Chapter 4
Chapter 4
After hanging up the phone, Anika caught a glimpse of the red exclamation mark on her Viber icon.
She could not help but notice, so she clicked it.
Her fingers slid down and there were dozens of contacts.
She saw the half-truth and half-fake sympathy after the hot issue.
It could be seen that today's wedding had become their conversation topic.
Anika didn't have many friends in the country.
Most of the people who sent the message were acquainted with her soon-to-be mother-in-law when she accompanied her to social occasions in the past and they didn't know each other very well.
She only clicked on the Viber group of three.
Her friends Nataly and Alena had condemned Kayden and Lucy countless times already.
"F*ck, I used to think that Kayden was not bad.I didn't expect that I would be deceived at such a young age." Nataly said.
"Please make sure that the two of them are together.Let Lucy try to make things difficult for Kayden and let's see if she can get rid of his hypocrisy" Alena added.
"Alas, Kayden and I are just friends, otherwise back to that year things wouldn't be...Alena, you misunderstood it again!" Nataly replied.
"Ah! Thinking of this, I want to vomit.On Valentine's Day, she deliberately said that she was harassed and called Kayden.Even then, she still had the nerve to think too much about her voice! What bullshit!" Alena irritatingly said.
"F*ck, Lucy's necklace is the one that Kayden took? Eight-digit pink diamonds set her up as a princess in the entertainment industry.’
Nataly said "Anika stayed in the United States to make money for him just so that he could buy diamonds for other women?! I want to draw a Croatian rhapsody on that jerk's face!"
Alena said with disappointment.
Nataly: It's broken.
Their disgusting actions robbed Mom of her grace.
I want to knead the jerk and his woman into a ball, then kick them out of the distant horizon, so that when they land on the ground, they will understand how karma works! What followed was too intense.
Anika swept her eyes and fixed her posture.
"Nika, can I still be a bridesmaid ?" Alena asked.
Since Nataly was married, the bridesmaid's task naturally fell on Alena.
Last night, Anika originally wanted to let her stay at the hotel; but she said that she had to deliver the contract to Kayden’'s father early in the morning, so she did not come early.
Anika replied, "Don't worry, the groom is here"
"I didn't expect Zac to have a better conscience than Kayden,’ Alena said with teary eyes.
"Zac seems to have his advantage even though he often dissuades all his potential dates as soon as he came to talk with them."
Nataly seems to be enlightened.
Anika said nothing in reply.
There was no need for such a disobedient compliment.
It was an hour before noon when guests started to arrive at the SIMO Hotel.
Nataly and Alena stood in the wedding banquet hall in their formal dresses and greeted the quests to their seats.
Anika's Grandpa was bedridden, and Anika's parents died early.
The nominal uncle, Scott, had been reluctant to interfere in the affairs of the Meyer family for all these years.
As for her good uncle, Oliver, he must be one of the factors contributing to Kayden's sudden runoff.
Fortunately, she had two good friends.
In the name of Jenkins-Meyer's nuptials, they invited more than half of Misty Bridge City's wealthy families and the rest were classmates from LZ Middle School and A University.
Expectedly, the Jenkins Family did not notify them and because of the news of Kayden escaping from the wedding, only half of the original guests arrived.
Most of the guests that arrived were just curious about how the Meyer Family would end this marriage.
However, those who were close to the Cooper Family probably wanted to see Anika be humiliated on the spot.
Although there were fewer people, it was enough. Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.
Nash and Blake sat at the table in the middle of the banquet hall.
The two of them were famous playboys in the circle.
They were the ones who loved to eat, drink and have fun in the group.
They were quite popular.
After arriving at the scene, Blake talked to Nataly on the sidelines but they didn't say anything and didn't mention the wedding that would happen, which made him even more curious.
On the other side of the hall was the bride's lounge.
After dealing with the wedding, Sara pushed open the door and walked in.
"Miss Meyer, everything is ready" She said.
