Chapter 566 It's All Fake
"No one picked up," Noah grumbled. "I'm done waiting for him. I'm outta here. I can't miss Ms. Murphy's wedding."
"Alright, you go on ahead. Let me know when you land," Rhodes replied.
After hanging up, Noah kept staring out the cabin window for a bit, but there was still no sign of Francis. Frustrated, Noah told the staff, "Forget it, we're not waiting for him. Close the door."
The cabin door shut, and the plane took off.
Meanwhile, over at a private tarmac on Emerald Isle, a jet from Dreamlandia had just touched down. As the plane stopped and the cabin door opened, a handsome guy in a suit and light-tinted sunglasses stepped out.
Emerald Isle was pretty chilly, so before Francis got off, his assistant draped a navy wool coat over his shoulders. It made him look even more distinguished, standing tall and straight.
But as Francis bent his knees to get off, it was clear he had trouble walking. The gold-tipped cane he carried wasn't just for show; he actually needed it.
The airport staff felt a pang of sadness. Such a handsome guy, what a shame.
Francis, though, didn't care about the stares. He walked a few steps with his cane to the car, where someone opened the door for him. Once inside, his assistant in the front seat handed him his phone. "Mr. Getty, you have missed calls."
Francis glanced at it. Most of the missed calls were from Noah, plus some work-related ones. There was also a text from Rhodes.
Rhodes: [You there yet?]
Francis: [Yeah.]
In the car, Francis wasn't interested in the exotic architecture of Emerald Isle. His mind was already on Harper. He wanted to ask her why she left on the day of his surgery.
Harper's wedding was in full swing at the Perry Estate. It was only eight o'clock, and not all the guests had arrived yet. As the bride, Harper was getting her makeup and hair done after changing into a white gown.
Since Harper was pregnant, the makeup artist only added some skin-friendly rhinestones to the corners of her eyes. With the makeup artist's skillful touch, the small pink rhinestones formed a flower shape, blooming at the corner of Harper's eyes.
Harper's eyelashes were already long, thick, and curled, so the makeup artist skipped the mascara. The current touch was stunning enough.
After finishing, she styled Harper's hair into a princess-like updo, complementing the floral rhinestones on her face, making her look incredibly beautiful.
The makeup artist led Harper to a full-length mirror. The high-waisted wedding dress with its layers of ruffles perfectly hid her slightly protruding belly. Whether standing or sitting, as long as the wedding dress wasn't lifted, it was hard to tell that Harper was pregnant.
In the mirror, Harper looked absolutely stunning. The wedding dress, makeup, and hair accessories were just the cherry on top of her already beautiful face. The real glow came from Harper's charming smile, which everyone who saw it praised, making the Perry family beam with pride.
"Ms. Murphy, you look amazing," the makeup artist said. "The groom's gonna be blown away when he sees you."
"Thank you," Harper replied.
"Please sit here for a bit. Your assistant's outside; I'll go get her."
After the makeup artist left, Harper stood in front of the mirror, lost in thought. So this is what it feels like to wear a wedding dress, she mused.
The first time Harper married Francis, it was a secret affair with no wedding, just some formal photos. Harper kept those photos close, treasuring them as if they were real wedding pictures.
Back then, Harper always dreamed of taking wedding photos with Francis, but even until their divorce, that wish never came true.
Later, when she remarried Francis, they were stuck in a cycle of misunderstandings, neither willing to compromise, and it never got resolved. She ended up in trouble, leaving a regretful ending.
She watched with a heavy heart as Audrey wore a wedding dress and married Francis. Even though the wedding was fake, the dress was real, and Francis standing next to Audrey was real too. Now, Harper was wearing a wedding dress, but the man beside her wasn't Francis.
It seemed like fate had given them a sign from the beginning that they weren't meant to be, but she stubbornly insisted on going through it, only to realize that sometimes letting go was the best outcome.
The door to the lounge opened. Harper looked up in the mirror and saw that it wasn't Isla who entered, but Jasper.
Jasper's eyes were filled with undisguised amazement when he saw Harper. Harper dressed like this looked very much like Elodie.
Elodie had given Jasper a lot of warmth and understanding. It was then that he realized how comforting a mother's love could be.
Seeing Jasper staring at her without speaking, Harper felt a bit nervous, "Jasper, is something wrong?"
Jasper snapped out of it and smiled, "Harper, you look beautiful."
Being complimented, Harper didn't show much happiness, only softly saying, "Thank you, Jasper."
Seeing Harper's calm face without a trace of excitement, Jasper felt a pang of sadness. He sighed slightly, "Harper, even though it's all fake, it's still unfair to you."
Harper shook her head, "It's okay. I've been divorced twice. It's Vincent who's more wronged, having to be called my husband."
Jasper smirked, "He's not wronged. He..."
Seeing Harper's puzzled look, Jasper stopped himself. Harper was too naive to see Vincent's feelings. Jasper, though, could see it clearly.
Knowing Vincent's character, he once had the idea of setting up Vincent and Harper. But Harper had no such intentions, and the Murphy family didn't need those pointless alliances either. So, Jasper didn't ship them any further, only wanting Harper to be happy. She still had unresolved issues in her heart, and he didn't want to push her into a relationship or marriage.
