Chapter 115: Wedding without a groom.

The Kaelion family wedding was supposed to be the event of the century in the Zenith Republic. Not just there but in neighboring nations too, since the Kaelion clan was one the best there was. Every news outlet and beggar on the streets couldn’t stop talking about it. Young Master Eliot Kaelion, one of the youngest heirs to the Kaelion clan with a temper as fierce as a lightning beast_ was finally getting hitched. Everyone in the capital wanted an invitation to the event just to see if the brave bride would really go through with it.

There was a lot of curiosity about the origins of the bride because she did not come from another privileged clan or wealthy family. She was not even from an average family, but a village in a small town. The motives for attending the wedding had gone from paying respect and seeing the bride to witnessing a moment of possible humiliation to young master Eliot.

The day of the wedding had arrived, but by noon, the grand event had devolved into a massive, city-wide Chapter of bad gossip. It was because the young master hadn’t even shown up to his own wedding.

During the formal nuptial ceremony in the morning, the Kaelion clan elders had walked down the aisle holding a giant, life-sized portrait of Elliot. They did it with straight faces and absolute, unblinking shamelessness. The official excuse the clan patriarch gave to the crowd was remarkably simple: "The Young Master’s soul energy is fluctuating, and he is not feeling well."

Many eyes had been glued to the bride, waiting for her to melt and wail.

Naturally, Lita had been absolutely furious that she was saying vows to a piece of painted canvas instead of a breathing husband. Still, she held her chin high, swallowing her pride as took her vows. She kept a smile on her face as she slid her own ring on her finger and then stared in confusion because it seemed like they were waiting for her to put a ring on a portrait!

Luckily, one of the elders had jumped in to save her from awkwardness. As bitter as she had been, she knew what her reality was. She was poor and marrying into the great Kaelion family was for boundless resources and first-class status.

Besides, all her judgmental relatives were watching from the pews. She refused to let them see her sweat.

But by the time the reception festivities kicked off, the shame finally wore her down like a heavy, suffocating lead dress.

The banquet hall was filled with the clinking of wine glasses, but the atmosphere was completely toxic. Everyone was staring at their phones, whispering, and looking up at her. They tried to be subtle about it, but Lita’s eyes were sharp. She caught the muffled giggles and saw the mocking glances from the daughters of rival clans.

"Did you see the latest broadcast?" a young lady whispered, giggling into her silk sleeve. "The grand bride of the Kaelion clan is sitting all by herself while her husband is..."

Lita’s face burned. Gritting her teeth, she abruptly stood up, excused herself, and marched straight toward the restrooms.

Her mother, Ursula, hurried right behind her. The moment they burst through the restroom doors, Ursula didn’t even hesitate_ she barked at the women washing their hands, "Out! Both of you, get out right now!"

The women scoffed but hurried out, sensing the volatile, explosive aura radiating from Lita.

The second the door clicked shut, Lita kicked a stall door with all her might.

Bam!

"Even if Elliot was coughing up blood, they should have dragged his body to this reception, at least to show his face!" Lita growled, her breathing ragged as she clutched her heavy, embroidered veil. "A picture, Mother! They made me recite vows to a picture and kiss it! This is a humiliation, a slap to my face. How will anyone ever respect me now?"

Ursula fidgeted with her silk handkerchief, her hands trembling. She swallowed hard and looked everywhere but at her daughter. "Lita... adjust your breathing. Calm your mind. Elliot... Elliot isn’t sick."

Lita froze, her sharp eyes narrowing into slits. "What do you mean he isn’t sick? Then where is he?"

Without a word, Ursula hesitantly switched on her phone and pulled up the trending feeds on the local network which was not accessible in their village. She handed it over to her daughter.

Lita looked down. Her heart stopped.

There were crystal-clear photos trending across the entire republic. It wasn’t a dark room or a hospital bed. It was a man-made beach in Jersey Republic. There was Eliot, wearing a loose silk robe, laughing and drinking premium wine while surrounded by a flock of beautiful, laughing women and some of his friends. He looked perfectly healthy, blissfully happy, and entirely unbothered by the fact that it was his wedding day.

The phone slipped from Lita’s fingers and clattered onto the floor. Her hands turned bright red, trembling violently as a volatile mix of hot tears and raw, unadulterated rage flooded her chest.

"He is playing with other women on our wedding day?!" Lita’s voice transformed into a feral growl. "While I am out there being laughed at by every mid trash family in the city?!"

"Lita, please, lower your voice!" Ursula pleaded, dropping to her knees and grabbing the hem of Lita’s gown. "Calm down! The Kaelions are not some village champions you can just mess with! They are powerful! If you cause a scene out there, they will crush our family like bugs!" Ursula scrambled back to her feet, wiping her own panicked sweat. "Save the confrontation for later. Wipe your face, put on your smile, and let’s finish the banquet. We can deal with Elliot when he returns from his trip."

Just then, the restroom door swung open with a casual click.

In strolled Andrea Kaelion, the groom’s older sister. She was wearing a stunning designer gown and hair wreath made of sparkling diamonds, radiating an aura of supreme arrogance. She looked at Lita’s tear-stained face, then down at the phone on the floor, and let out a soft, amused hum.

Lita threw a murderous, accusative glance at her new sister-in-law. Her fists clutched so tightly her nails drew blood. But knowing her mother was right about the Kaelion family’s terrifying power, she couldn’t strike. Instead, Lita let out a sharp hiss, pushed past Andrea, and stormed out into the hallway.

Andrea didn’t even blink. She casually walked up to the unbroken section of the mirror, whipped out a sleek lipstick, touched up her pout, and smirked. "Tragic," she whispered to herself before strolling back out to the party.

Lita did not go back to the wedding hall. Ignoring her mother’s desperate cries from behind, she marched straight out of the wedding venue, threw herself into the back of a luxury car, and slammed the door shut. "Take me to the Kaelion residence," she barked at the driver. "Now!"