Chapter 105: Not this woman again
The soft melody of the wedding march echoed through the grand hall as everyone’s attention shifted toward the entrance.
Ruby appeared at the end of the aisle, gracefully holding onto her father, Roman Vance’s arm.
A radiant smile adorned her face.
As she walked forward, her eyes swept across the sea of guests.
Then... she spotted Hannah.
A smug smile curled across Ruby’s lips before she calmly looked away, pretending she hadn’t noticed her.
You came after all.
For years, she had believed she was better suited for Eric than Hannah.
More beautiful. More capable. More deserving.
Yet Eric had chosen Hannah first.
But not anymore.
Today, she was finally marrying the man she had loved for years.
You lost, Hannah.
Eric is finally mine.
The thought filled her with satisfaction.
Her smile widened as she slowly approached the altar.
Then... her expression froze.
She had expected Eric to look at her.
To smile. To admire her as every groom admired his bride. Instead... he wasn’t even looking in her direction.
What... is he looking at? Her brows furrowed.
Unable to contain her curiosity, Ruby discreetly followed his line of sight.
The moment she realized who he was staring at, the smile on her face nearly cracked.
Hannah.
Once again... It was Hannah.
A flicker of jealousy flashed across Ruby’s eyes.
"We’re here."
Roman’s calm voice pulled her back to reality.
Ruby blinked and quickly composed herself before forcing another elegant smile onto her face.
At the altar, Eric remained rooted to the spot, his attention still elsewhere.
Helena couldn’t take it anymore. She discreetly nudged his arm.
"Eric," she whispered through a strained smile, "what are you waiting for? Go and receive your bride."
Only then did Eric seem to snap back to reality. He quickly stepped forward.
Roman watched him with an unreadable expression.
His sharp gaze made Eric instinctively straighten his posture.
When Eric finally reached them, he accepted Ruby’s hand.
Roman didn’t let go immediately.
Instead, he looked directly into Eric’s eyes.
"Pay attention, young man," he said in a firm but controlled voice.
Eric felt his throat tighten.
"...Yes, Mr. Vance."
Only after hearing his response did Roman release his daughter’s hand and step aside.
Ruby slipped her hand into Eric’s arm, but despite standing beside him, she couldn’t ignore what had happened moments earlier.
Even on their wedding day...
Eric’s first instinct had been to look at Hannah.
The realization stung.
But Ruby quickly buried the feeling deep inside.
No.
She refused to let Hannah’s presence ruin the happiest day of her life.
She had waited far too long for this moment.
She had fought too hard to stand here beside Eric.
And now that this day had finally arrived... she wasn’t going to let jealousy steal it from her.
Ruby forced a pleasant smile as she stood beside Eric. Only she knew how much she had sacrificed to reach this moment. Convincing her father to approve this marriage hadn’t been easy. She had promised him that marrying Eric would strengthen their family’s position and help them regain the influence they had gradually lost in the business world.
Now that everything had finally fallen into place, she had no intention of letting it slip away.
Eric belonged to her.
She had fought too hard to walk away, and no matter what happened, she wasn’t going to lose him.
Standing beside her, however, Eric felt anything but relieved. His heartbeat refused to settle, and an inexplicable sense of unease weighed heavily on his chest. The closer the ceremony came, the stronger that feeling became.
He couldn’t explain it.
No matter how many times he reminded himself that Hannah was gone and that today marked the beginning of a new Chapter, he couldn’t shake the persistent feeling that she was somehow still here.
Watching him. Waiting.
His fingers curled into fists as he tried to steady his breathing. Get a grip, Eric, he silently scolded himself. You’re imagining things.
Yet the strange sensation refused to disappear.
Ruby noticed the distant look in his eyes and lightly squeezed his hand.
"Eric?" she whispered with a gentle smile. "Is everything alright?"
He blinked, forcing himself back to reality.
"...Yeah," he answered after a brief pause. "Just a little nervous."
Ruby’s smile softened, mistaking his anxiety for ordinary pre-wedding jitters.
"Don’t worry," she said quietly. "Everything is going to be perfect."
Eric managed a faint smile in return, though it never reached his eyes.
The priest looked at the couple before opening the ceremonial book.
"If the bride and groom are ready," he announced warmly, "let us begin the wedding ceremony."
His voice echoed through the hall, pulling Eric from his restless thoughts. Taking a slow, controlled breath, Eric reluctantly turned his attention toward the priest, silently hoping the unsettling feeling haunting him would finally disappear.
Eric gave a silent nod, and the priest began reciting the wedding vows.
Ruby’s lips curved into a shy smile as she turned to look at Eric. This was the moment she had dreamed of for so long.
The priest smiled warmly before asking, "Ruby Vance, do you take Eric Swan to be your lawful husband?"
Without the slightest hesitation, Ruby answered, "I do."
A murmur of approval spread through the guests.
The priest then turned to Eric.
"Eric Swan, do you take Ruby Vance to be your lawful wife?"
Eric’s throat tightened.
He knew there was no turning back now.
Yet, against his will, his gaze drifted toward Hannah, who sat silently among the guests.
Ruby caught the subtle movement.
Her smile faltered, and her fingers clenched around her bouquet. The longer Eric remained silent, the harder it became to suppress the anger rising inside her.
"Eric," she whispered through gritted teeth, forcing a smile for the guests, "why aren’t you saying anything?"
Her sharp tone snapped Eric out of his daze, making him flinch.
"I..." he began, but the words refused to come.
His eyes instinctively found Hannah once again.
At that moment, Hannah slowly rose from her seat, taking a step forward.
Crash!
The loud sound of shattering glass echoed through the hall, startling everyone.
Every head turned toward the source of the commotion.
A young woman stood in the middle of the aisle, surrounded by broken glass. She rubbed the back of her neck and flashed an embarrassed smile.
"Oops... my bad."
Helena’s face instantly darkened the moment she recognized her.
"Not this woman again," she muttered under her breath.