Chapter 279 Can I Change the Best Man?
George had straight-up ghosted. He wasn't replying to Matilda's Facebook messages, but he was still posting about gaming competitions.
So, he was definitely seeing her messages and just ignoring them. Matilda had called him twice last night, and both times he hung up on her. What was she supposed to say now?
Whether it was out of hurt or guilt, tears streamed down her face as she fiddled with her phone to send George a message: [George, if you don't show up today, we're done. The wedding starts at 9:30, and I'll wait for you until 9:00.]
Finally, she put her phone away, stopped stressing, and sat on the couch in the hall, waiting.
In the spacious dressing room, Saskia was surrounded by a bunch of makeup artists.
She still had her neat short hair, styled with hairspray, wearing a white veil, and had flawless makeup.
Her usually carefree vibe now had a touch of feminine charm and elegance.
"Did you find anyone?" Saskia asked Katniss through the makeup mirror.
Katniss shook her head and replied, "No, so I can't be your bridesmaid."
Saskia's brows furrowed in clear disappointment. She tentatively asked, "I have someone in mind. Do you want to consider it?" The only person they both knew was Benjamin.
"No, I don't." Katniss refused decisively. Today, the White family would also be coming, and anyone close to Benjamin would be scrutinized by them.
Saskia, being carefree, didn't think much of it and replied, "Oh," before going back to her makeup.
Katniss sat down on the sofa next to her, fiddling with her phone.
The door to the lounge suddenly swung open, and Nicholas, wearing a silver suit and holding a bouquet of flowers, strode in.
He nodded to Katniss first, then headed straight for Saskia.
The tall figure behind him immediately caught Katniss's eye.
The black suit fit Tristan perfectly, hugging his strong body, though he seemed a bit thinner.
This groomsman suit was ordered a long time ago, and now it looked a bit loose.
A white shirt with a deep red tie, a sexy Adam's apple, and a beautifully contoured jawline.
Katniss's gaze moved up to his chiseled face and cold eyes.
He had one hand in his pocket, the other holding a cigarette. He stood at the door, leaning against the frame without coming in.
Katniss lowered her eyes, pretending not to see him.
As she lowered her head, Tristan glanced over, noticing her delicate skin and slender yet sexy figure.
Her expression was indifferent and distant, her lips pressed together tightly, with a few strands of hair falling across her profile.Tristan seemed lost in thought, his gaze cooling slightly as he took a deep drag from his cigarette, but he couldn't shake off the emotions brewing inside him. At 8:50, Matilda came upstairs alone.
She paused when she saw Tristan at the door, then lowered her head and walked in.
She stood behind Saskia, hesitated for a moment, and said, "Can I change the groomsman?"
Nicholas turned around sharply and exclaimed, "Are you trying to kill me? What's the problem now?"
Matilda explained guiltily, "George isn't coming. I just saw Mr. Brown. I've met him a few times because of tutoring, so we're somewhat familiar, so..."
Erik was easygoing. As long as the Stuart family and the Kennedy family had no objections, he was willing to act as Matilda's partner temporarily.
"The Brown family has a good reputation in the circle. If Mr. Brown is willing to be our groomsman, we certainly have no objections." Saskia gave Nicholas a look.
Nicholas quickly agreed, "Sure, I'll go with you to find Erik, and formally invite him."
Saying this, Nicholas put down the flowers and left the dressing room with Matilda.
Saskia's makeup was done, and the stylist took her to the dressing room to change into her wedding dress.
The makeup artists quickly packed up and left.
Suddenly, Katniss realized that only she and Tristan were left there.
He was still smoking at the door, standing a bit outside. From her angle, Katniss could only see his veined hand holding the cigarette with smoke curling up.
Tristan hadn't smoked in a long time. Ever since Katniss casually mentioned that smoking was bad for children, he had quit decisively.
As time went by, it was hard not to reflect, and Katniss lowered her head, lost in thought for a moment.
It wasn't until someone from the hotel came to notify Saskia to go to the ceremony hall to prepare for the wedding that Katniss put away her phone and went down with Saskia.
Matilda and Erik, along with another pair of groomsmen and bridesmaids, were in position.
Katniss turned and entered the banquet hall through a side door, finding an empty spot to sit down.
As soon as Tristan came in, he was greeted by several people, who pulled him to sit at the front table.
Both the Kennedy family and the Stuart family were very flattering to him, smiling and making small talk.
A group of people older than him couldn't overshadow his dominant aura. He was now the leader controlling the commercial lifeline.
Even Travis could only sit at a table further back.
After all, Travis only had shares in Synergy Global Corporation, but his workability was lacking.
