Chapter 21
A sports car sped toward the city’s best wedding dress boutique.
“What the hell are you up to now, Hector?” Noelle was dragged out of the car. No matter how much she resisted, Hector refused to let her go.
“Looks like the only way to stop you from running is by keeping you in my arms, Noelle,” he said.
Noelle shut her eyes and ignored him, already numb to his words. Makeup artists and stylists surrounded her, dragging her to the changing room to try on wedding dresses.
A sales assistant pulled open the curtain, keeping the changing room from view, to reveal Noelle standing there in a wedding dress. She was all Hector could see.
The expensive wedding dress was adorned with diamonds, making Noelle look like a goddess who’d descended from the heavens in a gown accessorized with stars.
Hector stared at her. Then, he smiled and approached her. “You’re beautiful, Noelle.”
He reached out to pull her veil over her face, but she yanked it off and threw it onto the floor. “What are you playing at, Hector?”
He bent down to pick it up, looking anguished. “Noelle, you’ve always wanted us to have a wedding, right? I’m giving it to you now.”
“I won’t marry you. You’re my ex–husband, remember?” She emphasized “ex–husband” and ignored the disappointment on Hector’s face. She turned away to change out of the wedding dress.
“Noelle…” Hector suddenly swept her off her feet, trapping her in his arms. He refused to put her down, no matter how she struggled.
“Please, Noelle… If we could start over…” he rasped, his eyes turning dull.
“There are no ifs in this world, Hector. There’s no future for us, either!” Noelle cut him off and turned her head away.
“That’s fine. I’ll carry you to the chapel if you don’t want to go there yourself.” He tightened his hold on her as if he were holding onto a last shred of hope.
When Hector and Noelle arrived at the chapel, she refused to head inside, no matter what he said. However, he still dragged her inside.
“I’m not marrying you, Hector! I don’t want to have a wedding with you!” Noelle’s hoarse voice echoed around the empty chapel. She’d had enough of this. “I don’t want to be by your side anymore—even another second of this makes me sick!
“I stopped loving you long ago, and you’re only tormenting me by forcing me to stay with you. Why not just let me go? I’m already sick of this—I can’t hang around any longer!”
Hector forced a smile, still looking handsome in his white suit. He approached Noelle with a bouquet of pink roses and got on one knee before her. He pulled out a diamond ring from his pocket.
He asked, “Noelle, do you remember pointing at this ring and saying it was beautiful when we passed by a jewelry store once?”
She did. But at the time, she’d still been caught in Hector’s web of lies and had believed him to be bankrupt and heavily in debt. So, she’d just said that before picking up an empty bottle and leaving.
“So, you know about all of that.” Noelle looked at him. “This wedding dress and ring are right up Lindsey’s alley, aren’t they? Give them to her, not me. I don’t want them.”
“Noelle, don’t mention her before me.” Hector clenched his fists as his throat constricted.
“This is all for you,” he said in a voice so low that it was almost inaudible. “All of this is just for you.”
Noelle was unmoved. She sighed and lifted her skirts, turning to leave. However, he pinned her against the pillar.
“Don’t go, Noelle,” his voice scarily hoarse. “I don’t know what I’d do if you were to leave me.”
Just then, the chapel’s doors swung open, and two figures stood there with the sun shining behind them.
“Mommy!”
“Noelle!”
When Noelle saw them, she lifted her skirts and ran to Christian and Ian. Christian hurried forward and spread his arins, catching her as she threw herself at him. “Thank God I wasn’t too late.”
“I’m so glad you’re here, Chris!” Noelle cried.
Christian picked Ian up, and the three of them shared a hug. They looked like a happy family.
The sight pierced Hector’s heart. His eyes were bloodshot as he rasped, “Noelle, are you picking hun or me?”
He turned to fan, his expression anguished. “lan, don’t you want me anymore?”
lan qurled up in Christian’s arms. “You were the one who didn’t want me first, so I don’t want you, either!”
“Noelle, do you really not care about me anymore?” Hector staggered back, roaring like a wild beast, “I’ll kill myself right here and now if you leave! I
can’t live without you!”
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Noelle shielded Christian and Ian behind her, gesturing for Christian to take lan away first. He grabbed her hand. “Noelle…”
“Trust me. I’ll come to you guys,” she said.
He was silent for a long time, but ultimately decided to respect her. He let her go. “Ian and I will be waiting for you outside. We’re going home together.” Noelle siniled and nodded. “Alright. Together.”
