CHAPTER 3 She Is Back

"Ronald Walter, do you willingly choose Ashley Miller as your life partner, committing to stand by her side in both prosperity and adversity, in sickness and in health, vowing to love and honor her throughout your lifetime?"

The master of ceremonies directed his question to the groom standing before him.

'This wasn't Ashley Miller; the correct name must be Sarah Smith. Today, I am here to marry Sarah, the sole love of my life, and all the arrangements are for my union with Sarah, not Ashley.'

'I'm unsure why Sarah decided to avoid the marriage, and Sarah's mother, grandmother, relatives, and even my brother Stefan are attributing Sarah's disappearance to Ashley.'

Ashley is a genuinely kind and innocent soul, incapable of intentionally harming anyone. In her desperation to prove her innocence, she resorted to attempting suicide, leading me to make the decision to marry her.'

'Even though Sarah betrayed me, Ashley has consistently been my support. While she may not be my romantic partner, she is my best friend, and I feel compelled to protect her.'

"Mr. Ronald Walter, are you ready to make Ashley Miller your wife? Will you commit to being faithful through all the ups and downs, in sickness and in health, promising to love and respect her for the rest of your life?" The host restated the inquiry.

Engulfed in his somber reflections, Ronald Walter was abruptly brought back to the present by the emcee's resounding voice. It was akin to being yanked out of a mental abyss.

Although he is entering into this marriage willingly, articulating a 'yes' still proves to be an arduous task for him.

As Ronald is about to utter the words 'yes, I do,' a commanding voice cuts through the air, seizing everyone's focus.

"Hold this marriage, right now."

All heads swiveled to trace the voice, discovering Stefan strolling through the adorned community garden meant for Sarah and Ronald's union, supporting Sarah by her shoulder.

A collective grimace and disdain marked everyone's faces as they beheld the returning bride with another man, showing little concern for her noticeable injury.

As disapproval radiated towards Sarah, Ashley displayed a terrified expression, and Stefan couldn't hide his smirk while observing her unease.

"Is that Sarah?" Laura, Sarah's mother, and Evelyn, her grandmother, appeared from their house upon hearing Sarah's voice.

Laura had staunchly objected to Ashley replacing Sarah in the marriage, leading to a heated dispute with her husband, Sebastian. She had stepped back from supporting this union, prioritizing Sarah's safety. Hearing Sarah's voice now brought a visible sense of relief to Laura.

Advancing alongside Sarah, Stefan guided her forward while Laura and Evelyn approached them. Stefan positioned Sarah among them, but her gaze remained fixed on Ronald, standing on the stage with Ashley by his side, her eyes cold and distant.

After a few minutes of exchanging stares with Sarah, Ronald unexpectedly let go of Ashley's hand and headed towards her. Ashley, stunned, felt her heart fill with resentment towards Sarah.

"No, this can't be. How is Sarah alive and here in this moment?" Ashley questioned, grappling with disbelief.

Despite the deep hatred reflected in her eyes towards Sarah, Ashley's heart ached witnessing Ronald's indifference to her in the presence of Sarah. Nevertheless, she adeptly concealed all emotions, wearing an innocent expression in front of everyone.

Disdain emanated from Sarah towards both Ronald and Ashley. In the end, Ashley's manipulative tactics prevailed over her heart filled with love. Although Ronald professed his unwavering love for Sarah, his trust lay more with Ashley than with her.

Ronald stood before Sarah, gripping her shoulder tightly.

"Where were you, Sarah? Why did you leave me waiting at the aisle?"

Distrust flickered in Ronald's eyes towards Sarah, evoking a sense of sadness in her.

"Ronald, take it easy, she's in pain."

Stefan intervened, attempting to make him realize that Sarah was already injured and should not be manhandled.

"Stay out of this, Stefan. It's between me and my fiancée," Ronald bellowed, turning back to Sarah.

"Tell me, Sarah. Don't you love me? Do you not want this marriage? Honestly, who am I kidding? The truth is, you never wanted to get married. Ashley warned me countless times, but I refused to believe her because I had blind faith in you."

Sarah couldn't help but chuckle at the mention of "fiancée" and "blind trust" – those words seemed like jokes to her.

Her eyes shifted to Ashley, who sported a smirk. Yet, the moment Sarah looked at her, Ashley seamlessly transformed her expression into her trademark innocent face. Sarah's heart swelled with deep-seated resentment.

"Isn't it ironic? You're the one marrying someone else and pointing fingers at me?" Ronald's eyes widened in disbelief.

"Let's be clear here – you're the one who ran away from this marriage, not me."

"You really think I would do that? Fine, go on."

Sarah motioned toward the stage, her expression indifferent despite the underlying indignation.

"How am I supposed to doubt it when you sent this video, explicitly stating you don't want to marry me?"

Ronald showed Sarah a video on his mobile, capturing her admission of being a drug addict and expressing her reluctance to proceed with the marriage.

Upon initially witnessing the video, both Sarah and Stefan were taken aback as Sarah was certain she never recorded it. However, she immediately suspected Ashley's involvement.

Sarah couldn't recall the circumstances under which it was done, but upon reviewing the video, she realized she was not in her right state of mind when she made those statements.

"Now, do you have any explanation for this?" Ronald said with irony.

"Do you actually believe what's in this video?" Sarah locked eyes with Ronald, her gaze icy.

"There's no reason for me not to," he replied stoically.

"Fine, so be it."

With those words, Sarah wrapped up the conversation in a single line and proceeded towards her house. Except for her grandmother and mother, everyone was stunned by her indifferent demeanor. The question hung in the air – why wasn't she making an effort to justify her actions?

Ronald gripped her hand, halting her abruptly, and forcefully turned her towards him.

"You can't just back out like this. You have to give me an answer – what is all this?"

Sarah forcefully pushed his hand away before responding.

"Why bother seeking answers when you've already made up your mind that I'm at fault? Ronald, I have no interest in clarifying anything."

"Whether you like it or not, you have to clarify, Sarah; it's our marriage."

"Is it? Fine then, let's get married. Wait for me, let me prepare as your bride."

Sarah took a few steps toward her house but was once again stopped by Ronald.

"First, give me an answer to my question."

"Ronald, first, you made an accusation, not a question, claiming I left you. Second, true love doesn't demand explanations. If your love is real, let's proceed with the marriage. I'll answer all your questions afterward."

Sarah's words figuratively pulled the rug from under Ashley's feet.