s loyalty. He needed to face the consequences of his choices.
Finally, the day of Hurst and Nettie’s wedding arrived.
Calvin, despite having replayed this moment a thousand times in his mind, was still a bundle of nerves. He stood at the end of the lower lined aisle, taking deep breaths to steady himself. At last, he could hold Nettle in his arms again. This time, she’d truly be his, and their future would be brighter than ever.
Hurst tried to calm his racing heart, telling himself everything would go smoothly.
After the officiant finished the final words, gentle piano music drifted through the hall. It was Nettie’s favorite piece–she’d once excitedly told Hurst she hoped it would play at their wedding. Now, her dream was coming true, and Hurst felt certain this was the happiest day of his life.3
He smoothed a trembling hand over his chest and looked expectantly down the a
But in the next instant, his smile froze.l
The far end of the aisle was empty. Not a soul in sight.8
the aisle.
A loud ringing filled his head, drowning out all other sound.
“Nettie? Nettie!” he called out, panic rising as no answer came.
Ignoring the murmurs from the guests, he rushed backstage toward the bridal suite. He flung the door open with a crash, only to find the room deserted.
His blood ran cold.
Frantically, he searched every comer, calling Nettie’s name over and over. From the altar to the dressing rooms, upstairs and down, he scoured every inch of the hotel–inside and out. But there was no sign of her
Even her phone was unreachable.
Sweat broke out on his palms as he fumbled for his own phone, ready to call the police–when suddenly, Nettie appeared.§
Without a second thought, he pulled her into his arms, his voice trembling with fear. He couldn’t bear the thought of losing her pain of that kind of heartbreak was something he could only survive once. If it happened again, he’d go mad–or worse “Nettle, where did you go?”
She just looked at him ih silence.
Hurst suddenly didn’t dare ask again.
again–the
As the tension hung between them, the wedding coordinator knocked on the door. “Bride and groom, the ceremony’s about to begin. Are you ready?
Hurst finally snapped out of his daze. He took Nettie’s hand and managed a smile. “Come on, Nettle. It’s time.”
