At that instant, Evie's heart sank into her stomach. Those few sentences from Qin Shengyi completely broke her world into a million pieces and it made her feel almost blown away by the wind.
The hall plunged into pandemonium as Qin Shengyi's horrific response caught everyone off guard.
Evie, on the other hand, felt those words strike her almost to the point of suffocation and couldn't help blinking in mystery.
Suddenly, she recalled the conversation they'd had the night before. Qin Shengyi acted somehow strange and distant throughout their conversation and she'd brushed it off as pre-wedding jitters, but now she realized that something was actually wrong.
"What a cruel joke! Can someone please tell me what's going on here?" Qin Shengyi's grandfather, Elder Ye, bellowed in confusion. He turned over to his side, looking at Evie's father, who wore a similarly perplexed expression.
Moving her gaze to the crowd, Evie shivered in fear. The paparazzi kept on recording and seriously taking too many snapshots of this humiliating scene. The camera flashes blinded Evie, making her feel like she was trapped in a never-ending nightmare. It looked like she was living in a horror movie, with the paparazzi playing the role of relentless predators.
The hall was in chaos, with people murmuring. Evie's father looked like he had been punched in the gut, his face pale and shocked. Qin Shengyi's grandfather, Elder Ye, was still bellowing in confusion, demanding answers that no one seemed to have.
"What do you mean by saying 'you can't do this', Qin Shengyi? Is there any problem with you or do you mind if we take a break first before rescheduling the ceremony later or another day?" Evie urged, somberly.
"I said I can't do this, Evie. Believe me, I meant no harm with my word and I didn't even know you were going to show up here today?"
Evie almost burst into laughter upon hearing Qin Shengyi's response.
What the f*ck! Is he trying to tell me that he had never expected me to show up to my wedding or what? She thought, blinking wildly.
"So you mean I was never expected to be here?" Evie gave no room for response, "Do you even realize what you've just said, it's our wedding for Christ's sake, Shengyi! Our wedding!" she continued, trying not to act like she was forcing him all of a sudden.
"Evie, seriously," Qin Shengyi implored, "I think of you as a very beautiful and kind-hearted woman, but I'm sorry things had to turn out this way."
Finding it hard to understand what Qin Shengyi was insinuating, Evie replied,
"We've been together for eight years without any major misunderstandings."
Her voice now trembled slightly, "So…why now, Shengyi? Please, I need an answer."
Qin Shengyi's face contorted into a heated grin, his eyes blazing with anger. He clenched his fist tightly. "Stop pretending like you weren't told about this my mind-changing decision concerning the wedding early this morning." His voice was low and menacing as he spoke out slowly.
Evie's eyes widened in shock. Her face was pale with disbelief. "What are you talking about, Shengyi?" She asked.
Her voice was shaking, "I wasn't told anything…"
Qin Shengyi's grin grew wider, his eyes flashing with anger. "Don't try to act dumb, Evie," he sneered. "You know exactly what I'm talking about. You're just trying to make me feel guilty for no real reason."
Evie took a quick step back whilst staring at Qin Shengyi as if he had already become a monster.
"I don't know what you're talking about, Shengyi," she said with utmost sincerity. "But I do know that I love you, and I thought we were happy together."
Qin Shengyi's expression softened slightly, but his voice remained cold. "I thought I made it clear to your family and the priest that I have decided to cancel the marriage. Were you not told that!?" Evie couldn't breathe, she couldn't think again. All she could do now was to stand there, staring at Qin Shengyi in shock and horror like a lost puppy.
"I never heard anything from anyone?" Evie countered in frustration.
Qin Shengyi's eyes flickered, and for a moment, Evie thought she saw a glimmer of guilt. But then his expression hardened, and he shook his head roughly, turning to face the priest and then gradually moved his face to Evie's father who had a questioning look on his face.
"What!!!... I thought you were joking with your words. Mr. Qin." The priest explained in a deep mist of confusion.
"We also!" Evie turned to look at her father and two sisters whose expressions were also filled with daze. They were having a hard time believing this drama was real, as they previously thought Qin Shengyi was just only mouthing his way out to bring up some funny jokes.
What the hell is all this? I don't get why this is happening so suddenly like a movie. Evie reasoned, staring at Qin Shengyi who now stared at her coldly.
He turned to face the priest who shivered like a drenched chicken, clearly because Qin Shengyi's gaze on him had now become more terrifying.
"What do you take me for? Do I look like a joker to you?" Qin Shengyi roared in exasperation, walking closer to the priest, who stumbled backward, falling several times.
"But Mr. Qin, it was only an hour before the wedding was set to begin when you—"
"Quiet!" Qin Shengyi exclaimed, cutting the old priest off. He watched him shiver in dread.
"You have to think about making things right, and better stop this foolishness, Shengyi," Elder Ye implored.
Hearing this, Qin Shengyi burst into laughter, his voice sounding similar to the devil's. For a moment, he paused, glaring daggers at his grandfather, who was shocked by his grandson's unusual behavior.
"Please grandfather, it would be much better if you could keep your dirty mouth shut. You were the one who caused all this and forced Evie on me for your selfish benefits."
The murmurs and gasps of the wedding guests filled the hall, their faces turning towards the commotion.
Elder Ye, who was taken aback by his grandson's harsh tone, slammed his hand on his seat, his eyes widening in shock. His face turned pale from embarrassment especially now that everyone was staring at him in shock.
"How dare you!" Elder Ye thundered, his face reddening with anger. "I did it all for your own good, son!"
Qin Shengyi's laughter echoed again, this time with a hint of mockery. "Really! My own good? Hahaha! You call forcing me into a marriage with a woman I don't love 'my own good'? You're nothing but a selfish, manipulative old man who only cares about nothing but his own personal interests!"
Elder Ye's face turned purple with rage, but before he could respond, Qin Shengyi continued, his voice dripping with venom. "And as for my good, I will never let you tarnish it with your own greed and selfishness. I'll have nothing to do with you again."
Tired of the commotion at hand, Evie cleared her throat to get Qin Shengyi's attention before speaking, "Why didn't you come tell me directly about your plans to cancel our marriage, Shengyi? Don't you realize what all this has caused me?"
"I'm very sorry Evie, I wish I had thought about it…"
Interrupting, Evie said coldly, "Fine, if that's it, then maybe it's best if we just call off the wedding."
Qin Shengyi's eyes narrowed, and for a moment, his expression hardened, and he nodded.
"Yeah," he said. "Maybe that's for the best."
As if realizing something she was supposed to have noticed a while before, Evie stared at Qin Shengyi in a daze.
"Since you'd already concluded about the marriage cancellation an hour ago with my family and the priest, then why did you have to show up here at the wedding, dressed in your groom attire?" She questioned, raising a brow.
Finding Evie's question intriguing, Qin Shengyi smirked and answered,
"Now that you know I've changed my mind about us getting married," he continued in a low and smooth voice, "I suppose I should confess that my heart has always longed for someone else." Qin Shengyi paused, his gaze locking onto Evie's, as he savored the tension that suddenly filled the air.
Just then, the doors at the entrance of the wedding hall swung open, and a stunning figure stepped into view.
The crowd gasped in shock, their eyes fixed on the figure, dressed in an elegant white wedding dress…