Another Groom Left Waiting

Before Regina could bury the dream of becoming a bride, fate forced her to witness another wedding fall apart.

Regina stood frozen in the courthouse hallway, her wedding dress suddenly feeling heavier than it had only an hour ago, It wasn’t special anymore, she is hurt, She is in pain.

The white fabric that had once represented hope now felt like a cruel joke, The white fabric that bring joy has turn to pain, sadness and sorrow.

People were still whispering about her. The bride whose fiancé had confessed to cheating moments before their wedding.

“The guy doesn’t love her.”

“They girl doesn’t have sense.”

“The woman who had been humiliated in front of everyone.”

She tightened her grip on the bouquet, she hadn’t yet found the strength to throw it away.

“How did my life fall apart so quickly?” she thought.

Everything happened so fast, Very fast, What is happening I understand anymore, Am I dreaming, Is this a dream.

Oh no, Someone should wake me up, God why me, Intervene, I did not deserve all this things happening to me.

Why me, Why is all this happening to me, I use to pray, Why is this happening What is my offense, What did I do to deserve all this. A painful lump formed in her throat.

Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Collins walking away, She kept remembering every bit of what they have shared together.

How they start their love story, How she fell in love, Everything that happened between them.

Her brain keep replaying everything in her head. Every time she opened them, she saw strangers staring.

She is unable to bear the attention any longer, Regina walked toward a quieter section of the courthouse.

She needed air, She needed silence,She needed to be alone. Most importantly, she needed a place where nobody knew her name.

A place where nobody no her story, A new place Where she could start afresh, Where she could start a new life.

As she turned around the corner, raised voices suddenly caught her attention.

A man voice, Sharp ,Controlled But dangerously close to breaking.

Regina slowed her steps.

“Try her number again.”

“I already have, sir.”

“Then call her parents.”

“I did.”

A long silence followed Then came a frustrated laugh, Not the kind that came from amusement, The kind that came from disbelief. Regina carefully peeped around the corner.

A tall man was standing near one of the courthouse windows. His expensive black suit looked perfectly tailored, His posture was straight, Confident, Powerful.

But the tension in his shoulders revealed something different, Something broken. Standing beside him was a nervous looking assistant clutching a phone.

The assistant swallowed.

“Mr. Harrington”

The man jaw tightened.

“Don’t.”

The assistant immediately fell silent. Regina frowned She knew that name.

Everyone knew that name. Alex Harrington The billionaire heir, The youngest CEO in the country.

The man business magazines constantly featured on their covers. A very popular wealthy man.

She had seen his face online countless times. All over the social media platform.

But she haven’t met him in real life. Immediately she saw him he already recognized him.

The man standing before her looked nothing like the confident billionaire from those photos. He looked exhausted, Pained, Weak.

Alex rubbed a hand over his face, He was rubbing his face with his right hand palm.

“When was the last time anyone heard from Vanessa?”He asked is assistant.

“Last night.” He replied.

“And?”

The assistant hesitated.

Alex eyes narrowed.

“And?”

And what. He said to him.

“She left a note.”The assistant replied.

The billionaire expression darkened.

“A note?”

The assistant slowly handed over a folded piece of paper.

Regina couldn’t see the contents But she saw Alex unfold it. She Saw his eyes scan through the page, She Saw how every bit of color disappear from his face.

His fingers tightened around the paper For a moment, Regina thought he might tear it apart Instead, he laughed, A cold, empty laugh.

“Interesting.”

The assistant looked uncomfortable.

“Sir”

“Interesting,” Alex repeated.

“Three years together and she leaves me a note.”

After everything we have shared together for complete good three years she left and just dropped a note.

His voice cracked slightly. The tiny break in his composure hit Regina harder than she expected Because she understand everything that is happening.

Humiliation looked the same whether someone was rich or poor. Heartbreak didn’t care about bank accounts.

Alex folded the note carefully As if he moved too fast, the reality would become impossible to ignore.

“What did she say?” the assistant asked quietly.

Alex was staring outside through the window.

“She said she can’t do it.”

The assistant winced.

“Sir.”

“She said she loves someone else.”

She said she already found the one he loves. The words hung heavily in the air. Regina breath caught.

Her stomach twisted. It was almost identical to what Collins had done to her. Different details, Same betrayal.Alex shook his head.

“Do you know what’s funny, Ethan?”

