EPISODE 2

On the altar, Ray grabbed Jeslyn by the arm and pulled her roughly to face him after her declaration. "What do you think you are doing?" He stared at her with eyes that were struggling to conceal the rage in them.

She looked at those dark eyes, the straight nose, and the pink lips she had dreamt of kissing but never got the chance to.

"Paaah!"
She raised her right hand and landed a resounding slap across his face. The slap was loud, so loud that the sound reverberated in the noisy hall, shutting the murmuring guests up.

The slap caught everyone by surprise, including both grooms.

"You don't hold me like I'm an unfeeling doll!" She spat out.

The replacement groom trailed his gaze to her arm and saw the redness from being held too tightly and narrowed his eyes at Ray who had his mouth and eyes widened with his palm holding his cheek.

He was dazed. He couldn't believe she slapped him. Jeslyn slapped him! It had never happened before and never in his wild dreams would he think she could ever slap him. While still in a daze, he was pulled back from his reverie at her words.

"Priest, please start the ceremony," she said in haste.

The priest glanced at the front audience seat, hoping to know what the grandfather thought. Until he saw the grandfather give a slight nod, and he start the marriage program.

Young master Ray wanted to protest, he wanted to pull her and probably give her a tight slap to wake her from her sleep, but when he saw the glare from her grandfather, he lowered the hand he had raised to pull her.

Ray just stood helplessly by the side and watched as his bride got married to another man in front of his eyes. It felt like a dream to him, a dream he so badly wanted to wake up from. How could all of the things he would get by marrying her slide away from his fingers like this? Impossible! But what can he do right now other than to watch as they were about to exchange rings?

Time to exchange rings, the bride took the diamond ring that had been prepared for her and handed it to her replacement groom. He placed it on her ring finger and that was when they realized they had no ring for her replacement groom.

Her mascara-ruined eyes swept through the hall for an alternative and they stopped on the ring bearer.

She raised her gown with both hands and rushed to collect Ray's ring, hoping it would fit her new husband. The ring wasn't a perfect fit as it was a little too tight, but that would do for now.

"By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride!" The priest said.

The husband leaned in. Instead of kissing her on the lips, he pecked her on the forehead, surprising the already stunned guests, the priest, and even the young Miss herself.

After the couple had successfully gotten married, Jeslyn turned around, leaving her husband on the altar and ran to her grandfather with her dress trailing behind her.

The husband chuckled thinking of how he got abandoned in the altar after just getting married.

"G–grandpa," she called with quivering lips as her eyes welled up in tears.

"Child," the old man stood up and pulled his granddaughter into a tight hug.

"I– I'm sorry, grandfather." She broke down in hot tears.

"Silly child, you are a celebrity. What would your fans say when a bad picture of you is published to the world?" He said while patting her hair.

That was the best line for consoling this granddaughter of his who cares about her appearance more than her reputation. She would only laugh if her name is being dragged on the internet, but if her face is being criticized, or an early morning picture of her is leaked to the media, she would cry the house down, yet look at her now, she didn't even care about her face this time. What must have happened to his dear granddaughter?

The old man was lost In thought when he heard a calm voice. It was clear that whatever was hidden behind that voice was being suppressed. After all, he had grown to this age, so he had seen more of the world and also met weird people.

"Grandfather-in-law. Is it right for me to call you that?" The young man asked with a deadpan face.

"Of– of course, grandson-in-law." The old man didn't know how his voice suddenly broke, but looking at this man in front of him that looked harmless, he was certain the man was not what he made himself out to be.

"I'm sorry for not bringing a meeting gift. The marriage with your granddaughter just happened in haste."

"I understand, thank–"

"Grandfather, I don't understand what is happening. Jeslyn and I didn't have a fight. We were happy together and I even called her this morning while she was getting dressed. How did she suddenly replace me without prior notice?" Ray hurried to old man Lee, hoping he would help him talk some senses into Jeslyn.

"That's right, old man Lee, I think our family deserves an explanation for this humiliation." An old man with white hair walked over and stood beside Ray with his eyes on grandpa Lee and Jeslyn who was still hugging her grandfather.

"You want an explanation, even I do. However, my granddaughter is too sad to say anything right now. We will call you over when she's better to understand what really happened. Until then, I have to take my granddaughter home." Grandpa Lee turned and started walking out of the hall with his granddaughter in his hands.

The new husband didn't go with them. After his bride went away with her grandfather, he turned around and was about to walk back to his private room when he suddenly felt something whistling towards his face. He subconsciously tilted his head back in time to avoid a punch from Ray.

The new groom turned to look at his assaulter and narrowed his brown eyes at him. "Do I owe you?" He asked.

"Hah, you still have the effrontery to ask me that?! You just stole my woman!" He yelled as he pointed at the entrance, almost crying.

"Oh?" the new groom smiled faintly.

"Or, you two had been cheating," a lady walked over and stood beside Ray as she glared at the new groom.

