Stella's heart dropped into her stomach, her pulse raced, her breath rugged.
Her gaze swept through the grand hall but their gaze was glued at the stage as though it was some kind of theatre.
Their faces now twisted with curiosity and anticipation. Some already had their phones raised, recording.
No doubt, they had been able to decipher a few points and their conclusion drawn.
Should this be the legendary tales of fiance switching bride at the last minute?
Or was it heart wrenching tale of a sister taking over her sister fiance while she becomes the third person.
Stella whispered a silent prayer...a prayer to make him preserve whatever little dignity he had left.
With the faint stroke of confidence, she walked to the foot of the stage, his gaze locked on the one man who had always been her light.
A flicker of doubt crossed her mind. It must be a mistake.
Maybe a doppelganger.
"Bruce, what's the problem?" She asked, my voice trembling.
"You'll soon find out." He smirked, flashing her a cold glance.
Then he turned back to the guests. "My distinguished guests, I'm sorry for the sudden change in arrangement," he said, his eyes glinting cruelly.
Stella felt a shiver ran down her spine. She didn't want to believe the suspicion.
"Can we talk about it first?" She spoke softly as she tried to reason with him—to find out what had gone wrong.
"..."
"I was supposed to get engaged to the second daughter of the Norton family, Stella Norton," his voice hardened
Stella's fist unconsciously clenched by her side as she stared at him, struggling to process his words, to understand his reason but like other times it eluded her.
Her mind screamed to leave the scene but with so many eyes and ears waiting, Stella swallowed.
"But I discovered she wasn't who she claimed to be. She is a whore who has been cheating on me."
His words landed like a sledgehammer. Gasps rippled through the crowd.
Her knees buckled, and she stumbled backward shaking her head in denial. "Whore? No, I'm not."
Her body trembled, her fists clenched by her side as she struggled to keep herself from falling.
Her attempt at denial was ultimately swallowed by whispers and judgmental stares.
Slowly, she inclined his head to meet his gaze.
"Bruce George?" She rasped.
"Are you shocked?... That I found out?..." He smirked, his voice dripped with mockery.
"Bruce, I did not." She shouted, fury radiating off her body.
He scoffed. "Bold to do it and yet could not admit it?"
"Do you still..."Stella tried to speak.
"Stella, don't try so hard. It was all thanks to your sister, who had always felt sorry for me…who pitied me for being treated shamefully," he said.
Stella found herself suddenly too slow in comprehension, despite her brain ticking like a clock, asking questions at the speed of nanoseconds.
What?
My sister?
Phina?
Her head swiftly snapped to one person mentioned—her sister. Her voice trembled with rage as she stared at her both surprised and dumbfounded.
"Phina, you said…"
"Sister," she interrupted smoothly, her tone sickeningly sweet. "You just have to admit it."
Admit it?
What to admit?
She stared at her, horrified. "What are you saying?"
Phina lowered her head, feigning embarrassment. "I didn't want to say this here, it's really embarrassing."
She glanced at Stella and then her gaze lowered but the subtle smile that coursed her lips was clear.
She sighed exasperatedly "I am sorry if I made him to misunderstand but… I…I felt sorry for him. He doesn't deserve to be humiliated like that."
Humiliated?
Was that even for real?
Stella felt her memory of shameless and evil refreshed.
Her footsteps faltered, her head spun as she retracted her gaze from Phina and settled them on Bruce.
"No, Bruce, no, I have never had any relationship, nor have I ever cheated on you," I said anxiously.
She glanced around the hall, their smiling faces long gone, gazes now cold with mockery, disappointment, detached and indifferent.
"Didn't expect she was the slut?"
"Cheating before marriage, what happens after marriage?"
"What an innocent face, yet a vile heart?"
"Luckily, she had a kind-hearted sister."
"What a green tea bitch?"
"I suggest you don't marry."
"I really thought she was a good girl."
"Who would have thought I wasted my time because of a whore?"
"Send her out into the streets to satisfy men."
Stella's ears trickled painfully as their words cut deeper than she ever cared to admit.
Her heart clenched with betrayal. Her eyes glistened with tears...unshed tears, but she dared not let them fall.
It was all a lie. I had no boyfriend except him, and we had done nothing but hold hands.
How had I turned into a slut, a whore!
Her thoughts raced.
Bruce's voice tore through the murmurings as he continued with his speech.
"Having reached this marriage agreement with the Nortons' family, I will take Phina as my wife in place of Stella. Our wedding will be held in four days."
Four days.
Four days.
Stella's heart shattered at the unfiltered declaration.
She gasped for breath, her last defense broken, her gaze swept through the hall hoping they wouldn't believe him blindly.
But no, they believed him. They believed every word he said. She was not guessing, it was clear from the scornful look, the disgust etched on their faces.
Stella's heart trembled. Her eyes blurry with tears she wasn't ready to shed.
Desperate, she rushed to her father and knelt beside him, her trembling hand tugged at his sleeve "Dad… that wasn't true,"
James gaze lowered and locked with hers, his lips curled into a cold smile.
"Dad...I am being framed. I never..." Stella rasped.
"Stella..." He interrupted. "Do you take me for a fool?" He smirked with a cold smile that sent shivers coursing through her spine.
Stella shook her head desperately.
How much she yearned for them to believe her, to trust that she never did such. That she was not a cheat like the narrative said.
That all her life she had only known Bruce George.
Even though she couldn't help but wonder what had gone wrong. But then she could only focus at the moment.
James scoffed. "You really are a disappointment." He rasped with clenched fist.
Stella's breath grew heavier as her eyes locked with the his, the coldness and detachment brimming in them made her chest tight.
"Dad, I swear I never did such."
