All Chapters of A Bride Rewritten: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

The moment I sent the message, my phone buzzed.There was only one reply: [Okay.]I stared at that single word for two seconds before locking my phone.The electronic clock outside the County Clerk's Office had just changed to 4:46 pm.Fourteen minutes until closing.My best friend, Ryan Chapman, was practically beside himself."Zane, we really cannot put this off again."Did you forget what happened last time? You waited out in the cold all day and we missed the deadline by five minutes. The office closed, and you didn't get your marriage license."Getting a marriage license isn't as simple as signing your name. We have to fill out the forms, verify the documents, take pictures and sign everything. Every step takes time."If we don't go in now, we are going to waste another whole day."Our friends joined in, trying to convince her."Melissa, just go inside first. You can fix the bracelet anytime. Nothing is more important than getting your marriage license."Even the secur

"Can you all stop being so pushy?" Then she turned to me. "Zane, just wait two more minutes."As soon as Chester fixes the lucky bracelet, we will go inside and get our marriage license."Wait?I couldn't help laughing when I heard that."Melissa, do you remember the last time?"She froze for a second.I continued."On our fifth anniversary."We agreed we'd go get our marriage license. However, you said Chester had low blood sugar and asked me to wait for you in the lobby for ten minutes. I ended up waiting until the County Clerk's Office closed."Then you finally texted me and said he wasn't doing well, so you had to take him home first. You said we could get the license another time."Melissa's expression changed."That was a special situation. He really was feeling awful."I nodded."What about my birthday?"He sprained his ankle, and you took him to the hospital while I waited for you at the County Clerk's Office."And on Valentine's Day, his ex showed up and caused

"It is already the eighth time they have tried to get their marriage license. Who could put up with that?""If it were me, I'd have gone crazy by now."Their words reached my ears, but I barely reacted.They thought I was throwing a tantrum. They thought I was trying to force Melissa into marrying me.Only I knew the truth.I did not want to wait for her anymore.Just then, Chester stood up, still clutching the broken piece of the lucky bracelet. His eyes were red as he looked at me."Zane, don't do this."Getting married is a decision for two people. How can you use something like this to pressure Melissa?"She already came all the way to the County Clerk's Office. She just wants to finish giving you her blessing."If you pressure her like this, you are only going to hurt her."It was as if Melissa had finally snapped out of it. She looked at me with obvious disappointment."Zane, when did you become like this?"You used to be so understanding."I stared at her and sudde

The word "husband" hit me like a punch to the chest.Melissa froze too.She looked at me, and for the first time, I saw real panic in her eyes."Zane, you cannot do this to me."I closed the marriage certificate."Melissa, we are done."She looked as if she could not understand what I was saying."Just because of today?"Just because of a bracelet?"I looked at her and suddenly felt exhausted."It isn't because of today."It is because of seven years."It is because every time I needed you, you chose Chester."The moment I finished speaking, Chester came running into the lobby. He was still clutching the broken lucky bracelet.When he saw the marriage certificate in my hand, the hurt expression on his face froze."Zane, you really got married to someone else?" His voice was soft, as if I had just broken his heart. "How could you do this?"Melissa waited for you for seven years."I looked at him."She waited for me?" I gave a small laugh. "Chester, you have it backward

Suddenly, I felt like maybe this night was not going to be as terrible as I had imagined....When I opened the front door, the living room was packed with relatives. The table was covered with steaming dishes, and the wedding decorations were already up.Everything looked like a dream.Then, Mom came over and wrapped her arms around me, patting my back."You're home. That is all that matters."Dad stood nearby, his expression grim.He looked at Julia.Julia set down the gifts and greeted him politely."Mr. Stewart, Mrs. Stewart."I'm sorry I came on such short notice."I didn't have time to visit properly beforehand."Dad stared at her for a few seconds."Let me see the certificate."I handed him the marriage certificate. He opened it and stared at it for a long time. Slowly, his eyes turned red.He did not call me reckless or say that I had acted on impulse. Instead, he simply looked at me and said quietly, "As long as you got it."Mom wiped her eyes. "Zane waited too