Chapter 4

"I just wanted to give them my blessing. I never expected something like this to happen..." His voice was soft and hurt, as if everyone had ganged up on him.

Melissa immediately frowned. "Chester, don't say that." Then, she looked at the phone, her voice turning colder. "Mr. Stewart, Mrs. Stewart, I know you are worried.

"However, Chester is only trying to help.

"He went out of his way to get that lucky bracelet for us.

"Now that it has fallen apart, I cannot just leave him to deal with it by himself."

My dad was so angry that his voice changed.

"What about Zane?

"Is he supposed to keep waiting for you?"

Melissa was silent for a moment before making a promise.

"I will take Zane to get the marriage license. If we don't make it this time, we will do it next time.

"Don't worry. I will definitely marry him."

Next time.

After seven years, I had lost count of how many times I had heard those words.

I took a deep breath and reached for the phone.

"Mom, Dad, don't worry.

"I'm getting my marriage license today."

Then, I hung up.

Melissa stared at me, her eyebrows knit tightly together.

"Zane, do you really have to pressure me like this?"

I looked up at her, a terrifying calm settling over me.

So she knew.

She knew that if we kept wasting time, we would not get the marriage license today. She knew my parents were waiting, our friends were waiting, and she knew exactly how humiliating it was for me to be left behind again and again.

Despite this, even knowing all that, she still chose to make me wait.

I looked at her.

"Pressure you?

"You think getting a marriage license with me is pressuring you?"

Melissa's expression darkened.

"Zane, stop making a fuss!"

I did not answer.

I lowered my eyes to my phone.

Another message had appeared in the chat with that number.

[Almost there.]

At 4:56 pm, the security guard poked his head out from the doorway again.

"Are you two getting this done or not?

"You have four minutes left.

"If you don't come inside now, you really won't be able to do it today."

Ryan was so anxious that tears had started filling his eyes.

"Melissa, did you hear him? We only have four minutes!"

Our friends started speaking up too.

"Melissa, just go inside.

"Don't let Zane wait all this time only to be left hanging again."

Melissa looked at Chester. He clutched the lucky bracelet in his hands, his eyes red from crying.

"Melissa, why don’t you go inside with him?

"I will be fine.

"I'm just an outsider anyway.

"My blessing isn't that important."

After saying that, he lowered his head and started searching for the tiny charms again. His shoulders trembled slightly.

Melissa's expression changed. She hurried over to comfort him.

"Don't say that.

"You aren't an outsider."

The moment those words left her mouth, the entire area fell silent. Everyone looked at me with sympathy. However, I felt completely calm.

I calmly took my identification documents out of my bag, then turned and walked toward the entrance of the County Clerk's Office.

Behind me, Melissa suddenly stood up.

"Zane, what are you doing?"

I looked at the clock above the County Clerk's Office entrance.

"I told you.

"I'm getting my marriage license this time.

"So, I'm going inside to submit the paperwork."

Melissa's face instantly hardened. She hurried after me and grabbed my wrist.

"Zane, stop making a fuss.

"If I don't go inside with you, who are you going to marry?"

I glanced down at her hand. Then, I slowly pulled my wrist free.

"Then I won't marry you."

The moment I said those words, the steps fell frighteningly silent.

Our friends looked at one another. Someone whispered, "Zane must be really angry.

"He is probably just trying to force Melissa to go inside.

"You can’t blame him, either."