Chapter 1
“Is Mr. Frank not here yet?” someone asked.
The person to whom the question was directed shook his head and turned to look beside him.
A woman in a white wedding dress was seated there. Her delicate face was expressionless, as if she hadn’t heard the conversation between the two.
Her beautiful yet vacant eyes stared at the person in the mirror. She wore a strapless wedding dress that symbolized purity and love, the neckline showing off her charming collarbones.
Her face was adorned with exquisite makeup that enhanced her already innocent-looking appearance, making her even more stunning.
It was supposed to be a joyous day, but her expression showed no hint of happiness. Instead, she appeared numb with a touch of aloofness.
Today was the day of Maria Greenwood and Frank Johnston’s wedding.
However, the groom, Frank, chose not to attend the wedding as a form of revenge and humiliation towards her.
Maria’s slender fingers clenched the skirts of her white wedding dress, wrinkling the material.
“So, should the wedding continue or not?” The priest was at a loss on how to proceed.
Without the groom, how could the wedding proceed?
All eyes turned to Maria, the bride of the wedding.
She raised her gaze and looked at her reflection in the mirror. She slowly parted her rosy lips. “Proceed according to the plan.”
In a resort in Riversouth City was a chapel specially dedicated to weddings. It was packed with people.
Everyone eagerly awaited the start of the wedding ceremony of Frank, the heir of the prestigious Johnston family and the current CEO of the Johnston Group.
However, everyone was puzzled and curious as to why none of Frank’s parents or relatives were present.
No one knew the reason, but there were rumors that Frank would hold two ceremonies, and this was just one of them.
Some journalists were present, aiming to capture the wedding for tomorrow’s headlines.
Amidst the guests’ murmurings, the heavy wooden doors of the church opened slowly. Everyone instinctively fell silent, turning around to look at the entrance.
Those who had their phones and their cameras immediately held them up, ready to capture the moment.
However, when they saw only the bride in a white wedding dress standing at the entrance, they simultaneously expressed their confusion.
‘Where is Mr. Frank?’ they wondered.
Maria knew the gazes directed at her were filled with questions.
Tightening her grip on the bouquet, she lowered her eyes and avoided everyone’s gaze.
After today, she would have the money to treat her mother.
Even if it meant enduring immense humiliation, she would persevere.
She stepped on the flower-strewn red carpet, slowly walking towards the priest.
Under the light of the tinted glass roof, Maria, who was clad in a white wedding dress, looked utterly radiant.
Everyone watched as she walked alone down the long red carpet and finally stopped before the priest.
By now, everyone in the audience, even the clueless ones, understood what was happening.
The invitations were sent by Frank, and the woman must be Frank’s new bride. However, the bride was not Frank’s love.
The surrounding chatter gradually grew louder. The mocking voices increased in volume.
Maria paid no attention to them. She was already accustomed to such noises.
Right now, all she wanted was to quickly finish the wedding, get the money, and rush to the hospital.
She nodded at the priest, who skipped other questions and directly asked her, “Miss Maria Greenwood, do you willingly take Mr. Frank Johnston as your husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do you part?”
“I do,” Maria answered without any hesitation.
As Maria’s voice fell, a sharp voice sounded from the entrance. “Maria, what right do you have to marry Frank?”
Everyone turned around to see who had spoken. A well-dressed middle-aged woman stood at the entrance. She was glaring at Maria, who was standing in front of the priest.
Even without turning, Maria knew who it was just by the voice.
Maria didn’t want to argue today. Holding the bouquet tightly, Maria turned and faced the furious woman. “Vanessa, today…”
Before Maria could finish speaking, a shadow flashed before her eyes, followed by a resounding slap on her cheek.
The sound of a slap echoed through the church.
Maria’s vision blurred. She staggered and collided with the priest’s podium.
There was a sound when she crashed into it. Her arm hit the ground heavily, causing her eyes to well up with tears from the pain.
The wealthy woman disregarded her image and shouted angrily, “If it weren’t for you, my daughter wouldn’t be in a coma now, you murderer. Let me tell you, don’t think that marrying Frank will save you from the law. Once my daughter wakes up, I will make sure to send you to jail!”
She was well aware of who was present today and wanted to ruin Maria, making sure she could never hold her head high again.
Maria clutched her dress tightly. There was a bright red palm print on her face. The sight shocked the guests.
She kept her head low, and no one could see her expression.
Even though Maria explained it many times, no one believed her. Still, she had to defend herself. “It wasn’t me who pushed…”
The wealthy woman spat on Maria’s pure white wedding dress and went on accusing her angrily. “If it wasn’t you, then who was it? You’re just taking advantage of Nina being in a coma! You crawled into Mr. Frank’s bed, so he had no choice but to marry you. Do you know why Mr. Frank didn’t come? He is currently with my daughter! Even if you marry Mr. Frank, don’t think you can have him!”