Even if Harper never married again, it wasn't a big deal. With him and Clayton doting on her and her kids, they wouldn't suffer any grievances.
"It's fine. It's a win-win situation. Vincent wants to leave the Perry family and start his own business. The first condition is to get married; otherwise, the Perry family won't let him go," Jasper reassured her. "You know Vincent's personality. He doesn't have a woman he likes and doesn't want to harm anyone else. This opportunity benefits both us and him, doesn't it?"
Harper nodded. "If Vincent finds a woman he likes in the future and she minds this past, I'll definitely help explain."
Jasper nodded.
Harper looked out the window, her face half-clouded with worry, and asked, "Jasper, do you think we can really find Mom this time?"
Jasper lowered his eyes. "Don't worry, we will find her."
The reason Harper had to fake marry Vincent was because Jasper had discovered that the people who tried to kill Harper at the Serene Haven Hotel were connected to Emerald Isle. However, they were not from the Charles family and did not have the Charles family crest tattoo.
During Harper's month abroad, these people followed her and planned several assassination attempts. It seemed they were determined to kill Harper. Yet, Jasper's investigations showed that the bounty on her had long been removed.
Just when Jasper was at his wit's end, Vincent brought news that the specific herb Jasper had asked him to keep an eye on had been purchased. But the buyer left no trace, and after leaving, it was as if they disappeared from Emerald Isle, with no further information.
Jasper was anxious because that herb was a signal Elodie had left for them, indicating she was still alive. Now that the herb had been bought, and in the agreed-upon quantity, it was clearly a message from Elodie that she was alive and in Emerald Isle.
Jasper wanted to fly to Emerald Isle immediately, but Clayton was in poor health, and Harper was less than two months away from giving birth. With mysterious assassins still targeting Harper, Jasper couldn't leave her side for even a moment.
The person who kidnapped Elodie was very cunning. Without Elodie sending out a message, they would never find her. If they missed this chance to find Elodie, who knew when the next opportunity would come?
Just when Jasper was at a loss, Vincent provided a reliable idea. Since there were so many assassins lurking in the shadows targeting Harper, why not let her appear openly? If Harper came to Emerald Isle and became part of the Perry family, those local assassins wouldn't dare make a move on the Perry Estate.
The Perry family was the second-largest family in Emerald Isle, and their estate was heavily guarded, not a place anyone could easily enter. These people wouldn't be able to touch Harper, and the news of her marrying into the Perry family would let Elodie know and find a way to contact them.
Jasper could also use his status as Vincent's brother-in-law to stay in Emerald Isle and secretly investigate Elodie's whereabouts and who was behind the attempts on Harper's life. On the other hand, Vincent could use the marriage to free himself from the Perry family and gain the freedom he wanted. This plan benefited everyone.
Jasper thought it over and agreed. There seemed to be no better way.
After discussing the plan with Harper, she agreed. She didn't want Jasper to be constantly worried about her safety on top of his busy schedule. And with news of Elodie, there was a chance they could find her, which was wonderful.
Everything proceeded according to plan. Vincent claimed that he and Harper were already married by a priest at Windcrest and would hold a wedding in Emerald Isle before Harper gave birth.
Vincent's father, Gabriel Perry, agreed to Vincent's request. He had always wanted to win over his knowledgeable son.
For a family to thrive, it needed smart people. Vincent was very intelligent and could solve most of the Perry family's business problems. However, Vincent didn't have a good relationship with Gabriel. Gabriel had many wives, and Vincent's mother died early. Gabriel didn't even remember what she looked like.
For Vincent's wedding, Gabriel wasn't stingy and ordered a grand celebration for his son's first marriage. He wanted all of Emerald Isle to know that the Perry family was celebrating.
This suited Harper's intentions perfectly. The more publicity, the better. This way, Elodie would know they were in Emerald Isle and would find a way to contact them or send more messages.
However, her safety in the Perry family was because Harper's marriage. If this identity was compromised, the consequences would be dire.
Jasper reminded, "Harper, you must keep up the act outside and not reveal any flaws. As long as you stay in the Perry Estate until the birth, you'll be safe. Vincent and I will handle finding Mom."
Harper nodded, "Jasper, you must be careful."
Seeing the hidden worry in Harper's eyes, Jasper comforted, "Don't worry. If the person in the shadows dares to make a move, we'll know who it is and take them down!"
After chatting for a while, someone came from the front hall to discuss the wedding with Jasper. Jasper wanted to take Harper to the front hall, but she was too nervous, her heart racing, feeling a bit stage-frightened.
Harper hesitated and said, "Jasper, can you go first? I want to sit alone for a while."
"Alright." Jasper agreed, seeing Harper's nervousness. He held her hand gently and said, "Don't be nervous, it's all fake."
The room returned to silence.
Harper's mind was still in turmoil. She had no experience with weddings, even fake ones. The thought of facing many people made her nervous.
The dressing room was warm, and she sat on the sofa, eyes closed, thinking. Then, the door made a sound, opening and closing. Harper thought Isla had come in and didn't open her eyes. Feeling tired, she rubbed her head and asked, "Isla, what did Vincent want from you just now?"
But there was no response, only a familiar cold scent filled the air.
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