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Chapter 18
Duer clenched his fist without realizing it. Meanwhile, Chloe and Kaiden approached him amid the surrounding guests’ enthusiastic attention.
Stop.
The two pairs of feet halted in front of the well-dressed groom.
At that moment, silence fell. Everyone who had been watching this unusual encounter—an ex-wife and ex-husband meeting at a wedding—held their breath.
What would happen? Would he threaten to see how well she was living now? Or would he look distant and bitter?
As anticipation grew among the crowd, Chloe extended her right hand toward Duer.
“Congratulations on your marriage, Duer.”
“….”
“I mean it. Since you’re marrying my younger sister, I hope you live long and happily. Like something out of a fairy tale.”
“….”
“Normally, I should be sitting in the bride’s family section… but that won’t really be possible. I’ll sit a bit farther back instead. You understand, right?”
Chloe spoke with a smile, but Duer could not respond. He only stared at the pale hand extended toward him, his eyes trembling.
“Am I making you uncomfortable again?”
This was something Melvin had often said to Chloe. But unlike Melvin, Chloe did not make a dramatic display of sorrow.
She simply gave an awkward smile, slightly embarrassed, and withdrew her hand. The onlookers, who had been subtly surrounding them, let out small sighs.
“She has such admirable character.”
“At this point, she’s practically saint-like.”
“So that’s why she even arranged the wedding venue herself.”
Whispers continued without pause, and Chloe smiled gracefully amid them.
“Anyway, congratulations, Duer.”
With a light wave, she turned to leave—when Duer suddenly reached out and grabbed her wrist.
Startled, Chloe’s amber eyes widened. It had been an instinctive act, as if he couldn’t let her turn away.
“Thank you for coming, Chloe. And for finding a place to hold the ceremony.”
If he wanted to hold onto her a little longer, what should he say?
“And…”
While he searched for words, Chloe’s wrist slipped out of his grasp.
“….”
Duer looked down at the sudden emptiness. Just moments ago, he had been holding her hand.
Now it was in Kaiden’s.
“I would appreciate it if you expressed your gratitude only to that extent.”
“Ah… I’m sorry.”
Only then did Duer lower his hand, which had been frozen in the air.
Kaiden met him with a polite, composed smile—an exceptionally handsome smile that would make anyone admire him.
Then, still smiling, Kaiden leaned in slightly and spoke in a voice only Chloe and Duer could hear.
“I’m quite jealous, you see.”
“…!”
Chloe’s face instantly flushed red. Kaiden had repeated the exact words she once said to Rosetta, and the embarrassment hit her late but hard.
Duer, unaware of this, felt a strange sense of emptiness as he watched Chloe avert her gaze, her eyes darting around in embarrassment.
“…I’ll be more careful.”
“Good.”
Kaiden gave a light nod. Duer, with no other choice, stepped away.
After all, it was his wedding day. He knew well enough that lingering too long with his ex-wife on a day like this would do no good.
“You’re not very suited to being a groom.”
“Ex-husbands are usually like that.”
Kaiden watched Duer’s retreating back, then turned his gaze to Chloe. Her ears were still slightly red.
“Why are you so easily embarrassed over trivial things when you handle everything else so well?”
“Thanks for reminding me of something I’d rather forget.”
Chloe shot him a glare.
“Ha. Well, it does look affectionate from the outside.”
As if amused by her reaction, Kaiden laughed heartily. Not only Chloe’s response, but also the way things were unfolding according to plan pleased him.
From canceling Melvin and Duer’s wedding in the first place, to elevating Chloe into a so-called “saint of the century,” everything had been part of Kaiden’s calculations.
At first, Chloe had doubted him. There were countless wedding venues in the capital—how could he possibly block them all?
But Kaiden had done it.
Moreover, he had timed their entrance perfectly to shape public opinion, turning Chloe into both a “saint” and a “holy woman.”
“I didn’t think this would actually work. But it really did.”
“When I first met you, didn’t I say? I’m young, handsome, and capable.”
Kaiden winked at her. Chloe let out a small laugh at his playful expression.
* * *
Before long, the wedding began.
Melvin walked down the aisle with tear-swollen eyes, but no one found it strange. It was common for brides to cry on their wedding day.
In truth, people weren’t paying much attention to the bride and groom at all.
“They remodeled all of this in just two days?”
“Even with bad weather, where did they get all these flowers?”
“Everything from the tables to the candles is top-tier.”
They were too busy admiring how the church had been transformed into a perfect wedding hall in just two days.
And naturally, their admiration led to talk about Kaiden—and inevitably Chloe Garrett as well.
“So all of this happened because of Chloe Garrett’s request…”
“It wasn’t even a request. Lord Berder just seemed eager to do it.”
“Both Lady Garrett and Lord Berder are incredible people.”
The conversation continued through the moment the groom handed the bride over, and even through the kiss.
“Melvin, smile.”
Duer, noticing her trembling, pulled slightly away and whispered.
“People are watching.”
“….”
“You said you’d show them you’d live well, didn’t you?”
At his words, Melvin instinctively looked for Chloe.
She expected Chloe to look miserable—applauding bitterly while watching her and Duer’s happy kiss.
But what she saw was not someone pitiful.
“Seeing them kiss makes me feel oddly fluttery too.”
“How scandalous.”
Chloe was laughing, lightly hitting Kaiden’s arm as she did so. It was as if neither Duer nor Melvin existed in her world.
“….”
That sight only fueled Melvin’s anger further.
The real humiliation came during the bouquet toss.
This time, I will be the protagonist.
She bit her lip tightly, imagining herself gracefully tossing the bouquet with her long blonde hair flowing.
“Alright then…”
Perhaps she used too much force. As she threw the bouquet, Melvin stepped on her dress hem and slipped.
“Ah!”
She fell hard onto the ground, and the bouquet she had released…
“Oh my?”
…landed in Chloe’s arms.
Chloe blinked slowly, caught off guard.
W-what do I do?
She looked around helplessly, her amber eyes searching for Kaiden. Their gazes met in midair—her confused eyes and his calm dark ones.
“Waaah!”
Cheers erupted at that moment.
“Congratulations, Chloe!”
“Congratulations, Lord Berder!”
The fallen bride was largely ignored as guests focused on celebrating the unexpected couple.
“Thank you, everyone.”
Kaiden responded casually to the crowd. Watching him, people became certain that the two would soon marry.
“Sniff…”
Completely overshadowed and humiliated, tears finally spilled from Melvin’s eyes.
As the guests panicked at the bride’s crying, Kaiden leaned toward Chloe’s ear and whispered:
“This is your chance to be the kind older sister, Chloe.”
That was all the explanation needed.
Chloe, lowering her brows in a sorrowful expression, walked toward the crying Melvin.
“I’m sorry, Melvin.”
And just like Melvin had done in the past, she spoke in a pitiful voice.
