The Wedding That Never Was Chapter 13

“My parents might not have said it, but I should have told you I already had a girlfriend, right?”

Sarah nodded, looking uneasy. “It’s... it’s Miss Vaughn, right? But didn't you guys break up? Otherwise, you wouldn't be engaged to me...”

“We never broke up,” Adrian interrupted her, speaking with conviction. “Ilara and I never broke up.”

Sarah was frightened by his expression and backed away two steps. “Then what cooperation are you talking about? We were clearly about to get engaged...”

“Engaged? I don’t know what you’re talking about. Is it that ring on your hand?” Adrian glanced at her finger.

Sarah held up her hand to show him. The ring was prominent. “Your father sent someone to give this to me last month. He said you were preparing for the engagement ceremony so you couldn't give it to me personally...”

Adrian felt sick enough to vomit.

Engagement ceremony? He was preparing for one, but it wasn't for Sarah!

His parents... they knew perfectly well who was in his heart...

Sarah continued, “And everyone at the base knows we’re getting engaged. You acting completely clueless now is too weird...”

“You said everyone at the base?”

Adrian’s voice was so loud she trembled and hid behind the wall. “I didn't know... besides, Miss Vaughn saw you every time she visited and you never explained...”

“How was I supposed to know you didn't mean that...”

“Didn't you... didn't you defend me in front of her?”

Sarah’s words were like a bucket of ice water poured over his head.

Adrian swayed, supporting himself against the wall as he slowly left the spot.

This man, praised everywhere as young and promising, couldn't even walk straight right now.

Huge pain had crushed him. What he couldn't bear even more was that he had caused Ilara’s death with his own hands.

The fact he refused to face was smashed into his face by Sarah.

Since Ilara became famous, he had been fearful, anxious, ecstatic...

But he never thought she would be left in this world completely because of him.

Everything he feared came true. Ilara didn't wait for his proposal. Ilara died thinking his heart belonged to someone else.

She died with that pain.

With a thud, Sarah, who had been scared away, turned back only to see Adrian collapsed on the floor, his face pale.

Sarah screamed in fright and scrambled to find help.

Ilara’s “funeral” was handled by General Peterson. Adrian didn't receive an invitation.

Forget an invitation; no one even told him the location of the funeral.

He humbled himself to ask at the door, nearly getting his legs broken by the vigorous old General.

Finally, the little messenger couldn't stand it and secretly left him a note with the cemetery location.

Adrian, covered in injuries, bought a bouquet of bright red roses on the way to the cemetery.

He had bought roses countless times but never managed to give them.

Because he had seen the bouquets Ilara received—flown in from other countries, hand-picked by fans—countless times.

Could ordinary flower shop bouquets compare to those?

So, whenever he hesitated, watching coldly as Ilara accepted those expensive flowers...

He had casually shoved the bouquet into Sarah’s arms because she kept staring at him, never considering the misunderstanding it would cause.

Sarah thought he was romantic. His subordinates thought he cherished beauties.

God knows he didn't mean that at all!

Because the person who liked red roses the most was Ilara...

Adrian placed the bouquet of roses in front of the tombstone, staring at the smiling Ilara on the cold stone.

In this photo, Ilara wore a red dress. She was only eighteen. But the real Ilara stayed forever before thirty.

A few days ago, Adrian masochistically found all the photos from the scene he could.

He saw Ilara wearing the last piece of clothing he gave her three years ago.

A beige coat. It was old now.

For a national superstar like Ilara, this coat was no different from rags. Adrian couldn't count how many expensive gowns he had seen on her.

In the end, this coat was dyed blood red.

Like a red rose never given, embracing her cold body.