They could clearly see that the new groom didn't look like someone they should mess with but the Zhou siblings didn't care because they know all the affluent and power-holding families in the country and they are aware that this man in front of them, despite having the air of a powerful person, was not on the list of those people they should fear.

They knew that the man cannot be a pauper, but refused to believe that he was wealthier than them.

"So what if it is?" The new groom responded emotionlessly. He glanced one last time at the people that were starting to gather around him before walking towards the door.

"Hey! Stop right there, I'm not done with you yet!" Ray yelled as he ran towards the new groom and was about to yank his black shirt from behind when the new groom turned and avoided his hand. He kicked his leg forward and ruthlessly pushed him back, sending Ray falling into the empty seats.

The friends and family remaining in the hall were alarmed and immediately rushed to Ray to help him up, but Ray pushed them away. He got up and pointed a finger at the new groom.

He Ignored the fact that he was just humiliated in the presence of so many people and said: "Divorce her, come with me to the magistrate and divorce her, right now!!" He yelled like a crazy man. He was really going crazy. How dare she do this to him?

The new groom pulled out his phone that was vibrating in his pocket and glanced at the caller before he turned around and walked away without uttering a word to Ray.

The desperate Ray was about to stop him from leaving again when the lady earlier stopped him. "Ray, calm down, there are other ways to get her to divorce that wild man and marry you."

"Sister, how? What other ways?" Ray couldn't wait to get back at Jeslyn for humiliating him so much. "She will pay for this!!" He angrily kicked the chair in front of him.

"Calm down, brother, leave it to me, I'll take care of Jeslyn. You shouldn't give the reporter outside the hall the wrong impression that you are a violent man. Grandfather, you all should return home. I'll stay behind with Ray to speak with the reporters."

"Settle things well." The angry grandfather who had been sitting after the Lee family left, stood up and headed out of the hall with the other members of the Zhou family.
…

The new groom was seen entering a private room in the hotel. He sat on a couch and placed his hand on the arm of the chair.

A man sipping from his tumbler sighed. "What took you so long? I almost thought you left."

"I Just got married," He answered as he turned to look at the ring on his finger.

The other man choked on his drink and patted his chest to ease the cough.

"Don't kill yourself, I won't explain to your mom," He said.

"Y– you did what?!"

"Got married."

"Hahahaha… you must be joking. That was a nice joke you just told."

"Ok." That was all. He didn't explain further and he never does. He allows the person to believe what they wanted after he says the words he needed to.

He brought his hand from the armrest and started to play with the ring. He removed it and looked at the intricate designs on it. The ring had two initials which he presumed to be the names of the ex-groom and his bride. R heart J.

"Brother, what is that?" Rex stared at the ring in his brother's hand with a lot of interest.

"A bomb," he answered nonchalantly and dropped the ring in the wine glass in front of him. "Get me a set of couple's ring."

Rex's jaw dropped when he saw his actions and heard his words. "D– did you really just get married after leaving here?"

The new groom ignored him and asked instead. "Have you found the nurse?"

Rex pulled himself together and became serious. The issue of his brother's wedding was placed at the back of his mind. "N–no, my investigations said she died a few days ago."

"And the hospital where Valen was born?" He asked.

"The hospital was closed down last month."

"Then look for the higher ups," he frowned.

"Yes, our men are already on it… when are we returning?"

"I might leave you here. Return if you still can't find anything after a week. Whoever is obstructing our search is powerful. I'll need to pin him down myself." He said with a small frown on his dashing face.

"Ok…ah, I almost forgot. Valen's nanny called. The boy is causing chaos."

"Let him, provided he's fine…. I'm heading out." He stood up and walked out of the room.

After he left, Rex picked up his phone and logged into a chat group.

Rex: 'Hey, guess who just got married!'

He dropped the message and left the chat with a wicked smile on the corner of his lips. He wasn't going to be the only one to be shocked. Others have to feel what he felt.

#paradiseofstories
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EPISODE 1

"Mister, please, will you marry me?" Jeslyn asked a man she saw entering the restroom of the wedding venue. 'He must be one of the guests,' she thought.

Jeslyn was taken aback by the coldness he was exuding when he turned to face her. His eyes held so much darkness that she flinched. All her senses woke up, ringing bells in her mind to walk away...but to where? She had been searching for a groom for a long time already and couldn't even find a janitor, let alone a waiter, so where else would she see a a husband? The auspicious time was already passing.

He assessed the withered bunny in front of him. Jeslyn's white wedding gown wasn't looking elegant nor was she putting in effort to look presentable.

His aura relaxed a little when he saw Jeslyn's makeup-smudged face and the line of tears on her cheeks.

Seeing this, Jeslyn breathe a sigh of relief. She tried to focus her mind so she could interact with him like the human he was.

The man looked to his right and then left, there was only the two of them, so he pointed at his nose while confusion filled his expression.

