Chapter 2

"Nora Hale hasn't arrived yet?"

Under the porch, someone asked a question with a smile.

Vivian lifted her skirt and twirled gently.

"Don't rush her, let's finish being the bride today first."

Several young soldiers immediately smiled and raised their glasses.

Through the half-drawn carriage curtain, I saw her hold onto Adrian's shoulder and lift one foot.

"My shoelaces are loose."

Adrian glanced down at her, then knelt down in front of her.

He gathered the ribbon dragging on the ground into his palm, brushed off the dust, and retied it. As he stood up, he even smoothed out the rolled-up hem of her skirt.

My gaze lingered there, and I didn't look away for a long time.

On the day I tried on the dress, I got stuck on the layers of the skirt and wanted to ask him to help me fasten my shoelaces.

He said he wasn't a servant and told me to go and call someone else.

It turns out that he wasn't unwilling to back down.

They just never humbled themselves for me.

A few whistles sounded from under the porch.

"You two look best together. After all these years, I've finally seen you today."

The speaker was Adrian's childhood friend.

After Vivian left the territory, he patted Adrian on the shoulder and thanked me earnestly.

He said that thanks to me, Adrian has regained his smile.

"It's a pity I can only borrow her for half a day."

Another man swirled his wine glass, his face full of disdain.

“Some people actually took it seriously, thinking that by staying by Adrian’s side for a few years, they could secure a position that didn’t belong to them.”

That's Adrian's cousin.

One winter, the mountain road leading to the border was blocked by snow, and the outpost he was guarding ran out of food.

Adrian asked me for help, so I used all the flour I had stored in the bakery to make dry rations overnight and delivered them with the supply team.

When I arrived, my fingers were so frozen that I couldn't even loosen the reins.

He took the grain sack and repeatedly said that he would always remember this kindness.

Now, he laughs louder than anyone else.

There were also the soldiers who trained with Adrian, and his relatives who were always very polite to me...

I've met all of these people before.

They've eaten my cooking, received the gifts I prepared, and smiled as they wished us well on our wedding.

But behind my back, they talked about me as if I were a stranger who was lingering and wouldn't leave.

"Opening a small shop, and you really think you're worthy of it—"

"Alright."

Adrian finally spoke.

My fingertips unconsciously tightened.

He merely straightened Vivian's cloak and said calmly:

"Today is about making her happy, so don't keep mentioning people who spoil the mood."

My hand gripping the carriage curtain began to tremble.

It turns out that at my wedding, even being mentioned was considered a downer.

"If you look down on me so much, why pretend to be so close to me in front of me?"

The moment the sound came out, the porch fell silent.

I lifted the car curtain and looked at those frozen faces.

Don't you find it disgusting?

Someone hurriedly put down their wine glass and whispered:

"Didn't they say she went through the side gate?"

Adrian had already walked quickly to the car.

There was no explanation, nor a single word of reproach directed at those people.

He blocked my view of the porch, and his voice turned cold.

"Apologize to them."

A sense of absurdity crept in little by little.

"I should apologize?"

I almost burst out laughing.

"They made fun of my wedding, said I wasn't worthy to stand beside you, and you want me to apologize to them?"

Adrian looked at me for a few seconds, as if he had run out of patience.

"Nora, it's impossible for everyone to like you."

“They grew up with me and Vivian, so our relationship is naturally different. You’ve only known them for a short time; you should give them some time to get to know you.”

I tilted my head back, trying to hold back my tears.

"So, I'm just supposed to listen?"

He frowned.

"It was just a few jokes between friends, why did you have to make things so awkward for everyone?"

A suppressed sob came from the other side of the porch.

Adrian immediately turned around.

Vivian's eyes were already red, and she was wiping away her tears with her head down.

His expression softened, and when he turned to me, his voice also lowered.

“In the past, if someone said something and you didn’t take it to heart, that was the end of it.”

“Vivian has been blaming herself. She feels that if she hadn’t insisted on experiencing the wedding, they wouldn’t have made those jokes.”

I looked at him, and my chest slowly emptied.

He didn't seem to care when those words were said to me.

Vivian shed a few tears, and I had to bow my head to put everyone at ease.

He was still saying something.

Perhaps it was advising me to be more magnanimous, or perhaps it was reminding me that the guests had already arrived and I shouldn't throw a tantrum today.

But I can't hear you anymore.

As tears streamed down my face, I spoke.

"Adrian, it's over."

He stopped talking.

I will not attend this wedding.

“I will not accept your mark.”

I looked into his eyes and spoke each word clearly.

He did not answer.

Vivian lifted her skirt and walked down the steps, reaching out to grab his sleeve.

"I'm sorry, it's all my fault. I'll change out of the dress right now and give the place back to her..."

Adrian turned around almost immediately.

He took out a handkerchief and wiped away her tears, his voice no longer showing the coldness he had shown towards me earlier.

"No need to change. I promised you could wear it, so just wear it without worry."

"Don't cry, Nora isn't blaming you."

He gently patted her back.

"She's just being stubborn with me."