All Chapters of Eighty-eight Weddings: Chapter 1 - Chapter 9

Before the wedding started, the priest went over the final details with me. We had practiced those exact details eighty-seven times before, so I knew the entire routine by heart. Despite the gastritis I was suffering from, I forced myself to welcome the guests alone early that morning.I had to take painkillers three separate times just to get through it. Yet, Luca Fernandez was nowhere to be seen in the main chapel. Instead, he was back in the dressing room, kneeling on one knee to help Rita Sterling check on a stray dog’s injuries.Rita panicked, looking like she was on the verge of tears. “It’s all my fault. I was driving too fast and hit it. Is it going to be okay?”“Don’t blame yourself. It’s going to be fine,” Luca murmured while gently stroking her hair to comfort her.My mother witnessed the entire scene. Heartbroken for me, she took my hand and said, “Look at this. Why are you even doing this? When has he ever actually put you first?”I stood at the doorway, completely si

Rita glanced at my wrist and smiled.“My apologies, I didn’t know Miss Benedict was here too,” Rita said, stepping right up to Luca’s side. “I have to meet with a few cartels from the East tonight. I’m worried I can’t handle it on my own, so I–”“It’s fine. I’ll go with you.”Luca answered her before turning to follow her out.When they were at the door, Rita slipped her arm lightly through his. Then, she looked back at me over her shoulder, a provocative smirk playing on the corner of her lips.I just stood there, exactly as I had outside the chapel yesterday. The familiar sting of disappointment was gone. Luca and I were finally over.After they left, I walked out of the conference room and immediately ran into the consigliere, who was holding a stack of documents. Having clearly witnessed the whole scene, she said with some frustration, “Is this because of Rita? You are way too nice. I knew there was something wrong with Rita a long time ago. She is actively trying to seduce

Rita was lying on top of him, tracing slow circles on his chest with her finger.“Can we try that new restaurant tomorrow night?”“You can go on your own,” Luca replied, his voice ice-cold as he grabbed his phone and got out of bed.The lingering warmth of their intimacy hadn’t faded yet, and Luca’s reaction left Rita frozen in place. Luca kept dialing that disconnected number. As he sent message after message, his wrists started to tremble.“Something must have happened. Something definitely happened,” he muttered repeatedly. He immediately called the mafia family’s consigliere, ordering her to check if any rival families had made a move. He barked orders into the phone while throwing on his clothes.Rita sat up, tugging at the edge of his shirt. “What’s wrong?”“Don’t push it,” Luca snapped, throwing on his jacket and slamming the door behind him.His sudden roar startled Rita so much that she felt as though her soul had left her body.Luca sped through the streets, tearing

I returned home, where my parents had prepared everything for me.My bedroom was arranged exactly as it used to be, with all my favorite flowers placed around the room. Even though I had been gone for so many years, the servants had wiped down my collection of teacups every single day. Everything was just as it was before I left. Not a single thing had changed.Even the roses I planted in the garden had been meticulously cared for by my mother all these years, and they were blooming beautifully.“We’re so glad you’re finally home,” my mother said, tears streaming down her face as she held me in a long embrace.She was right. I had let them down so much over the years.After resting at home for just a day, my parents began taking me to galas and various evening balls, introducing me to their acquaintances. They also handed over their business operations to me with unconditional trust.I kept myself busy every day. The politicians and high-society elites I met here were completely

When I arrived at the designated spot, I didn’t see Julian anywhere. White balloons hung from the trees in the park, and the lawn was blanketed in fresh flowers. It should have been a warm, romantic scene, but I felt absolutely nothing. I called Julian, but he didn’t pick up, so I figured he was just running late. Still, I already knew exactly what he was trying to do, and I had formulated a rejection speech in my head.After waiting for a few minutes, a familiar figure appeared on the other side of the lawn. It was Luca. Dressed in a sharp suit and holding a bouquet of flowers, he started walking toward me from a short distance away. In that instant, I realized exactly what was going on.“Sophie,” Luca called out my name before dropping to one knee and pulling out a ring. “Marry me. I swear, this time, I’ll give you the grandest wedding in the world.”I took a deep breath as fury consumed me. The whole display just felt incredibly sickening to me. I didn’t know how he had managed