With a sharp edge in her voice, Sharon lashed out. "Evelyn, you must've been seeing Shane behind Cole's back for a while now. That's why you're in such a rush to replace him with Shane, isn't that right?"
"If you won't call him, then I will." Without sparing her a glance, Evelyn took out her phone and dialed Cole's number.
She put him on speaker, and his irritated voice rang across the silent venue the moment the call connected.
"I already told you, I'm staying with Kendra. I'm not marrying you today. If you keep calling, I'll block you!"
A cold laugh slipped from Evelyn. "Cole, whether you show up or not, this wedding isn't getting canceled."
Taking it as an attempt to corner him, Cole responded in a mocking tone, "Who else would even marry you if it's not me? Go ahead and find someone else. I'd actually appreciate it if you did."
The line went dead, and an odd silence settled over the entire venue.
Overcome with anger, Sharon struggled to breathe before collapsing where she stood.
Meanwhile, a bright smile spread across Evelyn's face. "Thank you, everyone, for attending my wedding with Shane."
As her words lingered, the Ferrari's engine roared, signaling their exit.
Seated beside him, Evelyn turned to Shane. "I appreciate this. You can drop me off here."
Shane kept driving, his hands steady on the wheel. "We're not done yet. There's still something left to handle."
Curiosity flickered across Evelyn's face as she turned toward him. "What do you mean?"
A faint grin tugged at Shane's lips as he met her gaze. "We make it official. I become your husband in name and in record."
By the time they stepped out of the City Hall, Evelyn stood there with the document in her hands, staring at it as if it didn't feel real. She had actually married him just like that.
Before she could process it, the paper was taken from her fingers. Evelyn lifted her eyes to him.
Without a word, Shane slipped it away and turned. "Come on."
Confusion crossed her face as she followed. "Where are we going?"
He glanced back at her, his tone calm. "I did you a favor. Now you return it."
Soon enough, the car came to a stop in front of Gilded Spire, a place known across Slomery where the wealthiest gathered.
Evelyn stepped out and looked at him, surprise clear in her eyes. "I didn't expect you to spend time in places like this."
Shane shut the door and spoke plainly. "I had business here. Marrying you set me back."
"Then I suppose I owe you my thanks." A polite smile formed on Evelyn's lips, though it didn't reach her eyes.
Amusement showed in his expression as he looked at her. "Don't mention it."
Evelyn said nothing.
He really didn't miss a chance to push things further.
Once inside, staff greeted them right away, and one man stepped close to Shane to murmur something in a low voice. A slight crease formed between Shane's brows.
He turned to look at Evelyn, his tone steady. "That dress isn't exactly suited for this place. I'll have someone bring you a change."
"Alright." A small nod came from Evelyn.
After Shane walked off, a staff member guided her toward the casino on the first floor. "Mrs. Bennett, Mr. Bennett asked me to let you know that you're free to play as much as you like. Any winnings belong to you, and if there are losses, he'll take care of them."
The casino floor buzzed with chatter and movement, and heads turned the moment Evelyn stepped in, her wedding dress drawing every eye.
None of it caught her interest. "It's fine. I'll just stay here and wait."
She sent the staff member away, then turned toward the lounge area, planning to sit down, but before she could get far, someone caught her wrist.
A faint frown appeared as she turned to respond, but the words never came when she saw who stood there.
Irritation was clear on Cole's face as he spoke. "Evie, what are you doing here?"
Not far from them, a few voices chimed in with open mockery.
"Cole, looks like Ms. Fowler couldn't stay away. Did she really chase after you in her wedding dress just to find you?"
"Ms. Fowler, Kendra wasn't feeling well, so Cole brought her here to relax. Did you really need to follow him all the way here?"
Kendra stepped closer to Cole and offered Evelyn a soft smile. "Ms. Fowler, showing up here in your wedding dress must be quite troublesome. And Cole, you should've made sure she was taken care of first."
A deep crease formed on Cole's forehead. "Didn't I already tell you to go back home? Cornering me like this isn't going to change anything!"
The situation was so ridiculous that Evelyn almost let out a laugh. He had left her on the roadside without a second thought and skipped their own ceremony, just so he could bring Kendra here to relax.
Only now did it fully sink in for her. She had been fooling herself all along. There had never been a place for her in his heart.
With a swift motion, she pulled her wrist free from his grip. "I didn't come here for you."
Jeffrey Ford let out a scornful laugh. "Come on, Ms. Fowler. There's no need to pretend. You show up dressed like that, and you expect us to believe you're not here for Cole? What else could it be, you came here to gamble?"
Someone chimed in, dripping with mockery, "Ms. Fowler has always been so proper. I doubt she even knows how to do that."
"She's still a Fowler by name, yet she throws away her pride just to chase after him. That's just embarrassing."
Kendra gently tugged at Cole's arm, her expression full of concern. "This is really on me. If I hadn't fallen ill, you wouldn't have had to delay your wedding because of me. I'm fine now. Since Ms. Fowler came all this way to find you, you should go back with her."
Kendra's words seemed to push something in Cole, and his restraint finally snapped. "Evelyn, do you really have to corner me like this in front of everyone? Kendra isn't well! Do you feel better now that you've turned this into a scene? I already said I'll marry you. What does one day even change?"
A reply full of sarcasm was already on Evelyn's lips, but Jeffrey spoke first.
A loud laugh burst from him. "She's scared you'll walk away, Cole! Even her own family wants nothing to do with her. Clinging to you is the only thing she's got left!"
"Once you're married, you might need to keep a lock on yourself, Cole!"
"Is Ms. Fowler planning to keep him on a leash? That'd be something to see!"
Their words set off another round of laughter around them.
Kendra turned to Evelyn with a soft expression. "Ms. Fowler, don't take it to heart. They're only teasing. There's no ill intent."
A frown appeared on Cole's face as he snapped at the group. "Enough."
Without waiting, he grabbed Evelyn's arm and started pulling her toward the exit. "I'll have someone take you back."
She resisted immediately, trying to pull free. "Let go of me!"
His grip tightened, and his voice dropped to a warning tone. "We'll deal with this after I'm done here. Don't make a bigger scene in front of them."
Before they could move any further, someone stepped into their path.
The man stood there in a sharp suit, and Cole recognized him at once as someone connected to the owner of Gilded Spire.
His demeanor shifted right away, and he spoke with caution. "Mr. Gordon, I apologize if we caused any disturbance. I'll take her out—"
Marc Gordon didn't let him finish.
Instead, he turned toward Evelyn and gave a polite nod. "You must be Mrs. Bennett. My boss has asked me to bring you upstairs."
