Chapter 13
Sabrina’s smile faltered for only a moment before she regained her composure,
masking her irritation with a sweet expression. “Okay, Erick,” she said softly, her voice dripping with compliance. She looped her arm through his, turning her face toward the guests with an air of
contentment.
The wedding unfolded with the precision of a staged performance. Held in a grand, open courtyard, the Western–style ceremony was adorned with pristine white. roses and twinkling fairy lights. The atmosphere was one of elegance and opulence, every detail meticulously curated by Sabrina. Yet Erick stood like a shadow, his expressions distant, betraying
the turmoil beneath his stoic demeanor.
As the priest recited the vows, Sabrina’s gaze lingered on Erick’s face, silently willing him to meet her eyes. But his
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Sabrina’s smile faltered for only a moment before she regained her composure,
masking her irritation with a sweet expression. “Okay, Erick,” she said softly, her voice dripping with compliance. She looped her arm through his, turning her face toward the guests with an air of contentment.
The wedding unfolded with the precision of a staged performance. Held in a grand, open courtyard, the Western–style ceremony was adorned with pristine white roses and twinkling fairy lights. The atmosphere was one of elegance and opulence, every detail meticulously curated by Sabrina. Yet Erick stood like a shadow, his expressions distant, betraying the turmoil beneath his stoic demeanor.
As the priest recited the vows, Sabrina’s gaze lingered on Erick’s face, silently willing him to meet her eyes. But his
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attention wandered, as if his thoughts were
miles away.
The ceremony reached the ring exchange, a symbolic moment of unity. Erick mechanically reached for the velvet box handed to him, his movements stiff and robotic. Just as the priest prompted Sabrina to extend her hand, a sharp disruption shattered the proceedings.
The heavy doors of the venue swung open and the guests turned in unison as several men in suits entered with brisk, purposeful strides. Gasps rippled through the crowd.
“Mr. West, Mrs. West,” the man leading the group announced, his voice calm but authoritative.
Sabrina’s hand froze mid–air, her forced smile faltering as unease flickered in her eyes. Erick’s brows knitted tightly, his jaw tensing. “Who are you?” he demanded, hist voice edged with irritation.
Ignoring the question, the man continued,
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“Ms. Bianca asked me to deliver two
messages to you.”
The mention of Bianca’s name sent a jolt through Erick. His chest tightened and a dark shadow crossed his face.
The man raised his voice, ensuring his words echoed through the stunned silence. “Ms. Bianca says she wishes the two of your a happy marriage and a lifetime of joy. And…” He paused briefly, his gaze
sweeping over the assembled guests before delivering the final blow. “She hopes to never see either of you again!”
Gasps erupted from the crowd, their murmurs swelling into a cacophony of whispers. Sabrina’s face turned ashen, her carefully constructed image crumbling under the weight of the public spectacle.
Almost simultaneously, the massive digital screens across the city began broadcasting the same two sentences in an unrelenting loop. Onlookers froze, their eyes widening as they processed the shocking display.
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The first message–Bianca’s “blessing“– elicited scattered cheers, particularly from Sabrina’s fans. But the second message struck like a thunderclap, silencing the crowd and igniting a storm of speculation on social media. The undercurrent of drama was too enticing to ignore and netizens eagerly dissected every possible implication.
Erick, however, heard none of it. His face drained of all color, his mind racing. Without hesitation, he abandoned Sabrina and bolted from the altar, his chair scraping loudly against the marble floor.
“Find Bianca! Quickly!” he barked at his subordinates as he ran outside, ignoring Sabrina’s frantic pleas for him to stay.
“Erick! Where are you going? Come back!” she screamed, her voice breaking, but he didn’t even glance back.
Jumping into his car, Erick floored the accelerator, weaving recklessly through traffic as he called Bianca repeatedly. Each
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attempt ended with the same cold, unyielding response: “The number you are calling is currently unavailable.”
His first stop was the hospital. Erick stormed inside, his eyes scanning for any sign of Bianca. The sterile smell of antiseptic burned his nostrils as he approached the reception desk.
“Bianca Harper. Where is she?” he demanded.
The nurse shook her head apologetically. “I’m sorry, sir. There’s no record of her being admitted here today.”
Frustrated, Erick turned to leave but
paused as an ambulance screeched into the emergency bay. Paramedics unloaded a blood–soaked stretcher, the figure on it obscured by a white sheet.
“That’s horrible,” a bystander murmured.
“She doesn’t look like she’ll make it,” another whispered.
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Erick’s gut twisted, but he forced himself to
ignore the scene. Bianca wouldn’t be on that stretcher. She couldn’t be.
He jumped back into his car and sped toward their home, gripping the wheel so tightly his knuckles turned white. His mind raced with questions. Why hadn’t she answered his calls? Why hadn’t she returned home?
When Erick arrived, he burst into the house, heading straight for the study. Frantically, he rummaged through the drawers, eventually finding all of Bianca’s passports and identification documents untouched. A wave of relief washed over
him.
‘She hasn’t left the country,‘ he thought, clinging to hope. ‘She must still be in the city, just hiding because she’s angry.‘
As he began pacing the room, planning his next move, muffled voices floated up from the living room. Moments later, the
housekeeper appeared at the door,
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accompanied by two police officers.
“Mr. West,” one of them began, his tone
grave. “Are you Erick West, Bianca Harper’s husband?”
Erick froze, dread pooling in his stomach. “Yes, I am,” he said cautiously. “What’s this about?”
The officer’s expression softened, tinged with sympathy. “I’m sorry to inform you that your wife was involved in a car accident on Midway Avenue earlier today. She passed away about an hour ago.”
For a moment, the world around Erick ceased to exist. His phone slipped from his hand, clattering loudly onto the floor.
