Chapter 382
Diana sneered coldly at her and, in the next second, retreated into her apartment and slammed the door shut.
But as she was closing the door, Emily charged again, trying to stop her.
"Ahh!"
Desperate to stop Diana, Emily reached out, but her hand was caught between the doors. Diana used considerable force, and Emily felt as if her fingers were broken, letting out a cry of intense pain.
"Emily!"
Just then, Douglas exited the elevator and saw Emily sprawled on the ground, her hand trapped in the door. Shocked, he immediately rushed over.
"Douglas, help me!" Emily screamed again when she saw Douglas approaching.
Douglas!
Diana furrowed her brow and immediately released her grip.
"Ahh!" The door gave way, and Emily withdrew her hand, crying out once more.
"Emily, are you alright?" Douglas hurried over to help her up.
"Douglas, look at what kind of woman you're into. If you hadn't come, she would've killed me," Emily protested from the floor, unwilling to stand, cradling her pinched hand and wailing, "Look, look, my ankle is twisted, and my hand's nearly broken."
"Diana, how could you do this to my sister?" Douglas fumed as he observed Emily's sad state and glared up at Diana with anger.
Watching Douglas lash out without reason, Diana felt her heart go cold. A hint of self-mockery crept into her laugh. "She's your sister, not mine. What do you expect me to do about her?"
"Douglas, just look at how little she cares about you. I told you, she's been around the block more times than the morning paper. And yet you insist on marrying her! If you really tie the knot with her, it won't just be you who'll suffer; it'll be our whole family," Emily spitefully added fuel to the fire.
"Diana, why are you treating me like this?" Douglas glanced at Emily, then turned to Diana, his voice demanding an answer.
Diana scoffed coldly, "I never asked for your attention; you're the one who kept hounding me."
"Fine. From now on, you won't see me begging for it. Just don't come to regret it later," Douglas said sharply. He helped Emily up, his expression turning to ice, "Let's go."
As Douglas delivered his harsh words, Diana wasn't sure whether to laugh or feel the sting of pain. Anyway, her laugh was faint, cold. Right before Douglas and Emily turned to leave, she slammed the apartment door shut with a loud thud.
Leaning against the door, tears inexplicably started streaming down Diana's face.
Suddenly, as she moved to wipe them, she felt her stomach churn, and covering her mouth, she rushed toward the bathroom...
January 18th was the day Teresa and Gabriel were to be wed.
The night before the wedding, Teresa returned to the Bennett family estate.
Traditionally, the bride and groom weren't supposed to see each other on the eve of their wedding. Still, Gabriel stubbornly stayed at the Bennett's, refusing to leave Teresa's side until the early morning of the 18th. Only when Sophia knocked on their door around five in the morning, telling Teresa it was time to get ready, did Gabriel finally get up and head back to the Garcia family mansion.
After getting washed up, Teresa's room became a hive of activity as Sophia and a dozen others filed in.
Among them were matrons of honor appointed by both the Garcia and Bennett families, a makeup artist, a hairstylist, and eight housekeepers.
Each housekeeper carried items for the bride, including the traditional wedding dress Teresa would soon wear, her tiara and jewelry, and her shoes.
Every item was of considerable value, especially the golden wedding dress embroidered with gold and silver threads and the tiara fashioned from pure gold and an array of gemstones—both exquisitely crafted masterpieces.
"Mom, why is this wedding dress so heavy? I can barely breathe," Teresa frowned as she struggled to bear the weight of the intricate gown.
"It's all the gold and silver threads, Honey. You'll get used to it. Once we're back at the Garcia family estate and you've finished the tea ceremony, you can change out of it," Sophia reassured her, fastening the buttons with tender affection.
Her daughter was indeed beautiful—increasingly so, becoming more radiant by the day.
Men were not the only ones enchanted; even she, a woman past her fifties, found her irresistible.
"Can I grab something to eat first?" Teresa inquired.
"No," Sophia shook her head, "You'll eat after the tea ceremony at the Garcias', together with everyone else."
"Mom, I'm lugging around this heavy garb and all this jewelry—it must weigh at least twenty pounds! Aren't you worried I'll pass out from low blood sugar?" Teresa pouted, playing the sympathy card.
Sophia shot her a stern look, tempted to scold her superstitious words.
"Eat, who said anything about not eating? If my daughter wants to eat, she'll eat. Forget the rules," Patrick's loving voice chimed in from the doorway.
"Heh..." Teresa's smile blossomed like a child's. "Thanks, Dad."
William leaned casually against the door frame, admiring Teresa—her bright eyes, porcelain skin, and lips as red as if stained with blood. She was breathtaking, and he couldn't help but smile.
He wondered how Hayden would look in such opulent attire and wearing such a beautiful tiara.
As he gazed on, Teresa's face began to morph into Hayden's in his mind.
Once, during their time together, Hayden had laughed with the same joy and innocence.
But now...
Suddenly, William snapped back to reality.
Impossible!
He looked down, a bitter smile on his lips.
Even if Hayden were to wear such a dress, she would never be his bride.
He would never have the chance to see her like that.
Never...
After only a few bites to eat and some juice to fill her stomach, Teresa finished grooming herself. As the clock struck the hour, she settled into the backseat of the luxurious, extended Rolls Royce. The Bennett family, with all their friends and kin in tow, gave a grand send-off, forming a majestic procession on its way to the Garcia estate.
