"I envy Juliet so much! I heard Captain Pierce is throwing a grand Western-style wedding in a church, and even Juliet’s wedding dress was custom-made just for her."
"Captain Pierce is famous for doting on his wife. That Elara is really ungrateful—she left such a good man behind. I bet she must be regretting it now."
Elara walked silently beside the director of surgery, who was personally escorting her to the hospital gate. The idle gossip about Stellan and Juliet’s wedding trailed after her like a shadow, each word stabbing deeper than the last.
The director glanced at her with sympathy. "Elara, don’t let their words get to you. I know you’re a good girl. If you ever want to come back, just contact me anytime."
"Come back where?"
A deep voice suddenly cut in.
Elara stiffened. Stellan’s sudden appearance startled her.
"Captain Pierce, you don’t know yet?" The director hesitated, about to explain Elara’s resignation, but Stellan interrupted him coldly.
"I don’t care about her affairs. There’s no need to tell me."
The director swallowed his words, sighed, and returned to the hospital.
Without another glance at her, Stellan handed Elara a receipt.
"Go pick up Juliet’s wedding dress. I have other things to do."
Before she could respond, he had already driven off, leaving her standing there, gripping the receipt with trembling fingers.
Elara made her way to the bridal shop, collected Juliet’s wedding dress, and took it home. The house was quiet—Juliet wasn’t there. Taking the opportunity, Elara returned to her room and resumed packing her luggage.
But just as she was folding her last piece of clothing, a sharp sob echoed from outside.
Startled, she rushed out.
Juliet stood in the living room, clutching the wedding dress, tears streaming down her face. Beside her, Stellan frowned, his expression dark with concern.
The moment Elara stepped forward, Juliet lunged at her.
Slap!
The sharp sting burned across Elara’s cheek.
"Elara!" Juliet’s voice trembled with rage. "I’ve always treated you well, always protected you. How could you destroy my wedding dress the day before my wedding?!"
Elara pressed a hand to her throbbing cheek, her gaze falling to the wedding dress now shredded into unrecognizable pieces.
Her breath caught in her throat. "I didn’t do it. I swear, I didn’t."
"If it wasn’t you, then did Juliet destroy it herself?" Stellan’s voice was ice-cold as he pulled Juliet protectively into his arms, his gaze filled with nothing but disgust.
"You and Juliet were the only ones in this house. I never expected you to be so vile."
A lump formed in Elara’s throat. The helplessness, the injustice of it all, pressed down on her chest like a weight she couldn’t shake off.
"It really wasn’t me," she whispered. "Why can’t you trust me? Just once?"
She met his eyes, almost pleading.
But Stellan didn’t waver. His gaze remained distant, merciless.
"What about you is worth trusting?" His voice was devoid of warmth.
With that, he turned away, pulling Juliet along with him.
"Let’s go buy a new one," he murmured gently. "Tomorrow, I’ll make sure you’re the happiest bride in the world."
Elara watched as Juliet walked away, pride gleaming in her eyes. At that moment, whatever lingering hope remained in Elara’s heart crumbled into nothing.
By dawn, she left Pierce Mansion with her suitcase, not sparing a single glance back.
The streets bustled with life—cars honked, vendors called out, and pedestrians hurried along. From a distance, a convoy of wedding cars approached, led by a military jeep.
"Captain Pierce’s wedding is truly grand! He must love his wife so much."
"I envy Juliet. Finding a husband like him is a dream come true."
The murmurs of the crowd reached Elara’s ears, but she didn’t react. She didn’t even lift her gaze. With steady steps, she walked past the wedding procession, heading in the opposite direction.
Inside one of the cars, Stellan sat in silence, gazing absently out the window. For a fleeting moment, he caught sight of a familiar figure. A slender frame, a determined stride—then, just as quickly, she disappeared into the sea of onlookers.
A strange pang twisted in his chest. He didn’t understand it, didn’t want to. Yet, without warning, an image of Elara’s stubborn face surfaced in his mind, refusing to fade.
"Stellan, what’s wrong?"
Juliet’s voice pulled Stellan back to reality. He blinked, suddenly aware that they had arrived at the church. A sea of expectant eyes watched him, waiting for him to carry Juliet out of the car.
"It’s nothing."
His voice was light, almost distracted. He lifted Juliet into his arms, but his gaze instinctively swept across the crowd. He was looking for someone. Yet, no matter how much he searched, that familiar figure was nowhere to be seen. His brows furrowed.
Turning to his subordinate, he asked, "Have you seen Elara today?"
The man hesitated for a moment before shaking his head. "No, sir. Dr. Whitmore hasn’t been around since this morning."
Juliet noticed the flicker of discomfort in Stellan’s expression and smiled reassuringly. She held his arm gently.
"Maybe Elara is still upset about the wedding dress yesterday. I’ll apologize to her after the wedding. Don’t worry too much."
Stellan’s expression hardened.
"Who’s worried about her?" His tone was sharp, defensive. "I just don’t want people gossiping. If your own sister doesn’t attend your wedding, rumors will spread."
Hearing this, Juliet’s smile deepened with satisfaction. "Stellan, you’re always so thoughtful."
With the ceremony approaching, Juliet was escorted to the bridal waiting room. The moment she was out of sight, Stellan’s demeanor changed. His jaw tightened, and his voice dropped into a cold command.
"Find Elara. Tell her that if she dares to miss my wedding, she will never have to step foot in the Pierce Family mansion again."
His fingers curled into fists.
Elara, you will know what it means to have your heart torn apart, to feel pain that cuts through bone.
Just then, the housekeeper, Celeste, walked past, carrying a shawl. Stellan stopped her abruptly.
"Where is Elara?"
Celeste hesitated before replying, "Miss Whitmore left early this morning… with a suitcase."