"Sorry to trouble you, Sara." Anika apologized.
Anika leaned against the sofa seat while she wore her stunning makeup.
She stared at Sara from the mirror then smiled sweetly, her sparkling eyes was looking at the brilliance.
Sara shook her head flattered, "No trouble, it's all my job, but the groom..."
The wedding was ready, but the groom was gone.
Sara thought of what she had said before.
‘As long as President Jenkins is not blind, how can he not like a beautiful fairy-like fiancée.Lucy's can just be overwhelming at first but it definitely did not match Anika's everlasting beauty!’
‘Just blame me for saying bad things but President Jenkins must be blind.The jerk who just became viral again embarrassed his fiancée and was not worthy of a respectful title!’
‘He should just be cremated and his ashes should just be thrown so he will die with the wind!’ Sara thought.
Fortunately, Miss Meyer had not married yet.
A beauty like her should marry a groom who was more handsome than that jerk.
She should marry a man who was richer than her Just as she finished speaking in her heart, there was a cracking sound.
The door to the lounge was opened.
Sara and the makeup artist looked up at each other.
The unfamiliar but handsome young man stood at the door, his back facing the magnificent crystal chandelier in the corridor.
His tall and straight body covered most of the light.
After searching for a moment with an indifferent gaze, he strode leisurely with his slender legs.
After putting on her makeup, Anika also turned her head, her gaze staying on Zac's impeccable handsome silhouette.
His scattered hair was hanging on his fine eyebrows.
His nose was thin and his pair of peach blossom eyes were as deep as tan.
The tail of his slightly raised eyes seemed to be wiped with a faint red glow.
His shirt was unbuttoned, making his clavicle vaguely visible beneath its smooth neck.
He was dressed in a suit and leather shoes, but his entire body was emitting an unrestrained delinquent aura.
His appearance coincided with the figure in her memories, causing Anika to be stunned for a while.
Zac put his hand in his pocket and walked to Anika.
He bent slightly and looked at her for a few seconds.
Suddenly, he stretched out his slender knuckles and knocked on her forehead, neither lightly nor heavily.
The corner of his lips curved into a faint arc, and his tone was teasing, "Anika, why are you dumbfounded by my dashing nobility?"
Anika narrowed her eyes and thought of how she could ask for help.
She barely ignored his publicity at this moment.
Then her gaze fell and after a moment of silence, she raised her head again and replied with the same expression.
"Zac, you stepped on my shoes."
Zac raised his eyebrows and slowly lowered his head.
Surprisingly, he saw the tip of a woman's flat shoe being stepped on by him.
Under the combined influence of man-made pressure and gravity, the white beads that were originally carefully embedded had been split open like this.
Zac was out of words to say.
Anika said, "Do you see it? It's cracked"
Zac did not reply.
"It's fine.It’s just 5,000 dollars.I accept the transfer"
Anika teasingly said.
Zac was so angry that he almost laughed when she righteously defrauded him of a sum of money.
The shiny leather shoes slowly moved away from the delicate flats and he chuckled, "Oh, you're so heartless of me to come over with such good intentions."
"Same to you." She replied.
He looked at Anika with a faint smile and carefully sized up her expression, "Why, aren't you pretending to be obedient?"
Hearing this, Anika paused slightly and suddenly remembered the words that he had always said in high school.
It was also in this careless tone.
‘Anika, aren't you tired of pretending to be angry?’ She remembered.
In high school, Anika displayed the personality trait of being obedient, dull, and inconspicuous.
After staying in the orphanage for too long, she knew very well that good children who were not aggressive would be less annoyed and lead peaceful life.
In school, this law applies more to girls.
If a girl is too outstanding, trouble and gossip will follow.
Impudence requires confidence.
Anika knew the attitude of the Cooper family, so she could only rely on her grandfather.
But she didn't want to cause trouble for her grandfather, nor did she want to spare her energy to deal with the trouble.
So she was like a snail, trying her best to shrink herself.
