Chương 13: An Impromptu Proposal

"I object!"

The words echoed through the quiet hall. Every head turned towards the woman standing among the guests, her face flushed, eyes wide like she couldn't believe that she had actually done that.

"The groom can't get married," the woman continued, her voice trembling, "because... I'm pregnant with his child!"

Gasps erupted all around. I looked towards Valerie and could see her face drain of color as she stared at the woman.

"Caitlyn?" Valerie's voice was a whisper, her shock clear.

The woman, Caitlyn, stepped forward, her hands trembling as she clasped them in front of her. "Tell them the truth, Ethan" she said to the groom, her voice cracking as she looked at the groom, her eyes pleading. "Tell them how you love me, not Valerie."

Ethan, the groom, had been standing frozen beside Valerie, slowly turned. His face was pale, guilt written all over it. "It's true," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

Valerie's body went rigid. "How… how could you? My best friend?" Her voice wavered, her hand clutching the bouquet so tightly I thought it might snap in half.

She looked between the two of them—her fiancé and her best friend—her disbelief slowly giving way to anguish. "How could both of you do this to me?"

Ethan dropped his gaze, his voice heavy with shame. "It just happened, Val. You were never there. You were always busy. Even when we were together, your mind was somewhere else—on work, on your projects. I don't even know when it happened, but I fell out of love with you."

Valerie's lips opened and closed repeatedly, her voice catching in her throat before she finally exploded, "Then why didn't you tell me?! Why propose if you didn't love me anymore?"

He closed his eyes, his face twisted in regret. "I needed the money," he admitted, the words hanging heavy in the air. "If I didn't marry you, I wouldn't have been able to provide for Caitlyn... and our baby."

Everyone collectively exhale in shock. Valerie staggered back, her breaths coming in ragged gasps. I watched helplessly as she turned to Caitlyn, the pain in her eyes cutting like a knife. "And you… Caitlyn… how could you?"

Tears streamed down Caitlyn's face as she reached for Valerie, her hand trembling. "I didn't mean to hurt you, Val," she sobbed. "I—" She stepped closer, trying to touch her, but Valerie flinched back as though Caitlyn's touch burned.

In the commotion, Caitlyn stumbled, losing her balance. She was about to fall on her stomach when Ethan rushed forward, shoving Valerie out of the way to catch Caitlyn just before she hit the ground. I gasped, watching as Valerie landed hard on the floor, her bouquet scattering across the marble.

Before anyone could react, another voice rang out, sharp and angry. "I told you! I told you he wasn't good enough!" An elderly woman stormed forward, her face twisted with rage. "I warned you not to marry him, but you didn't listen. And now look at what's happened!"

The guests fell silent, watching as an elderly woman fumed, her words spilling out in a rush. "That's why I ruined your wedding dress! I thought if I sabotaged it, you'd call off the wedding!"

A collective gasp swept through the room as the realization of her words sank in. I turned to Valerie, who was still sitting on the floor, her eyes wide with shock. "Mother?" she whispered, her voice barely audible. "You… ruined my dress?"

Valerie's mother hurried toward her, kneeling beside her daughter. "Val, I didn't mean to hurt you. I was just trying to protect you. I could see he wasn't the right man for you."

Valerie's lips trembled, tears finally spilling over. "How could you? Why would you all do this to me?" She sobbed pointing at the three of them.

Valerie's sobs filled the silent hall, her once perfectly composed face now crumbling as she sat on the cold floor. "This was supposed to be the happiest day of my life," she choked out, her voice cracking under the weight of her devastation. "I finally found the perfect man, or at least, I thought I did. And now…" She let out a strangled cry, tossing her bouquet onto the floor with a bitter laugh. "It's all ruined. My wedding, my career, everything!"

She buried her face in her hands, shaking her head in disbelief. "I was supposed to be the cover model for Couple's Magazine, for God's sake! This was going to open doors for my career, and now... look at me. I'm humiliated."

Ethan, still holding holding Caitlyn, scoffed. "Even now, all you care about is work. You're so selfish!"

"Selfish?!" Valerie's voice shot up in disbelief. "You have some nerve to call me names when you were screwing my best friend!" Valerie replies.

"Why wouldn't I? She was a much better fuck than you ever were!" Ethan spat, venom dripping from his words.

