"If you don't want to stay here anymore, we can leave," Lucian suggested calmly as he walked ahead of Amelia.
She didn't mean to refuse to help but she just couldn't stand Yolanda's arrogance anymore.
"Amelia?" Jasper walked in from the outside. Ignoring everyone's staring, he grabbed Amelia's hand and said, "May I have a word with you?"
All of a sudden, Jasper had grabbed her and before she could even break free, he was already pulling her away.
"Mr. Jasper, don't you think we should be more careful about what we do and say in public?" Lucian said coolly as he maintained his grip on Amelia's other hand.
Jasper looked a little embarrassed. He released Amelia's hand and bowed his head to apologize. "Sorry, Lucian. I forgot my manners. I was in a hurry."
"If you're here to ask my wife to be your fiancée's bridesmaid, you'd better save your energy. I just don't want my wife to be aggrieved anymore." Lucian was acting as if it was his responsibility to protect Amelia. But the irony was not lost on Amelia.
How could their real feelings be so deep?
As Jasper turned his attention back to Amelia, he begged, "Amelia, I know you hate me but the wedding's happening right now, could you just please set aside your personal feelings and come help out your sister?"
This was the first time that Jasper had ever begged her. It was ridiculous that he's begging her for the sake of another woman.
Amelia was obviously hurt by this but after giving it some thought, she finally decided to agree.
When Amelia nodded her head, Jasper was visibly thrilled. He grabbed Amelia's hands and said in a grateful tone, "Amelia, I knew you would say yes. You've always been so considerate."
It was difficult to find him sincere in his words.
Amelia looked toward Lucian who seemed indifferent and unbothered.
"Amelia, you don't have to look out for me. Plus, didn't I say I'd help you?" Lucian suddenly whispered in Amelia's ear.
She pressed her lips together before going to change into her purple bridesmaid dress. After which, she went to the wedding with Lucian by her side.
The weather outside was beautiful. The sun was up and shining but Amelia wasn't feeling the same way. Instead, she felt nervous.
"To be honest, you're more graceful than your sister but she has the body." There was a moment of hesitation in Lucian's voice before he continued, "I think that's what she had over you."
She knew what Lucian meant by saying that. He was trying to tell her that Yolanda was confident because she knew she had the body for it.
"So is Yolanda more your type or what?" Amelia snapped, giving him a disdainful look.
"Oh, well, she's smarter than you," Lucian bit back.
"Lucian, are you trying to get on my nerves? You're going to have to do a lot more than that." She turned her face away and ignored Lucian.
When they arrived at the wedding, the wedding host had just announced that the wedding was about to start.
The event was luxuriously decorated and the guests were buzzing with excitement. It was a refreshing break from the cold atmosphere in the Mo mansion.
As the wedding march played, the groom and bride started walking down the aisle hand in hand. Amelia carefully walked behind them. She cast a glance at Lucian who was sitting off the stage and she unconsciously blushed.
The bridesmaid dress was strapless which exposed most of Amelia's skin. She wasn't used to wearing clothes like these. It reminded her of the night she was drunk and Lucian had seen her and taken photos of her.
"Mr. Jasper, will you promise to love your wife in poverty and wealth, health and illness? Will you promise to love and respect her for the rest of your life?"
After the priest had declared the solemn vows of marriage, everyone's eyes were focused on the bride and groom. Only Lucian was looking toward Amelia. He didn't know why but he felt so drawn to her at that moment that he couldn't help but look at her.
In the five years that Amelia had dated Jasper, she'd dreamed of her wedding with him countless of times. He'd promised her then that they'd live happily ever after. She didn't expect that she would become a bridesmaid at his wedding with a different woman.
While she thought that she would be happy for him, she found herself feeling upset and dismal.
Soon, the wedding was over before Amelia even realized it. She didn't realize how cold she was until she'd snapped back to her senses. She rubbed her bare arms roughly to warm herself up a bit as she walked toward the backstage to change into her evening dress. She suddenly felt two strong hands grasp hers. She turned and found Lucian standing in front of her. Trying to wriggle herself free, she said,
"I thought you left already." She covered her chest wit
h her other hand and lowered her head bashfully.