His assistant looked uncertain.

“No, sir.”

“Hmmm.”

‘I spent millions planning this wedding.”

”A lot.”

His laugh returned bitter, empty.

“I give her everything she ever wanted.”

”I give her anything she needs.”

“You loved her.”

Alex looked away.

“Apparently that wasn’t enough.”

The assistant didn’t know how to respond, Neither did Regina.

Because she knew that feeling Doing everything right, Giving someone your heart Loving someone wholeheartedly.

Only to discover it meant nothing, Only to discover the person doesn’t love you in return.

Alex phone suddenly rang. He glanced at the screen, His expression hardened immediately.

“My grandfather.”

The assistant sighed.

Alex pick the call.

“Grandfather.”

Even from several feet away, Regina could hear the elderly man shouting through the phone. Alex closed his eyes.

“I know.”

Another burst of angry words. Alex remained silent. His jaw tightening with every second, Finally he spoke.

“No, she didn’t die.”

A pause.

“No, she wasn’t kidnapped.”

Another pause.

Then Alex released a long breath.

“She left.”

“She left with just a note.”

The silence that followed was somehow worse, Regina watched his shoulders slump Just slightly But enough to reveal how much this mattered.

His grandfather said something else, Something that made Alex look completely defeated.

“I understand.”

He ended the call.

The assistant stepped forward immediately

“How is he?”He asked.

Alex laughed without humor.

“Dying.”

Ethan looked down. “And he still wants me married before his birthday.”

He doesn’t even care, Regina eyes widened.

“Married?”

“Today?”

Alex rest his back against the wall For the first time, he looked tired. Not billionaire.

Not the tired CEO, Human tired, The kind of tired that came from disappointment The kind that settled deep inside the soul.

“What do we do now?” Ethan asked.

Alex stared blankly ahead.

“Cancel everything.”

“The guests?”

“Send them home.”

“The reception?”

“Cancel it.”

“The press?”

Alex groaned.

“Especially the press.”

Ethan nodded, Then hesitated.

“What about your grandfather condition?”.

Alex looked away, the question clearly hurt.

“My grandfather believes seeing me married will be his final peace.”

“But.”

Ethan remained silent.

Alex swallowed hard.

“Now he will spend his last days disappointed.”

For the first time, genuine pain flashed across his face.The pain show all over his face and Regina unexpectedly felt sorry for him.

Not because he was rich, Not because he was famous but because in that moment, he looked exactly like her.

There were both experiencing same situations, A person abandoned by someone they trusted.

A person standing in wedding clothes while their future collapsed. The irony almost made her laugh.

Two broken hearts, One courthouse, One terrible day As if sensing her presence,

Alex suddenly turned around Their eyes met, Regina froze, For a second, neither of them spoke. Neither looked away.

Something strange passed between them. Recognition, Not of names, Not of status But of pain.

The kind only another wounded person could understand. Alex glanced at her wedding dress Then at the tears she hadn’t fully wiped away.

His gaze softened slightly.Regina noticed his eyes briefly move to the bouquet in her hands, Understanding dawned instantly.

“You too?” Alex asked quietly.

The simple question shattered the silence Regina managed a bitter smile.

“Yeah.”

Alex looked toward the empty hallway Then back at her.

“My bride ran away.”

Regina laughed sadly.

“My groom cheated.”

For a moment, neither of them knew what to say. The absurdity of it all hung between them.

Two strangers, Both abandoned, Both wearing their wedding clothes, Both watching their lives fall apart And neither of them realizing that this unexpected meeting was about to change everything.

Alex took a step forward, Regina heart skipped unexpectedly Not from attraction Not yet From curiosity.

Because something in his eyes suggested he had just thought of something.

Something dangerous, Something unexpected, Something that might change both their lives forever. Alex opened his mouth.

“Miss.”

Regina waited.

His gaze remained fixed on hers Then a slow, unbelievable idea began forming in his eyes.

An idea so shocking that even he seemed startled by it And before he could say another word The courthouse doors burst open, A frantic voice echoed down the hallway.

“Mr. Harrington, we have got a problem!”

Alex and Regina turned simultaneously.Neither of them knew that the next few minutes would alter the course of their futures forever.

What idea just crossed Alex mind and what urgent news has suddenly interrupted it?

Alex had just found the answer to both their broken futures… until one desperate shout changed everything.