"Young Miss..." he hesitated. Then he frowned slightly, "you mean...me?"

Jeslyn nodded while wiping her face with the back of her hand, ruining the mascara even more.

The man chuckled after getting his answer. The girl in front of him is the most daring bunny he had ever come across. So tender, fearful, yet audacious!

"You don't know me, do you?" he asked after his weird chuckle.

She swallowed and shook her head, then said timidly with a tearful voice. "T–that makes it better."

The man raised a brow, "how so?"

"W—we will sign a marriage contract and get a divorce after one year, t—then you can continue your life," she explained.

"Oh, so you want to use my service when you don't know me? Interesting. It so happens that I need a woman for my brat but before then, Young Miss, i'd like to sound a note of warning...You might die. " he looked at her, waiting to see her flinch or show repulsion, but she didn't, so he continued.

"You are about to step into the abyss. Are you still willing?"

She nodded.

The man squinted his eyes at her for whatever reason before he relaxed and said: "Deal."

"Good, I'll send my assistant to bring you the contract after our wedding." Seeing him nod, she grabbed his wrist with one hand and held up her long, heavy wedding dress with the other before she hurried towards the wedding venue.

The tall man looked at her side profile with his dark chocolate eyes as an interesting smile found its way to settle on the corner of his lips.
…

"Where is the bride? The groom has been waiting here for more than fifteen minutes already!"

"I wonder what that young Miss' problem is."

"Young brats from rich families who are also celebrities are mostly like this, making people wait for them, hmph!"

"The more reason she should be scared of upsetting people...but no, young Miss Jeslyn would never consider her reputation. She knows exactly how bad it would be if word gets out that she kept the guests waiting for 20 minutes on her wedding day."

"How can you expect her to be so sensible when her reputation is already as bad as serpent's."

"I wonder why she's even the one getting married to young master Ray, with her ruined reputation. Her sister, Christine, would have been a better choice. Tch!"

"Quiet down, don't let her grandfather hear you say that. You'll be in trouble."

While the murmurs and words of displeasure were flying around in the hall, the relatives of the bride and groom were busy looking at the door, hoping to see the 'abomination' walk in through the entrance.

A man presumed to be the groom stood on the altar with the priest, waiting for the bride.

The groom had a little frown of impatience settling between his brows as he focused on the door with hands balled in tight fists and knuckles turning white. His jaw was clenched to suppress the fire in his heart.

'Did she dare to stand me up? Is she going to cancel the wedding at the last minute? No, she can't. She knows what's at stake if she refuses to get married today', he thought.

Amongst the guest sitting, an old man was seen resting his jaw on the back of his palms that were placed on the top of his walking stick as he appeared to be lost in thought.

Just when he snapped out of his daze and was about to wave over one of his bodyguards standing around the hall, he heard an uproar from behind and turned sharply to see if it was his granddaughter entering the hall with grace.

Lo and behold, it was his granddaughter, but wasn't entering with grace, but rather with disgrace!

The old man's eyes dilated and his lips parted in shock. If her appearance was not bad enough to shock him into a coma, then the fact that she was running in with an unknown man would.

The guest gasped in surprise and watched in confusion as the famous young Miss of the Lee family ran to the stage with a man, an unknown man!

The groom stood there with narrowed eyes, not understanding what she was up to. However, he had a weird feeling that things were about to go bad for him and he needed to stop her real quick!

"What do you think you are doing, Jeslyn?" He asked her when she climbed the altar. His eyes resting on the man who had a slight smile on his lips.

Ray was the most handsome young man in the city and that was one of the attributes Jeslyn fell for, however, the man in front of him was simply gorgeous– if a man could be called that.

And it stirred something in his heart seeing such a handsome specie with his fiance.

Instead of her answering his query, she pushed him aside in a hurry and said to the priest.

"I'm sorry for coming late and wasting your time. I have decided to change my groom at the last minute, please start the program."

At her words, the hall fell into deep silence for more than two minutes before it erupted into a commotion.

"What?!"

"What joke is this?!"

"Has she finally gone mad!?"

"Oh my... I had thought she was kidnaped on her way here. I never expected this move," One of the girls sitting in a corner said with a chuckle.

"That's right, Emma, it seems she's finally smart and understood what we've been trying to make her understand for the longest time."

"She might probably have been hit on the head, Jeslyn loves that idiot too much to leave him," Emma said with a deep thought.

"I think something happened, I mean her appearance is too bad for this to be a prank," Ava disagreed.

Emma nodded, "probably. We'll ask her later."

Jeslyn's grandfather composed himself and continued to watch in silence. If his beloved granddaughter who had been the happiest about her marriage, and had the best designers and makeup artists in the city dress her up and made her into a fairy this morning would enter her wedding venue looking like a used woman, then something serious must have happened.

That was the old man's thoughts as he sat there, watching the play on the altar.
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