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Lahat ng Kabanata ng The Wedding He Never Noticed: Kabanata 1 - Kabanata 8

8 Kabanata

Chapter 1

After learning that Ted Moretti had proposed to his secretary, I called my mother. “Mom,” I said softly, “I’ve decided to accept the marriage arranged by the family.” The living room was dimly lit, the heavy curtains drawn tightly. My voice sounded distant and hollow—as if it came from another person. There was a sharp silence on the other end of the line. “You were so vehemently against it before,” my mother said cautiously. “Carly, marriage isn’t a transaction. The important thing is your happiness. Don’t force yourself.” Her concern made my throat tighten. “I’ve thought it through,” I replied. “You can start making arrangements.” She exhaled slowly, as if she had expected me to say that. “You and Ted have been together for so many years,” she said gently. “But he’s never acknowledged you at home. He doesn’t even remember your birthday. Your father and I have known for a long time—this relationship will never end well.” Every word she spoke clearly and painfully revealed the

Chapter 2

Ted's been busy with his Mafia business these past few days and completely forgot he promised to celebrate my birthday with me. But it doesn't matter, because I have no feelings for him anymore. He finally remembered—and decided to make it up to me. Instead of tickets, Ted claimed he’d pulled some strings to arrange a private appearance by my favorite star. Someone I’d admired for years. In his world, calling in favors was second nature, but even so, getting that close to someone so high-profile wasn’t easy—not even for the heir of a Mafia family whose name quietly opened doors across Europe. I had tried before and failed. So when he mentioned it casually, as if it were nothing, and invited me to go with him, I agreed without hesitation. On the night of the event, I arrived early and waited outside the opera house. And waited. The Parisian streetlights reflected off the wet pavement, the glow blurring under a fine drizzle that slowly soaked through my coat. The city felt hushed,

Chapter 3

An hour after he left, claiming there was trouble at an underground casino, my phone vibrated again—not a message from Ted, but a notification from a private group chat. It was one of those circles you only got added to if your name actually meant something. No idle chatter. No small talk. When something changed, the news moved faster than any rumor ever could. Ted’s account. He almost never posted publicly. In his world, visibility was calculated. Anything shared openly could be interpreted as intent—as alignment. I opened the image. "When the right person stands beside you, you no longer hesitate. You will choose her and officially enter into marriage." Below the title is a photo of Anya and Ted. The next picture shows their wedding date. Messages flooded the chat almost immediately. No emojis. No sympathy. Just blunt reactions from people who understood exactly what this meant. A mutual friend messaged me: "My God. What is Ted thinking? He's going to marry a normal woma

Chapter 4

This was the first time I'd seen him lose control. I looked at him calmly and said, "I'm getting married soon. Maybe all of this should be put behind us." That worked immediately. Ted froze. His tense jaw relaxed—but his face quickly darkened again. "Why are you always in such a rush?" he said, a hint of annoyance in his voice. "Stop pressuring me. I've already arranged a beach party for you. Take a few days off." He paused, then added, "You'll come, won't you?Tomorrow is our sixth anniversary. " I almost said no. But then I thought—if I'm leaving, I should at least say goodbye properly. The next day, the beach was sunny and the music was deafening. I was wearing the dress I'd worn the day we first met. A suitcase lay beside me. Inside were all the gifts Ted had given me over the years—watches, bracelets, letters, and precious promises I had carefully preserved, far exceeding what they deserved. His eyes lit up when he saw me. He smiled, took my hand, and placed something i

Chapter 5

For a split second, he told himself it had to be a hallucination. The color drained from his face so fast it was almost frightening. His fingers stiffened midair, the bouquet slipping uselessly from his grasp, landing crookedly on the leather seat beside him. I watched it all. The precise moment his expression collapsed. The instant his authority—so carefully maintained for years—cracked in front of everyone who mattered. Our eyes met. His pupils trembled. He shoved the door open and stepped directly into the street, heedless of the horns, the gasps, the sudden tightening circle of security. And then—chaos. “What are you doing?” someone shouted. Ted didn’t hear them. “Carly—!”He said my name like a reflex. He took a step toward me. Security reacted immediately. Hands grabbed his arm. Voices barked commands. Bodies moved to block him—unyielding, trained. “Sir, you cannot leave the procession.” “I need to talk to her,” Ted snapped, his composure finally shattering. “Mo

Chapter 6

Ryder's manor was completely different from Ted's. Here, I felt no pressure. No one was watching my every move. No one corrected my posture, no one reminded me where I should stand. Austin walked beside me. “This way,” he gestured softly, and we walked down the sunlit corridor. High windows overlooked the inner courtyard, dappled sunlight filtering through the neatly trimmed olive trees—peaceful and serene. I realized then that no one was rushing me. No one was forcing me to play a role. No one was forcing me to obey. No one was forcing me to remain silent. “This wing is usually used for internal meetings,” Austin continued, “but it’s quieter here. If you want some privacy, this is fine, and of course, you can go wherever you want.” I paused. “You don’t have to worry about me.” He stopped too and turned to face me. “It’s what I should do,” he said calmly. His words reminded me of Ted, who sometimes didn't care about my feelings at all. That afternoon, I attended my first

Chapter 7

The next morning, something felt wrong in Ted’s house. It was noisy when it should have been quiet. And strangely silent where warmth was supposed to exist. Anya was already awake. She stood by the kitchen island, phone pressed to her ear, voice deliberately raised—as if the house itself were an audience she needed to impress. “I told you, it’s fine,” she said impatiently. “Ted will handle it. The Moretti name won’t be questioned over something this small.” Ted stopped at the doorway. “What did you just say?” She turned around, startled for half a second, then smoothed her expression effortlessly. “Oh—nothing important. Just a charity gala next week. I told the organizers we’d attend.” “You told them?” His voice sharpened. “What exactly did you say?” She waved her hand dismissively. “Relax. I hinted about the port development project—you know, the one you mentioned before. It’ll attract the right crowd.” The word hinted struck him like a blade. “That project is classified,

Chapter 8

The Black Hand family banquet was held in an old stone manor on the hill. Crystal chandeliers. Long tables draped in black velvet. Everything about it spoke of hierarchy and memory. When Ted stepped inside, he felt it immediately. The pause. The subtle shift. Low voices followed him like shadows. “That’s him… the Moretti heir.” “Didn’t their coastal line just lose three routes?” “I heard it’s because he married the wrong woman.” “A woman who doesn’t understand rules.” Ted’s jaw tightened. He kept walking. Behind him, Anya stiffened. Her fingers curled instinctively around his sleeve. More whispers floated through the air—deliberately audible. “Have you seen Austin Ryder lately?” “Of course. Ever since he married her, his numbers skyrocketed.” “Routes cleared, partnerships reopened. He’s made a fortune this quarter.” A pause. Then the cruelest line, delivered almost casually— “Funny. His wife was supposed to be Moretti’s.” “Blindness is expensive.” Ted felt the h

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