A collective gasp erupted from the crowd as Valerie's hand flew across Ethan's face with a resounding slap. "You bastard," she hissed, her voice full of rage. "You both deserve each other."

She took one last look at the people who had wrecked her life—her mother, her cheating fiancé, her backstabbing best friend—and shook her head. Without another word, she turned and bolted from the hall, her heels clicking sharply against the marble floor.

I watched as the guests murmured in confusion, unsure of what to do or say. But I couldn't stand there and watch any longer. I hurried after her, desperate to catch up. She needed someone in her corner right now, and with everything that had just happened, I couldn't let her be alone in this moment.

I found her in a dimly lit corridor, standing at the far end of the hallway, her shoulders shaking with silent sobs. Before I could reach her, I heard a soft voice—a man's voice. I slowed my steps and crept closer, peeking around the corner.

Valerie was standing there, her back to me, while a tall, broad-shouldered man stood before her. His hands were gently cupping hers, his eyes filled with so much admiration, it was hard to look away.

"Valerie," he began, his voice tender, "you deserve better than this. You deserve to have the beautiful day you've always imagined." His hands squeezed hers gently. "I've watched you chase perfection for as long as I can remember, and no one is as perfect as you. But you don't need a magazine shoot, or some big wedding to prove that."

Valerie sniffled, trying to regain her composure. "Nathan, this isn't the time—"

He cut her off gently, brushing a strand of hair away from her tear-streaked face. "I love you, Valerie. I've always loved you."

I pressed my back against the wall, heart racing. Nathan?

"I don't know what to say," Valerie whispered, her voice fragile. She tried to pull away, but Nathan held her hands firmly, his gaze unwavering.

"Remember when we snuck into that runway show when we were kids, just because you wanted to see the models up close?" He chuckled softly, a wistful smile crossing his face. "Or your first audition? You didn't get picked, and we sat on the couch with a tub of ice cream cursing the judges out for hours."

A faint smile tugged at Valerie's lips as she wiped away her tears. "Yeah… I remember."

Nathan's voice grew softer, his eyes never leaving hers. "I've been with you through every rejection, every heartbreak, and every success. I've seen you at your highest and your lowest, and I never stopped loving you, not for a second. I want you to be happy, Valerie. And if you'll have me, I'll spend the rest of my life making sure you are."

The tenderness in his words was almost too much to bear. I watched as he gently placed his hands on her cheeks, looking at her with a kind of love that I never experienced. "Please say yes?" he asked softly, his voice barely a whisper. "I want to be the one you spend the rest of your life wish. I want us to grow old together."

Valerie's gaze softened as she looked at him—really looked at him—but there was hesitation in her eyes. "Nathan, I… I don't love you. Not in the way you want me to."

A deep silence fell over the hallway. Nathan's face tightened for just a moment, but then he smiled—a small, sad smile. "That's okay," he said softly. "I'll wait. I'll wait until you do. And if even after that, you never love me in that way, I'll still be here. I'll always be your best friend. Just… give me a chance."

Valerie opened her mouth to respond, but before she could say anything, I accidentally stumbled, knocking into a nearby plant. The noise echoed through the hall, and both Valerie and Nathan turned toward me, startled.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" I stammered, stepping into view, feeling incredibly awkward. "I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but… I heard everything."

Valerie blinked, looking at me with a mix of surprise and exhaustion. Nathan stood up, offering me a sheepish smile.

I cleared my throat, stepping closer. "Valerie… you're really lucky, you know? Someone like him, Nathan… they're hard to come by. Someone who'd lay the world at your feet if you asked." I hesitated, then added, "I've been in a relationship where all I did was give, and the other person just… took. I had to watch as he lay with a different woman every time. You don't want that, trust me. You deserve someone who'll actually be there for you."

I glanced at Nathan, then back at her. "And clearly, you've got someone who cares about you deeply.

Then I turned to Nathan, "Give her time, okay? She just found out that the man she has loved for years never actually loved her. You can't expect her to have it all figured out right away."

Nathan looked at Valerie, his face full of quiet hope. He leaned down, kissed her gently on the forehead, lingering for just a moment before pulling back. "I'll wait for as long as it takes," he promised, his voice low and steady.

Valerie stood there, her eyes full of unspoken emotion. She didn't say anything, just nodded slightly as Nathan turned and walked away, leaving her standing there in the hallway.

I took a step back, ready to leave when Valerie's voice stopped me. "You know… I never got your name."

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