The air was heavy with the scent of fresh roses and anticipation. Amelia Harper stood at the altar in a dazzling white dress, her veil framing her radiant face. Her heart was beating fast against her chest; this was supposed to be the happiest day of her life. The officiant's voice resonated through the hall, filled with friends and family, as he read the vows.
“Do you, Darius Callahan, take Amelia Harper to be your lawfully wedded wife?”
The world seemed to hold its breath. Amelia’s heart raced as she looked into Darius’ deep brown eyes, expecting to see the same love she’d always believed was there. Amelia and Darius have been lovers since their college days. She was called lucky by all of her friends to date an attractive man like Darius. She was happy in the relationship and suggested they marry and be a real family. Today, her wish would come to pass: getting married to the love of her life in front of her close friends.
But then, Darius hesitated.
“I don’t.”
The words were a thunderclap, echoing through the grand hall. A murmur swept through the guests like an electric current of disbelief. Everyone looked at each other in shock, trying to digest the current situation. Amelia’s hand, clutching her bouquet, immediately dropped to her side. Her legs weakened, but she tried hard to keep herself from collapsing.
“What… did you just say?” she whispered, her voice cracking.
“I don't. I can't take you as my wife, Amelia. I'm sorry.” Darius spoke, avoiding Amelia's gaze.
“Darius....”
Darius took a step back, exhaling deeply. His gaze shifted, no longer meeting Amelia's gaze. Instead, it landed on someone else in the crowd.
“I can’t marry you, Amelia,” he said, louder this time as if he wanted a particular person to hear him rejecting her. His tone was calm but resolute, and his decision had already been made before the wedding. “I’m in love with someone else.”
Gasps erupted from the audience. Amelia felt her knees weaken once again as her feet stumbled backward. She barely registered it when Sophia Kane, her closest friend and bridesmaid, stood from the second row.
“Darius…” Amelia’s voice was barely audible now. “No,no. Tell me this isn’t happening.”
Sophia walked forward, her head bowed as though ashamed, even though she didn’t stop. Darius turned to Sophia and took her hand in his lovingly.
“I’m sorry, Amelia,” Darius said, though there was no regret in his voice. “Sophia and I… we’ve been seeing each other for months. I love her so much and the thought of leaving her to get married to you, is just unfair to her. I won't be able to live with myself if I do that.”
“You’ve been—” Amelia’s voice broke as anger flared in her chest. “You’ve been cheating on me? With her? It's unfair for her if you marry me? What about me? Ah... I'm nothing? All our years of being together has been nothing? So it's not unfair if you leave me on our wedding day for my closest friend?”
“I didn’t mean for it to happen, Amelia. After being together with you and Darius, we fell in love with each other. You should know how hard it has been for me to see both of you being lovey dovey when Darius' true love is me. I can't watch you two get married and stay heartbroken all my life.” Sophia whispered, her eyes darting everywhere but at Amelia.
“ Don't take it to heart, Amelia. Think of this has doing the best for you. If we had married, it would have been a loveless marriage with me cheating on you with your friend. I don't want that to happen so I called it off. Bye Amelia and don't think of coming after us.”
Darius didn’t wait for further confrontation. Pulling Sophia’s hand, he led her down the aisle and out of the hall. The stunned crowd parted for them as louder whispers and accusations filled the air.
Amelia stood frozen; her world just crumbled in a matter of minutes. Every dream, every promise, has been shattered in an instant. Amelia was so heartbroken and hurt that she couldn't let out a sound; she could barely hear the sound of a friend calling her name. She turned and walked out of the hall, tears blurring her vision.
---
Outside, the world was so bright, as if mocking her heartbreak. She stumbled to the side of the building, gripping the stone wall for support. A sob escaped her lips, raw and uncontrollable.
She thought I wouldn’t cry for him, even as the tears kept falling. She sucked it all up and wiped her face quickly as people passed by and stared at her.
Through her blurry vision, she noticed a man sitting in a wheelchair near the registry office, a bouquet of slightly wilted daisies resting in his lap. He seemed lost in thought; his sharp features were unreadable.
Before she could stop herself from even thinking, Amelia approached the stranger.
“Are you waiting for someone?” she asked, her voice trembling.
The man blinked, startled by her sudden appearance. He had striking green eyes and a calm demeanor.
“I was,” he replied evenly, straightening his shoulder. “She didn’t show up.”
Amelia stared at him, her breath hitching. Something about his calm way of speaking and not looking at her weirdly when talking to him made the storm inside her calm. She thought the man would probably move away from her because of her sudden question, but it was the opposite. Maybe this was it. The man in the wheelchair looked like a nice man, and both of them had similar situations. His bride didn't show up; her groom dumped her for her close friend. They could help each other with their situation.
“Marry me,” she blurted out, the words escaping before she could second-guess them.
His brows lifted in surprise. “Excuse me?”
“You said your bride didn't show up, isn't it? So, you need a bride. I need a husband too, since my groom dumped me.” She stepped closer, her desperation masking her better judgment and right frame of mind. “Let’s fix this, together.”
The man tilted his head, studying her. She expected him to laugh, call her crazy, and dismiss her, but instead, a faint smile played on his lips.
“Alright,” he said after a long pause.
“Really?” she asked, almost stunned by his agreement.
He shrugged. “Why not? Let's fix this together. We'll go to the registry and sign.”
---
The registry office was small and quiet, starkly contrasting the chaos of her failed wedding. They signed the necessary papers, exchanged simple vows, and within an hour, Amelia Harper was no longer a jilted and dumped bride but a married woman. Married to a stranger.
When they stepped outside, the man gestured toward a sleek black car waiting at the side of the road.
“I suppose I should take you home,” he said, his tone oddly gentle.
“Home?” Amelia echoed, suddenly realizing she didn’t even know his name and they were now husband and wife.
He noticed the curiosity in her eyes and said, “Liam Caldwell,” he introduced himself, extending a hand. “Your new husband.”