Zac was so obedient that he obediently stepped on the lightning spots that he thought he could not bear.
The thing he enjoyed the most was to tear off her so-called good temper.
This was also the reason why Anika and Zac had become sworn enemies.
After being stunned, Anika turned her thoughts around.
She looked at the man with a scrutinizing gaze but she did not answer Zac's question.
Instead, he pointed at him and turned to look at Sara, who had been frozen in place for a long time.
"Now that the groom is here, the wedding can begin; Sara said with shock.
Yes, Zac had always been very clear that she was not a submissive person nor was she an obedient person.
Anika’s mood was now different.
She didn't have anything to pretend about, especially in front of him.
Anika had fantasized about her wedding countless times.
She was only four or five years old when she was neglected by her elders.
After hiding for a year with abusers, they were rescued by the sharp Nataly and went to the orphanage.
Although it was an orphanage, the caretaker treated the children well.
When she was a teenager, she secretly chatted with Nataly under the blanket.
She had a vision of her future family in her heart.
Nataly said that she wanted to wear her wedding dress and walk into the hall.
She wanted to buy a big marital house.
The decoration didn't need to be luxurious, but it had to have the flavor of home.
The two of them taunted each other and laughed together.
At that time, her wish was very simple.
She wants to be admitted to a university, has worked, and finally be able to build her own house.
Then, like older brothers and sisters who left the orphanage, they sponsored their children to continue their schooling.
Afterward, she was taken back to the Meyer family and became the ‘daughter of a rich family’ in the eyes of the children in the orphanage.
Many of her goals were achieved in an instant.
However, when she was ten years old, her parents were tragically hit by a car accident on their way to find her.
Both of them died, leaving only her grandfather as a true relative in the entire Meyer Family.
She still yearned for a complete home and a wedding that belonged to her.
Unfortunately, Anika did not expect that the wedding she had been looking forward to for many years would become so ridiculous.
The scene with Nataly in the orphanage seemed to be just yesterday; but with a wave of her finger, she was already wearing a wedding dress personally designed by Nataly, standing behind the door leading to the hotel banquet hall.
She lowered her head and caught a glimpse of the dazzling light from the shards of white gauze.
Every pear! on the wedding dress was sewn by Nataly herself.
It was like a dream on behalf of Nataly's most sincere wishes.
Anika remembered that the first time she put on her wedding dress, Nataly hugged her and cried so hard that she couldn't breathe.
She pointed at Kayden and made him swear that he would treat her well for the rest of his life.Her eyes were slightly astringent and she let out a long sigh of relief.
She could not see any emotions on her face, but she silently straightened her back.
It was a door away from the banquet hall.
The guests’ discussions, which were neither loud nor small, were heard.
"Young Master Jenkins hasn't canceled the wedding since he escaped.Isn't Anika a joke?"
"Anika is pitiful.She has been following Kayden for so many years, She accompanied him through the hardships in the United States and ended up in such an embarrassment’
"How about Lucy? President Jenkins left the country for her back then, but now he's escaping for her.She's very affectionate’
"Mr.Jenkins is too rigid.”
Otherwise, based on Kayden’s feelings for Lucy, she would have married into the Jenkins Family back then’ Many people knew that when Kayden and Lucy were in love, there were rumors that Young Master Jenkins wanted to change the candidate for marriage with Anika to Lucy.
"Her fate is good.Although she is the granddaughter of the Meyers, Anika's parents are gone.She will let Lucy, her husband's mistress, take over.Sooner or later, the Meyer Corp will be under the Cooper Family's control."
"What's the use of Anika's hard work? In the end, she was abandoned by Kayden and lost the ability to challenge Lucy.Even if Mr.Jenkins refused to let her marry, Kayden would not go against Lucy's father"
Anika closed her eyes as if she didn't hear anything.
The waiter slowly pushed open the heavy door in front of her.
In the banquet hall, the lights suddenly dimmed, and the chatter stopped abruptly.