If their father-son relationship was good, he could benefit from being treated equally, but now their relationship was strained.Travis gritted his teeth, glanced at Ivy and Eudora, and said in a low voice, "I just saw Katniss and Tristan come in one after the other."
"I followed them from behind. They had no interaction at all, not even a glance," Eudora said, having returned to the hall after seeing them come in.
Now, the two were sitting in completely opposite directions, unable to see each other.
"That's good." Travis glanced at Tristan once more before turning to Eudora. "Tomorrow, you'll return to the company. First, keep an eye on him, and second, oversee the company's development."
Eudora had always considered herself the general manager of Synergy Global Corporation, but Synergy Global Corporation was used to Tristan's management style.
When Tristan went to Nightfall City, she did handle a lot of work, but when Tristan came back, few people paid attention to her.
"Okay, got it." After responding, she scanned the room and saw Michael at the railing on the second floor.
Michael smiled at her and made an 'OK' gesture before turning and leaving.
The wedding went fairly smoothly. The only hiccup was Nicholas's crying, which made Saskia feel embarrassed and signaled the emcee to quickly end the sentimental part.
The Kennedy family and the Stuart family were now united by marriage, and everything ended peacefully.
Matilda, Erik, and another pair of groomsmen and bridesmaids were resting at Katniss's table, waiting for the banquet.
A few other people of similar age who knew each other also gathered at the table, making it lively and noisy.
"Mr. Brown, thank you for today," Katniss also expressed her gratitude to Erik.
Erik smiled and glanced at Matilda, saying, "No need to be formal, Ms. Grey. I feel quite embarrassed about the tutoring issue with Kenna. This was a good opportunity to ease our relationship. The tutoring was my mother's decision; honestly, I don't want to get involved in those high-society matters."
He was sincere and honest, with a somewhat awkward smile.
Matilda, preoccupied, just smiled politely and agreed, "Mr. Brown, you're overthinking it."
"Indeed, if Kenna needs any help with her studies in the future, feel free to ask me. We're friends now," Katniss said appropriately.
They mostly talked about studies, while the others discussed the wedding, creating a harmonious atmosphere.
Just then, George suddenly appeared next to Matilda, panting and dressed in a groomsman suit. "I'm late; I got caught in traffic."
Matilda's smile vanished, and she lowered her head, pressing her lips together without speaking.
"Is the wedding over? I really didn't mean to be late. I had a gaming competition last night and stayed up all night. I..." George explained."The wedding's over. There's no point in discussing this now. We'll talk later," Matilda said, not wanting to engage with him. George was stunned and instinctively looked at Erik beside Matilda, who was wearing the groomsman's boutonniere.
He frowned and said, "You got him to be the groomsman? You two walked down the aisle hand in hand?"
His questioning tone immediately made him raise his voice.
Immediately, many people looked over, and Matilda bit her lip tightly, looking at George in disbelief.
Katniss's tone turned slightly stern. "George, you were late first. You have no reason or right to question Matilda. This is Saskia's wedding. If you have anything to say, talk about it later."
"Why don't I have a say in this? You and Tristan had a falling out, and you'd prefer to be alone than pick someone else to be the groomsman. Meanwhile, she and I are still together, and now she's just gone and found another guy." George, in a fit of anger, spoke without thinking.
Hearing this, Matilda couldn't bear it any longer and stood up, pushing him hard. "George, you're such a jerk! From now on, we're done—I'm breaking up with you!"
With that, she grabbed her bag and said, "Katniss, please tell Saskia that I have to leave. I'm sorry, Mr. Brown."
She knew that George would keep arguing, and breaking up would only escalate the situation further.
Not wanting to cause a scene at Saskia's wedding, Matilda quickly left.
George chased after her, but his words still echoed in everyone's ears.
"You and Tristan had a falling out..."
Suddenly, everyone's attention shifted to Katniss and Tristan. Even though they were seated far apart, people couldn't tear their eyes away.
Travis, in particular, kept glancing back and forth between the two.
The tension in the room was palpable, with Katniss and Tristan as the focal point, yet they felt like outsiders.
They remained in their seats, doing what was expected of them.
The atmosphere gradually eased. People enjoyed some food, and there was a small stage set up for a dance party. Everyone then migrated to the beautifully decorated ballroom on the second floor.
A 12-foot crystal chandelier emitted a dazzling light, illuminating the entire hall.
Saskia and Nicholas had changed into their dancing attire and took to the floor for the first dance, after which others gradually joined in.
Katniss, still worried about Matilda, was absent-mindedly pushed to the center of the dance floor by the crowd.
Suddenly, the crystal chandelier went out, leaving only a dim light at the top. Katniss instinctively looked up at the only bright spot.
The sharp sound of glasses clinking echoed, and the ornate crystal chandelier above her swayed dangerously, on the verge of falling!
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