Hearing my voice crack with grief and anger, Warren fell silent for a brief moment.
For just an instant, he seemed shaken. Then he remembered what his mother had once told him.
"In a marriage, either the husband controls the wife, or the wife controls the husband. Jade's family is well-off. If you don't establish your authority now, you'll be the one suffering for the rest of your life."
Repeating those words in his mind, his heart hardened.
"There are less than two hours before I come to pick you up," Warren said. "You don't want our wedding to become a joke, do you?"
Without waiting for me to respond, he continued, "Stop making a scene. Just let someone else do your makeup for now. Once the wedding's over, I'll make it up to you. Whatever compensation you want, I'll agree to it."
I didn't even realize my parents had walked over until they were standing beside me.
My mother had spent decades building her business.
She was known for being decisive, fearless, and impossible to intimidate. No matter how fierce the competition, she never let her emotions show. But even someone with the patience of a saint had finally reached her limit.
Without saying a word, she gently took my hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze.
My father's forehead was lined with bulging veins. His eyes were bloodshot, but his voice remained remarkably calm as he took my phone from my hand.
"Warren. We only have one daughter. And I won't allow anyone to bully her while I'm still alive."
"You and Jade spent seven years together before reaching this day. We all want this wedding to go smoothly."
"If you don't understand our position, I won't blame you. But I only need one thing from you."
"Send the makeup artist here. Show me with your actions that you truly want to marry my daughter."
Silence stretched across the line.
Finally, Warren spoke. "Dad... Please think about the bigger picture. Help me convince Jade to get her makeup done first."
"I'm about to leave to pick her up. All the relatives are already here. Let's not make ourselves the laughingstock of everyone else."
"When the wedding is over, you can hit me, yell at me—I'll accept whatever punishment you think I deserve."
My father's expression turned cold as he thundered, "Don't call me Dad."
When he ended the call, I took my phone back.
Without another word, I opened the wedding planning group chat.
My fingers moved steadily across the screen. I cancelled the bridal robe photos, and the bride's pickup ceremony as well.
The wedding coordinator replied almost immediately.
[Should the rest of the schedule continue as planned?]
I looked at the message for a few seconds before typing back.
[Keep filming. Everything else... we'll decide later.]
I looked up at my parents. "Dad, Mom. I don't want to let this go anymore."
The two of them exchanged a glance.
My father stepped forward first. He carefully wiped away the tears on my face, just as he had done countless times throughout my life.
"Jade. Don't be afraid."
I had heard those words for twenty-seven years. As long as my father said them, I truly believed there was nothing in this world I needed to fear.
He smiled gently. "Dad's going to call your uncles and cousins over right now."
I was an only child. But my father had many brothers.
After generation upon generation of sons, I had been born as the only girl in the entire Mendez family.
Since the day I came into this world, I had been everyone's precious treasure.
My mother stepped forward and hugged me. "No matter what you decide to do next... I'll support you."
Then she turned to one of the emergency makeup artists she'd managed to hire.
"Please do my daughter's makeup first. It doesn't have to be bridal makeup. Just make her look refreshed."
Afterward, she picked up her phone and called Avery.
"It's alright if you can't make it. And you don't need to do anyone else's makeup either. We'll still pay your full fee."
Clara muttered curse after curse under her breath, calling Warren every name she could think of.
Grace gently rubbed my back, unable to hide the pain in her eyes.
Even my aunt, who had witnessed everything from the beginning, couldn't contain her anger.
"I'll explain everything to the relatives. No family should ever have to endure this kind of humiliation."
The videographer silently gave me an OK sign, letting me know that every second had been recorded.
My phone rang again and Warren's name flashed on the screen.
I declined the call. A second later, he called again. However, I still declined it.
Without another glance at my phone, I walked into my room.
I slowly took off the elaborate wedding dress I'd been wearing since before dawn. Instead, I changed into the simple beige dress I wore most often.
Sitting in front of the mirror, I opened WhatsApp.
A new message from Warren had popped up. [Babe, just another hour and a half, and I'll finally be there to pick you up. Be good.]