Paaah!
The air froze.
Her head tilted to her right at the impact of the slap, its sound echoed through the hall. The guests gasped at the impact, drawing in a cold breath.
Her eyes was bloodshot, she held her cheek in her hand, its sting burning hot.
No doubt a clear and brutal palm print must have been etched on her face as the metallic taste of blood invaded her mouth.
Slowly, she lifted her head, her gaze slowly taking in their faces. Her mother stood silently, no emotions on her face and no comment. It was as though she wasn't there.
Stella's heart raced, has she been aware of this all along?
Or was she just helpless?
On a second thought Stella decided on the second option. She must have been aware of the whole plot.
Her father had his hand clenched tightly as though to suppress the rage in his heart.
The guests? They had long taken their stance with the scumbags.
A bitter laugh tore through her lips. With a deep breath, she turned her gaze to meet the one man who had been her light and yet had unceremoniously thrown her into darkness...the architect of her humiliation.
She slowly stood up from the floor.
"Bruce," she called, her voice calm despite the storm raging inside her. "You said I cheated on you?"
Bruce expression hardened, voice low and threatening. "Stella, you don't have to make an effort to deny it. I was only being merciful by not displaying the evidence."
"Merciful?" she scoffed, her lips trembled with restrained fury. "Not displaying the evidence? Does it make any difference?"
Before he could answer, her father's cold, detached tone cut through the tension like a blade, and her heart chilled. "Stella, don't you know shame?"
"Dad...I..."
Paaah!
The second time in just five minutes.
Her gaze snapped up to him, her palms against her cheek as she stared at him in confusion, her ears tingled with the sensation, her eyes tearing up unconsciously.
James cold and emotionless voice tore through the hall "You really are a disgrace to my Norton family name. Take her out of this hall."
The finality in his voice hollowed deep in her chest. Her lips curled into a bitter smile as she braced her heart. "Dad, you don't have to send me. I'll leave by myself."
Stella's gaze flicked to Bruce, then to her sister, though not by blood after all an adopted would never compete with the heiress. The corners of Phina's mouth curled in triumph.
Stella laughed bitterly.
Her face looked worse than when she was in tears, but at this moment she wasn't ready to grant them that satisfaction of walking out of the hall in tears.
No, not tonight. Not ever.
With a deep breath, she squared her shoulders and headed towards the wide door. The whispers rose behind her, sharp as daggers, but she didn't look back.
Once outside the hall, the cold air of the night washed over her; her tears fell.
Linda's subtle warning echoed in her head, her mind raced with thoughts.
"Bruce, Oh! Bruce, Finally showing your real colour. How much I regret not believing Linda earlier."
But it seemed she had never doubted him, nor did I expect he would be this heartless.
Meeting Bruce George was a dream Stella never hoped for, yet more surprising that after crushing on him for a few years, he finally noticed her
Their relationship had soared through every storm and every pain, standing the test of time—or so she thought.
Being the ladies' heartthrob, she would really count herself as blessed that he had chosen her and not the many girls flocking around him.
His parents were no less in their care when he introduced her to them. After one year, he proposed to her, and now this engagement.
Adopted and still the second daughter, Stella's opportunities couldn't compare with their biological child.
Very much aware of her position, She never envied their biological daughter. But she had always made do with whatever she have.
Her finances were limited, her friends were but a few persons; to put it simply, she was just living off the crumbs from Norton's table.
It wouldn't be shameful to say Bruce George was the only difference between Stella and the biological daughter.
Who would have thought that he was never hers but had joined in plotting against her. Stella's tears fell harder.
Ousted out of her own engagement banquet, her fiancé now her sister's fiancé, and in four days…the wedding bell. Stella's heart clenched painfully.
Stella wandered through the streets of Crown City aimlessly.
She didn't care where she was headed nor did she bother about the stares— only that she went far enough not to hear the laughter behind her.
Hopefully, when she returned, the engagement would be over.
Thinking to this point, a bitter smile curled her lips as she recalled how careful and meticulous she had been in every detail of planning this banquet.
Who would have thought she was only preparing it for someone else—for her sister. She dared not stay back to witness it.
"I guess it would do no harm to hit the club and have some drinks," She thought.
Her gaze swept through the streets which was bubbling with night life...she exhaled.
For years she had always wanted to go to clubs, but with Bruce George's strong dislike for it, she had kept away from that circle and never went to clubs.
Maybe this night should be the best opportunity.
After walking for a while, Stella glanced around her surroundings, a helpless sigh escaping my lips.
She had being walking with her thoughts and now...
She had really wandered far away from home.
Her location was quite unfamiliar, but it didn't matter, as long as she could find something to keep her bitter heart away from pain.
The city was bustling with activities; night traders displayed their wares, barbecue vendors attending to their steaming customers as they came and went in pairs.
Yet amidst the noisy chatter and the blaring horn of the cars in traffic, Stella heard a sound that sent shivers down her spine.
The soft howls of wolves echoed occasionally from a distance, seemingly carried by the wind.
Her gaze darted around, searching for the source of the sound, but she found none. Rather, every single person on the street seemed engaged and busy with their lives.
Stella shook her lightly, a bitter smile tugged her lips.
"It was just the imagination of my broken heart. Besides, a howling sound could only be found in the forest." She muttered.
But there were no forests in Crown City. No wild animals. Just concrete and neon lights.
*********
Stella spurned around on her feet as she tried to understand where in Crown City she was when a brigh light projecting a signpost "Albor Lunaris Club" came into her line of sight.
Her eyes narrowed for a moment before her lips bloomed into a bright smile.
"Albor Lunaris club?" She muttered softly. The name rolled out her tongue familiar and unfamiliar.