Substitute groom

Around 11.00 am, the guests began to wonder why the wedding had not been carried out immediately even though they had arrived at nine o'clock. The wedding organizer immediately met Elena's family who all gathered in front of Elena's room looking to discuss and trying to contact Oskar constantly because they hoped he would come.

In her room, Elena was crying and kept crying imagining she would be so embarrassed for the guests. Even though she will not meet the guests she will be embarrassed in the future because she will be the subject of gossip, and maybe it will go viral because she is quite famous as a fashion model. the girl was huddled on a luxurious bed with white bed linen, her make-up was a little messy due to tears, even her hairdo looked unkempt.

"Elena, you have to be patient. We will find a solution," said Madow, Elena's mother who sat on the edge of the bed.

"There would be no solution other than him coming here and marrying me. But until now he can't be contacted anymore... He left me... He's not delaying but cancel this wedding!" said Elena with emotional tears, imagining Oskar's face which was now becoming very annoying for her. 'Why do you have the heart to do this to me... If you weren't able to show the sincerity of your love, you should never have promised to marry me. Now I can't imagine how I'm going to deal with people after I'm so embarrassed by this marriage. It's annulled. I'm very ready, even everything is prepared then for whom is this preparation done if you just like that….I hate you but I want you here now!"

The bedroom door opened, Madow and the bridesmaid turned towards the door and saw Johannes who was Elena's father, came into the room with fast steps and his face could not hide that he was very upset.

"Elena, you will still get married today because daddy has a groom for you!" he said firmly.

Instantly Elena immediately sat up, looking at her father seriously. "Has Oskar arrived?" She asked.

"Not Oskar," Johannes answered then glanced at the door, as did the others also glanced at the door.

Elena frowned when she saw a man come in wearing a black tuxedo, staring at her with a flat gaze.

"Ray..." She said quietly.

"Elena, she will marry you instead of Oskar," Johannes explained.

"What?" Elena frowned, disbelieving. Then smiled faintly and shook her head remembering Ray was Oskar's friend, and marrying Ray had never occurred to her. "Please don't joke! This is a marriage, this is sacred... Please don't make the situation more complicated. I just want Oskar... Not other men including Ray!"

"But Oskar will never come because he wants to end his relationship with you forever," Ray explained with a flat look.

"And that doesn't mean you can marry me to be his successor!" said Elena.

"Elena, but this is better than being embarrassed in front of guests and reporters, then after that, you will be gossiped about by people, and it can affect your career and your freedom..if you keep waiting for Oskar who will never come then this marriage will be canceled and then you will be ashamed, it's the same as killing your mentality!" Johannes said firmly, feeling so hateful to imagine the face of Oskar who was so willing to leave his daughter who was ready to be married. "It's useless for you to wait for your future husband who will never come!"

“But, Dad … This marriage isn't a game like it can be replaced by just anyone! How could I married to Ray while we don't love each other, even though I'm used to treating him like a stranger because he's Oskar's friend… Marriage doesn't exist without love!” Elena affirmed her broken feelings, not expecting that she would be abandoned by the groom as if she was like a less-loved bride, like being humiliated and surely her heart was very hurt.

"Then are you willing to be the object of people's gossip, even our family will become the subject of gossip. I will be very embarrassed because you as my daughter have no self-respect because you are just abandoned by your future husband. This is not just to save you from embarrassment but to save our whole family!" Johannes emphasized even more, glaring at Elena who had chosen the wrong husband.

Elena was silent, trying to guess every sentence from her father. The hatred towards Oskar is so strong but there is still love that is also so strong, it makes her think maybes he should wait for a while, maybe later Oskar will come to marry her.

"Dad….I know this will be a big embarrassment for our family but it also concerns my future. I want us to wait for him until the afternoon and we tell the guests that the wedding should be postponed for a few hours so they understand the situation."

"It's useless," Ray said with a flat look at the Elena he had decided to marry. He felt sorry for the girl but also felt a bit humiliated if he was rejected in front of the crowd because now in the room there were also several people from the wedding organizer.

"Why did you say so?"

Ray took a deep breath and then exhaled slowly. He looked at Johannes seriously.

"I'd like to have a private chat with Elena," he said.

Johannes interrupted then glanced at those in the room as if hinting at them to get out of the room immediately. He looked back at Elena with a serious look as if to emphasize that she had to accept Ray to avoid embarrassment.

After everyone was out, Ray sat on the edge of the bed with his back to Elena who was still sobbing.

"I was asked Oskar to fight for your relationship...I wanted to ask him to save his sister in another way without having to cancel your marriage, but he didn't want to follow my advice. I even beat him because I was so annoyed with his cowardice, but he couldn't be helped anymore, he chose to go to save his sister from Evans' cruelty. and I dared to decide to be his successor because he told me that if I didn't want to see you embarrassed in front of guests and reporters, then I could marry you. I don't know why he said that... But that's the truth." Ray explained in great detail, without even glancing at Elena.

Elena was silent with tears getting louder, imagining the face of Evans, who was her ex-lover who never liked her relationship with Oskar. she didn't expect that her ex-lover still held a grudge against her to the point of not letting her marry the man she loved. The girl glanced at the man who suddenly wanted to be a substitute for her future husband, making her feel surprised and didn't want to take it carelessly.

"Then why do you want to take Oskar's place? Don't you know that marriage is a very tough thing that doesn't need to be continued just for the sake of maintaining a good name? It can make God angry with us." Elena said in a hoarse voice, occasionally wiping her tears with her palms.

Ray turned to Elena, then got up the courage to reach out his hand and gently wipe her tears.

"I want to be Oskar's replacement because I have feelings for you," he said.

Elena frowned, silent with a feeling of shock, confusion, and wonder at what Ray had said. She still doubted whether the man in front of her had true feelings for her or just to cheer her up to marry her.