On my wedding day, I waited anxiously for Andrew to arrive and pick me up. But the wedding car was nowhere in sight.
When it finally did show up, I was stunned. The vehicle meant to carry me to my new life was draped in black cloth. White fabric covered the seats, making the car look eerily like a hearse. Sitting in the front passenger seat was his secretary, Raquel, cradling a small urn in her arms. Her eyes were red and swollen from crying.
"Naomi," she said, choking back sobs, "please don’t take it to heart… My dog, Peanut, passed away yesterday. The fortune teller said today is an auspicious day for burial and it can only be reincarnated if it’s laid to rest today. Mr. Benedict said he would give Peanut a final ride on the way… I hope you’re not upset?"
I turned to Andrew, my voice cold. "You turned our wedding car into a hearse… for your secretary’s dog?"
Andrew did not even flinch. He replied, annoyed, "You’ve heard the saying, right? Marriage is where love goes to die. So really, what’s the difference between a wedding and a funeral? A hearse sounds about right."
Something inside me snapped. I tore off my veil and flung it aside, then picked up my phone and made a call.
"Are you free to get married today?"
——
There was still an hour before the ceremony, but Andrew ignored every call, letting the phone ring unanswered.
I tried messaging Raquel instead—after all, Andrew had entrusted all the wedding arrangements to her as he had told me, "You just focus on being a beautiful bride. Let my secretary handle the details."
When I asked her earlier about the wedding car, Raquel had insisted it would be unique and romantic. She said that instead of the traditional procession, it would be more meaningful for the bride and groom to arrive hand-in-hand, quietly and intimately. So, I waited for Andrew to pick me up because I had no other choice.
But now, opening her social media, I saw a post that made my blood run cold.
It was a black-and-white photo. Raquel was dressed entirely in black, with a white camellia tucked into her hair. Her eyes were swollen from crying. She leaned her head gently on a man’s shoulder while clutching the urn close to her chest.
The caption read, [Mom and Dad will always love you, my baby.]
The man’s shoulder looked painfully familiar, but I did not have time to dwell on it. My hand trembled as I locked my phone. Seeing a photo like that on my wedding day felt like a bad omen.
Yet, the thought would not leave me.
Raquel was unmarried.
So, where did the "Mom and Dad" come from?
Before I could process anything, Andrew called and told me to come downstairs immediately.
Clutching my bouquet, heart brimming with joy, I rushed out the door—only for my smile to freeze halfway.
Our wedding car was covered in black cloth. Through the window, I saw the seats inside draped entirely in white fabric. It looked exactly like a hearse.
Just yesterday, the car had been decorated with my favorite flowers, shimmering rhinestones and delicate, romantic patterns. Every detail had been chosen with care, each one reflecting my excitement for this day. For our wedding.
But now, all of it was gone, replaced with this cold, lifeless scene.
It felt like the blood in my veins had turned to ice. Dazed, I asked, "Andrew, what… what is this?"
Raquel was sitting in the passenger seat. Her eyes were swollen red. She rolled down the window and said tearfully, "Naomi, please don’t take it to heart. My dog, Peanut, passed away yesterday. The fortune teller said today is an auspicious day for burial and it can only be reincarnated if it’s laid to rest today. Mr. Benedict said he would give Peanut a final ride on the way… I hope you’re not upset?"
"I couldn’t bear the overly festive look of the wedding car," she added. "So I draped it with some black fabric. These days, black and white-themed weddings are quite trendy. I thought it was fitting. That way, we wouldn’t delay your wedding or Peanut’s funeral."
A wedding car tied in black fabric and wrapped in white cloth? Whose idea of a celebration was this?
At last, the fury surged to my head and my voice cracked with disbelief. "Today is my wedding day. Raquel, are you doing this to humiliate me?"
I turned to Andrew, my voice rising. "We are getting married today and you turned the wedding car into a hearse for a dog? Do you even realize how cruel and doomed this is?"