The venue was decorated with romantic and dreamy colorful lanterns embellished in the bushes of flowers and plants on the edge of the platform.
It was like a sky filled with stars and was as gorgeous as the galaxies.
The flowers were fresh and charming, with a faint fragrance lingering on the tip of her nose, as if she was in a dark forest.
A gentle beam of light struck the stage.
Zac's face was softly dyed.
He wore an elegant dark suit and stood quietly at the end of the audience's sight.
The door to the corridor had already been opened.
Anika looked at the groom outside the straight line and walked forward step by step.
This scene resembled the dream she had prayed for many years.
The two flower girls were dressed in neat suits and skirts respectively.
They were walking in front with petals scattered.
They were cute twins of different genders that Alena had pulled from her aunt's house.
"Wait, why is there a bridegroom? Am I wrong? That seems to be Zac?!"
Connor, who was standing beside the stage, was the first to react from his daze after being shocked for a moment.
Blake, who was sitting beside Nash, opened his eyes wide and chuckled, "Tsk, the Jenkins Family, and the Meyer Family are taking turns to tease us today.The groom is ruthless in escaping from the wedding.He didn't expect the bride to be even more ruthless.She just changed the groom directly.She's awesome.’’
"How did the Meyer Family manage to deal with people like Zac?"
Blake slapped Nash on the forehead and said, "What kind of person? The Jenkins Family doesn't even dare to fight this lunatic head-on.Do you dare to offend him? Everyone has always been scared of Zac.Be careful of what comes out of your mouth"
Nash rubbed his head in pain, "No, I mean why would someone like Zac appear here and become the groom?!"
Blake looked like a fool, "Don't you understand?"
Nash shook his head, "I don't understand”
"How could this young master have such a stupid brother like you? Have you forgotten the grudge between Zac and Kayden? When Zac was five years old, he smashed Kayden's front teeth with a stone and was beaten to death by his grandfather with a feather duster for half a month”
Nash frowned as he thought to himself, ‘That has been a long time ago! Haven't these two seen each other before?’
He thought so, but on the face of it, he asked shamelessly, "Even if they don't deal with it, then what?"
Blake's face was full of secrecy as he stretched out his hand to make Nash listen, and his tone was exceptionally solemn.
"He comes, and steals a kiss!"
"Don't offend Zac.See, he remembered the feather duster for twenty years! You gave me a beating, and I will steal your wife twenty years later! Ruthless, too ruthless!"
Nash suddenly came to a realization and nodded deeply, "Alright then, Zac doesn't seem to be able to offend him.Anika..."
"You idiot, don't you understand? Anika loved Kayden for seven or eight years but she abandoned him and married another man.She did not just dishonored the whole Jenkins Family but she also clarified to Kayden that it's over between them.It wouldn't be possible for the two to get back together again.She's such a ruthless woman!?"
After Blake finished speaking, he curled his lips and said, "What's even more ruthless is that she'll be married to Zac.Think about how bad their relationship was back then? Damn, why is Anika so incapable of thinking about it? Consider this Nash.’’
Blake was embarrassed to say that he had secretly fallen in love with Anika back then.
Anika was beautiful, and many people liked her in high school.
It was just that she was too obedient.
Under Kayden's status as his fiancée, she surely didn't want to deal with Zac.
Some of them couldn't understand Kayden's actions, some of them were afraid that Zac would target them.
So, no one dared to confess.
Nash completely ignored his good friend's thoughts and said righteously, "You're right.I felt that being able to take first place in the class back then was not simple.She was a ruthless person! Look at us, the second to the last and the last places.It seems that we're not ruthless enough!"
"Scram!!!"
Everly was looking at Anika, who was wearing a complicated wedding dress that Nataly originally tailored.
She was confused by Nataly, who was sitting at the same table.
"Miss Mason, don't look so bitter.You and Lucy can play tricks but others can't return the favor?"
She sipped her glass and glanced at the woman beside her.