Maria listened to the insults, her fingers gripping the wedding dress even harder.
Everyone believed she was the one who crawled into Frank’s bed, but no one knew that she did not mean for it to happen.
However, she couldn’t say it. Because they had sex, and she married him, then she got the money to save her mother.
Regardless of the public humiliation and misunderstandings, she had to endure it.
When people came up to smooth things over, the wealthy woman looked at the disheveled Maria and felt satisfied. Having vented her emotions, she left triumphantly.
After the wealthy woman left, the priest signaled to people to help Maria, but she waved her hand, propped herself up on the podium, and stood up.
The wedding had to continue. Even if she had lost everything, she still retained a trace of pride.
After the commotion, the gazes directed toward Maria changed. But since Frank’s assistant was present, no one left early.
Maria still stood proudly as the wedding was conducted, even though there was no groom and no blessings.
After the ceremony, Maria, disregarding the fact that she was still wearing her wedding dress, ran towards the door, paying no attention to how the guests at the wedding viewed her. She only wanted to go to one place now.
Once she left, the assistant who was recording the ceremony put away the recording equipment. He picked up the microphone and addressed the remaining guests. “Thank you all for attending Mr. Frank’s wedding. As for the reporters present, I hope that there will not be any inappropriate content.”
All the reporters present knew what was considered inappropriate.
Compared to vying for headlines, they were even more unwilling to offend the Johnston family, as it would be impossible to survive in Riversouth City if they did.
Meanwhile, Maria was anxiously sitting in a taxi on the way to the hospital.
After the assistant spoke, he left the church, got into a car, and transferred the video to his phone using a computer before sending it out.
After completing this, he made a phone call.
A few seconds later, a low, magnetic voice sounded on the other end of the phone. “Speak.”
“Boss, the wedding is over, and the video has been sent to your phone.” The male assistant paused, hesitated a bit, then continued, “Mrs. Greenwood came over and slapped Mrs. Johnston.”
“No need to call her Mrs. Johnston.” The tone of the low, magnetic voice on the phone suddenly dropped to below freezing.
With that, the call was hung up.
Maria had no idea that the assistant had sent the video to Frank. She appeared at the hospital in a wedding dress, and the swollen palm print on her check drew people’s attention.
However, she paid no mind to that and headed directly to the office of her mother’s attending doctor.
When the attending doctor saw Maria enter, he immediately said, “Maria, we have received your mother’s medical expenses.”
Upon hearing that, Maria’s tense nerves finally relaxed, and her vacant eyes regained a glimmer of light.
Finally, it was done.
With the money, her mother could continue receiving treatment.
“What happened to your face?” The attending doctor was somewhat surprised upon seeing, Maria in a wedding dress with a palm print on her face,
“I’m fine.” Maria didn’t want others to know about her situation. Instead, she was concerned about her mother’s condition. “How long can the money last?”
“One or two months. You know your mother’s condition. The medical expenses needed are considerable…” The attending doctor wanted to say more, persuading Maria to give up.
Maria’s mother’s condition was like a bottomless pit. All the money in the world might not change anything
It would only delay her death.
The doctor had told Maria about that a long time ago, but she still looked at him stubbornly and stated firmly, “No matter how much money it requires, I’ll find a way to get it. Just give my mother the best medicine.
“Okay.” The doctor didn’t say anything more. When Maria left, he gave her a bottle of ointment for her injury.
Walking along the long corridor with her wedding dress trailing behind her, Maria arrived at her mother’s intensive care unit. Standing in front of the glass window, she gently propped her palms on it. Her bright eyes stared intently at the woman attached to various tubes lying on the hospital bed.
She was Julia’s mother, the only relative who truly cared for Julia.
“Mom, you have to wake up soon. I still have a lot to say to you,” Julia said with a light smile. Her eyes gradually moistened.
As long as her mother was still alive, even if she could only lie there, everything Maria did would be worthwhile!
Maria didn’t dare to stay for too long. She still had to return to Johnston Court. Perhaps Frank would return today.
Johnston Court, located in the best area of Riversouth City, was a high-end residential area developed by the Johnston Group.
Those who could live there were either wealthy or influential. Their means of transport were high-end luxury cars.
Frank lived alone at Johnston Court. He insisted that Maria must live there after marriage as well.
There was no public transport nearby, so Maria had to take a taxi back to the Johnston Court. However, taxis couldn’t enter the Johnston Court.
After paying off the taxi driver at the entrance, Maria had to walk a long way to reach the main building.
Maria braved the scorching summer sun and walked in high heels. She lifted the hem of her dirtied wedding dress as she headed towards the main building.
The servants enjoying the shade in the main building saw her, but no one went out to greet her.
They all knew that Frank didn’t like the newly wedded wife. However, it was a tradition of the Johnston family to marry any woman whom they were intimate with. It was the reason why Frank reluctantly married her.
When the unconscious Nina woke up, Maria would undoubtedly be kicked out.
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