Chapter 2

Mark's POV

Lana was all smiles, her gaze drifting off to the other side of the store, where Nicholas stood in a black suit with his tie already done.

"But this all-black one looks pretty good too. What do you think, Nick?"

Nicholas waved at the camera. "Mark, how do I look in this? Think I'd make a good groomsman in it?"

Robert, who was watching from the side, was so pissed he almost started cursing.

I quietly said, "Lana, the ceremony was supposed to have started by now. Don't forget that we're supposed to exchange rings at 11:58 am. That's our local custom."

She didn't seem bothered at all, her smile still on her face. "Customs are just customs, you know. A little delay won't kill anyone. Nick, let's go with this one. It looks great on you."

I bit my lip. "Now that you've settled on a suit, get over here."

She frowned, her expression changing in an instant. "Nick hasn't even gotten his hair done yet. I can't exactly have him showing up with his hair all messy, can I?

"Have them start serving the food. I promise I'll be there within the hour."

She then ended the video call. The side door creaked open, and the emcee rushed over. "The bride still isn't here? It's 11:40 am right now. The guests are asking where she is!

"Are we delaying the ceremony? You need to decide. We can't miss the right time to exchange rings, not with this many people watching!"

A bridesmaid quickly tried to smooth things over. "Don't worry, Mark. Lana knows what she's doing. Why don't we serve the food first? She'll definitely be here within an hour."

Robert turned to glare at them. "You want to serve the food before the ceremony? How many guests do you think will still be around by the time the bride shows up?"

"But Lana's only doing this for work—"

I tightened my grip on my phone and cut them off. "We'll be on schedule. The rings will be exchanged at 11:58 am. We're not breaking our customs."

The emcee had barely left when Lana's mother, Evelyn Kemp, came out.

The second she saw me, she gave a cold snort. "There are 200 people in there waiting, and here you are, sitting out and relaxing."

I simply said, "Mrs. Bowen, they're all waiting for Lana, not me."

She rolled her eyes, her face full of contempt. "Then clearly you must have done something to upset her. Thanks to you, everything is a mess, and now we're running behind schedule. The Bowen family has always had a good reputation, and then you came along and ruined everything."

Even the bridesmaids exchanged awkward looks when they heard that.

Robert snorted. "Who's the one ruining their reputation here? Isn't it the person who overslept on their own wedding day?"

Mrs. Bowen immediately raised her voice. "My daughter has been working nonstop for three whole days! What's wrong with catching up on sleep? You can't even show her a little consideration? What, are you planning to live off my daughter?"

The dress shoes I had on today were a gift from Lana. She'd mixed up my size with Nicholas', so they were a little too small for me.

My toes were being squeezed in together, and every time I moved, pain shot straight through me.

Lana hadn't come home in three days now.

She'd told her parents that she was busy with work, but we all knew she'd gone to an old town with Nicholas.

Nicholas' social media posts showed her counting stars and watching the moon with him. And they even camped by a river while they sketched and painted.

I sent her over a dozen messages, urging her to come home early so that she wouldn't be late for the wedding.

But she merely said, "It's not even time yet. Relax. The gallery's opening soon, and Nick still hasn't decided on the main piece. I'm out here helping him find inspiration. I promise I'll be back before the wedding."

True to her word, she did come back before the wedding. She just didn't get home until 3:00 am, and then she slept until 11:00 am.

The pre-wedding arrangements had to be cancelled. I plastered on a smile and asked both families to head straight to the venue.

But I never expected that when she woke up, instead of coming to her own wedding, she would go shopping for a suit with Nicholas.

Standing a few meters away, Mrs. Bowen ordered me around like she owned the place. "Since Lana isn't here yet, come inside. Lana's grandfather's glass is empty. Go refill it."

I stayed right where I was. "If the bride isn't here yet, there's no reason for the groom to go in early and play host."

Mrs. Bowen's face darkened immediately.

The bridesmaids were all Lana's college roommates. Afraid that things would get out of hand, they quickly talked Mrs. Bowen into going back inside.

I unlocked my phone and saw messages from my parents asking why the wedding still hadn't started.