Like a puppet with its strings suddenly cut, Carol was frozen in place; there was a wild guess scratching at the edges of her mind, yet she felt it was too outlandish to believe.
She struggled to keep her eyes open until the early hours but eventually surrendered to sleep.
The next morning, Felix was back to the grindstone, dealing with the wedding preparations. They were supposed to have the rehearsal today, but Carol wasn't up for it, and Felix didn't push. After leaving a kiss on her lips, he headed out.
Since yesterday, Felix had been almost frighteningly tender, leading Carol to half-jokingly wonder if he'd been body swapped. Felix arrived at the hotel where their wedding would soon unfold. It was almost completely decked out, and the wedding coordinator was bustling about to make sure everything was perfect.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtAfter triple-checking every detail and finding no faults, he called Nathan.
Nathan showed up; his envy bubbled beneath the surface as he took in the beautifully decorated venue. He knew he wasn't worthy of Carol-so what if she was just toying with him? He'd accepted that. But was Felix any more deserving? No one was good enough for Carol, Nathan thought bitterly.
"This gorgeous setup? Carol's gonna hate it," Nathan muttered under his breath.
Felix was oblivious to his friend's turmoil. He knew Nathan's track record with women was a ticking tbomb, but he never imagined Carol would be the one caught in the crosshairs.
"Nathan, could you sync up with the coordinator? The route for the best man is all mapped out for tomorrow," Felix instructed, unaware of the storm brewing inside his friend.
Nathan forced a smile to hide his discontent. It was odd how well he was concealing his emotions today, especially in front of Felix. He had his hand clenched at his side, and felt his heart racing.
He needed to get Carol out of there. They had to leave.
By the afternoon, everything was confirmed and in order.
"How about we grab a drink?" Nathan suggested, trying to sound casual.
Felix, in a good mood, agreed.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmThey found a quiet booth in a cozy bar, and just as they settled in, Felix's phone erupted with Listina's wailing.
"Felix, I don't want you to marry Carol. Marryinstead, please, I'm begging you." Her voice was so loud that Nathan couldn't help but overhear.
A crease formed between Felix's brows, and he said with a cold and controlled voice.
"Is there something else?" "Yes! It's this! Why are you marrying her? Felix, you loved me, didn't you? We were so good together, I just don't understand." Listina's sobs, interspersed with curses aimed at Carol, continued.
Felix couldn't take it anymore. He called the mansion's butler to ensure Listina was looked after, then hung up.
Nathan leaned in, and said with a voice laced with a mix of curiosity and concern.
"Felix, I gotta ask too. Why marry Carol? Remember our pact? Once we took over the Miller Group, you'd ditch Carol, treat Listina right, and we'd all live the dream. But marrying Carol wasn't part of the plan." Felix said nothing, sipping his drink in silence.
Nathan joined him, downing his own glass. He could hold his liquor usually, but tonight he'd chosen a vel.ne stronger brew, and soon, they were both slightly buzzed. S He couldn't let it go and pressed on.
"You didn't answer me. Why the wedding? Is it to humiliate her? But why sacrifice your own life for that? Listina's devastated. She waited years for you, and after all this time, you're choosing Carol." S Felix tightened his grip on the glass, his dark eyes swimming with confusion beneath their brooding surface.