Noticing that Amelia was cold, Lucian took off his coat and placed it around Amelia.
She was startled by the sudden warmth that replaced the freezing cold.
She'd watched this scene on TV so many times but she'd never experienced it herself until now and it certainly felt different.
She raised her head and whispered thanks, her eyes averting his gaze.
It wasn't like her to wear makeup so that night, she looked absolutely stunning with her makeup on coupled with the elegant dress she was wearing. When she smiled, Lucian felt his heart skip a beat.
For a while, he just kept his gaze on her, a small smile playing on his lips.
"Oh, Lucian, Amelia. You're here. I've been looking for you." Yolanda's shrill voice broke the silence between them.
In embarrassment, Lucian looked away. His gentle expression disappeared and was quickly replaced with his usual cold demeanor.
Yolanda had changed into a red cheongsam. There was a peony pattern embroidered on the red cheongsam and a shawl was draped over her shoulder. She looked beautiful with her curly hair.
"Yolanda, I thought mother asked you to put on more clothes, why didn't you listen to her?" Jasper was just coming over with Yolanda's coat in hand, frowning.
Yolanda seemed pissed. She snapped, "Well, I have a shawl, don't I? Everyone's going to be looking at me today. I can't possibly wear that!"
Yolanda liked being beautiful no matter what. She never went out without any makeup on. During winter, she'd wear thin silk stockings. She would get her hair done on a weekly basis and would use that time to smoke a cigarette or two. Most of all, she loved going to the bar with her friends.
She was pregnant now so she couldn't do any of those anymore. It was hard to tell how well she was adjusting to this new lifestyle she was supposed to have.
At the thought of this, Amelia pinched herself hard and scolded herself in her mind, 'Mind your own business.'
"You're pregnant now. You're going to adjust," Jasper begged, his voice low and his eyebrows knitted together.
His words enraged Yolanda. She glared at him as she spoke, her voice sharp as knives, "Did you only marry me because I'm pregnant?"
With an aghast look, Jasper turned to look at Amelia and said in an apologetic tone, "Thank you so much for attending our service. I deeply apologize for the hiccups that we experienced. I sincerely hope we can make it up to you."
"Jasper, why are you changing the topic? I'm asking you!" It seemed that Jasper mentioning Amelia's name had triggered Yolanda causing her to shoot daggers with her eyes at Amelia. She pulled at his sleeve and said, "I want you to tell Amelia right now that you don't love her anymore!"
Amelia didn't know what was happening. Why was Yolanda acting like that? Didn't they just literally get married? Why was she still doubting him?
If Jasper were being honest, he just felt like he had no history with Yolanda. He spent five years in another relationship whom he didn't end up with.
As far as she knew, there should always be respect in a love that's supposedly mutual.
It seemed that Jasper had already forgotten the true meaning of love. Being with Yolanda was an act of self-defeat to him.
Since her mother passed away, Amelia felt as if she was practically treated as a servant in the Mo family. Sophia never liked being a stepmother. Yolanda always mistreated her. She only opened up her heart when she met Jasper. She trusted him without getting to know him first expecting him to love her as much as Vernon loved her. She didn't expect that any of this would happen.
"Yolanda, just stop it, okay?" Jasper begged, he seemed embarrassed. "Yolanda, you're my wife now. Can't you trust me just a little?"
Yolanda merely sneered at him.
"I trust you but I have to hear it from your mouth. I have to hear you say those words. I need proof that you don't love her anymore." Yolanda had an evil grin on her face. She raised her chin and looked at Amelia arrogantly as if she was declaring war against her.
"Honey, I love you."
A deep and soft voice suddenly rang in Amelia's ears.
Amelia felt his hot breath in her ear. She felt a chill run from her neck down to her spine, her face flushed, and her heart was beating a mile a minute.
To everyone else, their love was a bit of a fairytale. It wasn't believable considering that they were from two different worlds.
"Jasper, look!" Yolanda glared at Jasper who was still in a daze. Then she turned to Amelia and said in a threatening voice, "Since you and Lucian seem to be legitimately in love, I'll let you go. But I'm warning you, the minute I find out that you still have feelings for Jasper, I'll make sure you pay for it."