All Chapters of Canceled at the Altar for the 100th Time: Chapter 1 - Chapter 8

Later that evening, Mom left. Kaia turned toward Ivan, her eyes already brimming with tears. "Ivan, I just got back, and I don't have anywhere to stay. Can I stay here? We're legally married now, after all."Then she turned to me. "Olivia, I think you should go stay at Marie's place instead. If people find out the other woman is sleeping in the marital home, they'll talk."I glanced outside. It was already deep into the night, and I'd been afraid of the dark ever since I was a child.I'd already decided to leave, but I wasn't about to put myself in danger just to prove a point."There's a spare bedroom," I said, looking at Ivan. "I'll stay there for tonight and move out first thing tomorrow morning."At two in the morning, a sharp crack jolted me awake. I opened my eyes to find Kaia standing beside my bed, surrounded by shattered emerald pieces. It was the bracelet I'd taken off before bed. "Olivia, I'm sorry," she said. "I just got up to use the bathroom and saw the b

For the sake of my studio's reputation and my own credibility, I had no choice but to ask the driver to turn back. But as soon as I arrived home, I overheard Mom talking to Kaia. "Kaia, you and Ivan got married before you left the country five years ago," she said. "Now that you're finally back, you should focus on building a life together. At least then I can finally give your father some peace of mind."My phone slipped from my hand and fell to the floor with a sharp clatter. The screen shattered. "No wonder," I thought. "So that's what this was."All this time, this was the truth. The front door opened, and the moment Mom, Kaia, and I locked eyes, everything became clear."Our wedding is still happening as planned," Ivan said, reaching for my hand. I stepped away from him. "So all along, you all knew I wasn't the other woman, yet you still let everyone believe I was," I ground out, staring at Mom—or perhaps I should call her Marie now."You always knew the truth abou

The plane glided through the clouds before making a smooth landing in Valenne.On the drive from the airport to the apartment Professor Sandler had arranged for us, the unfamiliar faces and people from all over the world were enough to make me forget everything that had been weighing on me back home.Professor Sandler was standing in the living room when we arrived, looking excited."You've all got three days off. Go out and explore the city. We'll start at the studio next Monday."My classmates cheered enthusiastically. Their enthusiasm was contagious, and I couldn't help but feel a thrill of my own.Nancy Jennings was in my year, and her work had inspired many of my paintings."Olivia, I've wanted to visit the Louvain in Valenne for ages. Let's go together tomorrow."The Louvain housed countless famous works of art and was practically a dream destination for art students. Just imagining seeing those masterpieces in person made my heart race. "Have you bought your ticket yet?

I turned around and saw Ivan. Honestly, I wasn't surprised that he'd found out where I was. What shocked me was that he'd actually come all the way here himself.The usually immaculate Ivan looked completely worn out. His perfectly styled hair was a mess, and his eyes were bloodshot from what looked like days of traveling without rest."What are you doing here?" I asked, my voice indifferent. "We're going back to get married!"He lunged toward me and reached for my wrist, but Colin immediately stepped in front of me, blocking his path.Ivan shot him a look. "You'd better stay out of this," he spat. "She's my wife!""Our marriage was fake," I said, stepping out from behind Colin. "You forged our marriage certificate yourself. Have you forgotten?"Ivan fell silent."That's why I came to bring you back," he said at last, his expression shifting. "Everything for the wedding ceremony is ready."I stared at him, then scoffed. "You want to have a wedding with me while you're l