Hearing the teasing voices of others, Aurora quickly pushed Julian away. Why couldn’t he pick the right moment? Only then did the lights in the area brighten, and she saw Lindsay Gilpin staring at her with red eyes, having already cried all night after seeing her and Julian’s engagement the day before.
Now, the two of them were kissing in such a place, in front of everyone, which only added to her distress, though this time she did not run away.
Julian, acting as if nothing was amiss, led Aurora onto the stage, where Susan and Hayden were walking on a glass platform strewn with flowers.
Aurora and Julian followed, scattering petals-a scene that would have been beautiful had it not been for their earlier incident that now drew everyone’s eyes to them.
Susan, linked arm in arm with Hayden, cast aside the unpleasantness of earlier, smiling perfectly as she walked ahead.
Suddenly, she screamed, losing her balance and crashing to the ground. Hayden, distracted, did not help her immediately.
The bride had fallen! The media, thrilled, treated it like a sensational news story akin to a fall on the red carpet at an international film festival.
Cameras clicked all around. Frowning, Hayden helped her up, only for Susan to find that her high heel had snapped.
These were custom-made high heels; how could they break so easily? Everyone was stunned. The Simmons and Alvarez families were prestigious-how could such an accident happen?
A big star like her, wearing such poor-quality shoes? The press swarmed to capture the moment.
Aurora glanced at Julian, who had just mentioned wanting to watch a good show. Had he tampered with the roses? Luckily, Susan, fearing Aurora might steal the show, had prepared a pair of low, three-centimeter heels for her.
Julian had anticipated this; Aurora would be safe, but Susan, in her tall, slender heels, was more likely to have an accident.
“Get me another pair of shoes,” Mrs. Simmons exclaimed, panicked.
“Ma’am, Miss Susan only brought this pair to match her dress.”
“Any shoes will do. Just find some,” she insisted.
The previous shoes were left in the makeup room, a distance from the venue, and retrieving them would take time.
“Aurora, lend me your shoes; our sizes are the same,” Susan said, looking toward Aurora.
“Right, Aurora, quickly take off your shoes for Susan. Isn’t this what a bridesmaid should do at times like these?”
Mrs. Simmons urged.
Julian had intended to embarrass Susan, but he hadn’t expected her to be so shameless. The host on stage hurried things along: “Let our beautiful bridesmaid lend her shoes to the bride for now.”
“Okay,” Aurora said, unsure of what lay beneath the roses but aware that Susan clearly intended for her to step on them barefoot.
With so many watching, she reluctantly handed over her shoes to Susan, who put them on, her eyes gleaming maliciously.
Having been made to look foolish, she was set on making Aurora suffer as well.
“All right, let’s continue the ceremony,” the host announced.
Susan, arm in arm again with Hayden, stepped forward, while Aurora, resigned to her fate, was about to step forward when she suddenly found herself lifted off the ground.
Julian suddenly swept her into his arms horizontally.
What kind of scene was this? At the wedding of the bride and groom, it was unheard of for a bridesmaid to be carried by the best man.
“Mr. Barnet, this seems rather unconventional, doesn’t it?”
“We’re just scattering petals, what’s unconventional about that?”
Julian replied coldly, giving the officiant a chilling glance that made him quickly avert his gaze.
“Continue,” Julian snorted.
The music resumed. Susan bit her lip and walked ahead reluctantly while Aurora, nestled in his arms, scattered flower petals.
“Julian, is this really okay?”
Aurora whispered.
“There’s nothing wrong with it. Without shoes, I become your shoes,” Julian said, looking ahead, showing Aurora a determined profile.
For the first time, Aurora felt her man was incredibly handsome, no matter whose wedding it was or how others saw it; he only cared about her safety.
When they reached the end of the aisle, Julian carried Aurora off the stage, leaving Hayden and Susan to continue the ceremony.
“Get her a pair of size 36 shoes,” Julian commanded the Alvarez family’s butler.
“Yes, young master,” the butler quickly ran off.
Julian’s father sat nearby, but Julian acted as if he didn’t see him, continuing to hold Aurora without even greeting him.
“Julian, how do you know my shoe size?”
Aurora was curious how he could report her shoe size so accurately when she had never told him.
“Silly girl, is there anything about you I don’t know?”
Julian said ambiguously, causing Aurora to blush.
“Cough! Do you even realize how many people are around you?!”
The old man finally couldn’t hold back and spoke up.
“Mr. Alvarez, your son is getting married up there; no matter what I do, people won’t talk about you,” Julian said nonchalantly.
“Besides, I’m holding the woman I love, what does it have to do with you?”
“Miss Gilpin is knowledgeable and reasonable, yet you choose to spoil such a fox. You’re really trying to kill me!”
Mr. Alvarez’s tone still held many grievances, although he was less opposed than before.
“I like this little fox, Mr. Alvarez, you’re being overly concerned,” Julian retorted, clearly infuriating.
“Don’t forget, you have the blood of the Alvarez family running through your veins; you are an Alvarez, and that will never change!”
Mr. Alvarez huffed.
“Am I an Alvarez?”
Julian suddenly questioned.
“Of course, you have no choice but to acknowledge it,” Joaquin said, unaware of why he suddenly asked.
“Then I must perform my duties,” Julian said with a smirk, and Aurora soon understood what he meant by ‘duties’.
Soon it was time for the toast, a tradition more extensive in their prominent family, including toasting not only the parents but also the closest relatives, along with a few blessing words.
That was their custom. After Aurora had changed her shoes, Hayden and Susan had already toasted their parents, and now it was time to toast the direct relatives.
First, they toasted Joaquin, “Grandfather, let me honor you.”
Both knelt respectfully.
“Hayden, I wish you and Susan a beautiful family,” Joaquin instructed.
“Grandfather, I will,” Hayden responded.
After Joaquin took his drink, it was Hayden’s turn to toast his uncles.