"Mr. Nicholas Coldwell, do you take Miss Diana Powell as your lawfully wedded wife..."
"Nicholas!" At this solemn moment, Julia Bluen's roar cut through the priest's words, startling the entire church.
Julia Bluen burst into the church and rushed to Nicholas Coldwell. Gasping for breath, her anger and heartbreak palpable, she glared fiercely at him, demanding, "You... what the hell do you think I am?"
Her boyfriend of three years was getting married, and the bride wasn't her. Even as he walked into the wedding hall with his new bride, she had been kept completely in the dark. Had he been merely toying with her all along?
Julia Bluen's sudden appearance left all the guests utterly perplexed. Some began to whisper amongst themselves, "What's going on? Does the groom have another girlfriend?"
"Who do you think you are?"
As the guests buzzed with speculation and the Powell family's faces darkened, Nicholas's sharp question sliced through the murmurs, instantly silencing the room.
Julia Bluen was stunned. She stared in disbelief at the man who had promised to love her for a lifetime. His gaze no longer held its former warmth and affection; instead, it was cold and distant, as if he truly didn't recognize her. She didn't know if it was anger or heartbreak, but her whole body trembled. The tears she'd desperately tried to hold back could no longer be contained by his alienating question and burst forth.
"Nicholas..." Julia Bluen bit her lower lip tightly. She longed to demand why he had abandoned her, but the words wouldn't come.
"Julia Bluen, today is a joyous occasion for Diana and me," Nicholas said coldly. "If you're here to witness the ceremony and offer congratulations, Diana and I welcome you. But if you're here to cause trouble, then I'm sorry, but please leave."
"You..."
Julia Bluen looked at the man before her, a man she knew so intimately. For the first time, she saw the heartless soul beneath his gentle exterior. Turning her gaze to Diana Powell, she found the other woman looking back with a smug, provocative smirk. Julia knew Diana was the CEO's daughter. In Cosmos, her own humble role as a financial accountant was nothing compared to Diana's status. But her true heritage was something Diana couldn't begin to compete with. She had concealed her identity because she wanted to make her own way in life, determined not to become one of those spoiled rich kids who only knew how to live off their parents.
Nicholas had chosen Diana over her. There was no need to ask why; Julia knew he coveted the Powell family's wealth. Nicholas came from poverty and was desperate to climb the social ladder. The Powell family's fortune could save him a hundred years of struggle. She hadn't kept her background from Nicholas out of deceit. Firstly, he had never inquired about her family—perhaps, she now realized, because he'd only ever intended to toy with her feelings from the start. Secondly, she had genuinely wanted to find a man who would love her for who she was, not for her wealth.
Turning away, Julia Bluen resolutely wiped the tears from her eyes. Since he had spoken so bluntly, questioning him further would only bring her more humiliation.
Step by step, her back straight and proud, she walked towards the church exit.
From this day forward, she would have nothing more to do with the heartless man behind her.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I apologize for this scene," she heard Nicholas Coldwell's heartless words, twisting the truth, reach her ears from behind. "She's an employee at our company who has always claimed to like me and has been pestering me relentlessly. When she found out Diana and I were getting married today, she probably couldn't handle it and came here to cause a disturbance."
Julia Bluen stopped in her tracks. She spun around and strode quickly back to Nicholas. Tilting her beautiful, melon-seed-shaped face upwards, her gorgeous almond eyes, wide with anger, shot furious glares at him as she enunciated each word: "Nicholas Coldwell, remember your heartlessness today. I hope you live to regret it! May you not grow old together, nor be blessed with children soon!"
With that, ignoring the dark expressions on Nicholas's and Diana's faces, she turned once more and strode away.
No one could blame her for her bitter words; she just couldn't be like those who offered blessings after being discarded.
"Julia, what happened?" Glades Horne asked as Julia reached the church entrance, having just arrived himself.
Surprised, Julia responded, "Young Master Glades, why are you here?"
Before she could answer Glades's question, the entire congregation rose to their feet at the sight of him. The Powell family was particularly overjoyed, rushing to greet him, fawning like eager sycophants. They had personally invited Glades Horne to the ceremony, an invitation he had declined. His sudden appearance now was an unexpected delight.
Glades Horne ignored them all. His deep eyes remained fixed on Julia Bluen's face. His sharp gaze didn't miss the tear stains, and his voice grew deeper, heavy with concern and a hint of suppressed anger. "Julia, tell me. What happened?"
Glades Horne's question, and the obvious concern he showed for Julia Bluen, left everyone stunned and confused. By all accounts, Julia Bluen was just a minor employee at Cosmos; it was highly unlikely she would ever encounter Glades Horne, let alone know him. Yet, Glades Horne's behavior clearly indicated that he not only knew her but that their relationship was significant.
"It's nothing." Julia didn't want to appear so disheveled in front of her prospective brother-in-law. She answered softly, then hurriedly walked outside.
Glades glanced at the approaching bridal couple, then turned to look at Julia's rapidly retreating figure. Connecting the tear stains on her face with her frequent mentions of having a boyfriend, he understood most of the situation.
"Young Master Glades, please, this way to the VIP seat," Dio Powell, CEO of Cosmos Group, said with a beaming smile. "That woman was..."
A frigid glare from Glades instantly froze the smile on Dio Powell's face.
Glades Horne's usually inscrutable handsome face was now exceptionally cold. His eyes, sharp as swords, pinned Nicholas Coldwell with a chilling glare. Nicholas, who had been walking forward, froze halfway, not daring to take another step. With surprise and confusion, he looked at Glades Horne. He didn't know the man personally, but he was all too aware of his prestigious status.
Upon first seeing Glades Horne in the church, Nicholas had been ecstatic. He'd thought that having the Horne family's crown prince attend his wedding would be a great boon to his future prospects. However, Glades Horne's sudden icy demeanor rooted him to the spot, and he dared not move any closer.