Chapter 289 She Passed Away in Her Sleep

Chapter 289 She Passed Away in Her Sleep
OLIVIA'S POV

The security team moved with practiced efficiency, escorting Sarah away from my wedding altar. Her accusations about Andrew still rang in my ears, but I couldn't process that betrayal now—not when my wedding was literally falling apart around me. My heart pounded against my ribs, each beat a painful reminder of the dreams crumbling.

Andrew's men took over from the venue security, their stern faces betraying nothing as they guided Sarah toward the parking lot. I heard Andrew say something about a restraining order being preferable to detention.

The unusual cloudy sky cast a strange pallor over everything, as if the weather itself was mourning what should have been my perfect day. Guests shifted uncomfortably in their seats, pulling their jackets and wraps tighter. The string quartet fumbled through their next piece, the first violinist's fingers trembling noticeably on the strings.

Andrew stood a few steps away, his eyes scanning the perimeter with practiced vigilance. "I don't know what's taking him so long," he said, more to himself than to me.

I remained beneath the floral arch, my handcrafted wedding dress suddenly feeling too heavy on my shoulders. Each delicate stitch I'd sewn with hope now felt like a chain binding me to another disappointment. Jessica squeezed my hand from behind.

"I'm sure he'll be out any minute," she whispered, though her voice held a question.

The murmurs from the guests grew louder, concerned glances exchanged across rows. I found myself oddly calm, perhaps because disappointment was an old friend. Or perhaps because some part of me had been preparing for this moment since David's diagnosis. The thought of his condition worsening had haunted my sleepless nights for months.

The wedding planner approached cautiously. "Olivia, do you know where the groom might be? Should we delay the ceremony?"

Taking a deep breath, I reached for the microphone stand. My fingers trembled slightly, but my voice remained steady as I addressed our guests.

"It appears my groom has gotten cold feet," I said, forcing a smile. "Honestly, this is more nerve-wracking than the final runway rehearsal before Fashion Week." A few sympathetic laughs rippled through the crowd.

"Good heavens! Is it me or is this dress suddenly very tight?" I added with exaggerated discomfort, patting my waist.

Someone called out, "Now this is real drama!" which triggered more genuine laughter.

"Please, everyone," I continued, "head over to the reception area. The champagne and hors d'oeuvres shouldn't go to waste. I'll just... go find my runaway groom."

Applause and supportive calls followed me as I stepped away from the altar, Jessica quickly at my side.

"Liv... where are you going?" she asked, grabbing my arm. "I'm sure this is just a misunderstanding."

"I'm fine, Jess. Let me find my fiancé." The calm in my voice surprised even me, a practiced defense mechanism from years of navigating fashion industry crises.

Andrew approached, his expression unreadable. "Olivia—"

"Not now, Andrew. Please." I couldn't deal with his betrayal on top of everything else. Inside, I was crumbling, questioning every moment we'd shared, every time I'd trusted him with my vulnerability.

Andrew's eyes met mine, filled with guilt for so many things—not just Sarah, but also for knowing what I might find when I located David.

I moved through the empty venue, my wedding dress rustling against the polished floors. The gathering clouds cast strange shadows through the floor-to-ceiling windows. My mind raced with possibilities, each more painful than the last. And then I saw him—David, standing in a corner, staring intently at a painting on the wall.

"David," I called softly, my fingers clutching the fabric of my skirt, knuckles white with tension.

He turned, his eyes clouded with confusion. "Excuse me... do I know you, ma'am?"

My chest tightened as if slashed by an invisible blade. The breath caught in my throat, choking me with realization. This was what we'd feared—what the doctors had warned might happen suddenly. "I'm the woman you're supposed to marry today. Remember?"

His frown deepened. "That's not right... I can't marry you. I'm waiting for my wife."

David suddenly clutched his temple, wincing as if fighting against his own mind. For a moment, recognition flickered in his eyes—a flash of the man I loved, drowning in the fog of his disease.

"No... wait. You're..." he struggled, unable to complete the thought.

I stood helplessly watching him battle his own thoughts, tears welling in my eyes. A thousand memories flashed through my mind—our first meeting, nights spent in his arms, his face when he met Ethan, the day he proposed again. All moments he promised never to forget, now lost to him.

"Why?" I whispered, my voice breaking. "Why make me go through all of this?"

David looked at me blankly. "What did you say?"

I shook my head and turned away, blinded by tears as I made my way through the corridor.

Jessica found me near the entrance. "Did you find him? Liv? What happened?"

"I can't face it," I whispered, collapsing into her arms. "I just can't." My carefully styled hair came undone as I sobbed against her shoulder, the pins digging into my scalp—a physical pain far easier to bear than the emotional one tearing through me.

Andrew appeared, instructing his driver to take us back to the hotel. "I'll handle the guests," he promised, his eyes pleading for forgiveness I couldn't give.

At the hotel, Jessica helped me remove my makeup and step out of my wedding dress. She hung it carefully—this gown I'd spent two months designing and crafting with my own hands. Each pearl and sequin had been a promise, each stitch a declaration of hope.

I crawled into bed, hoping to wake from this nightmare. I must have drifted off because the sound of the door opening startled me awake.

Jessica entered, her face grave. "Liv... Andrew called. It's Evelyn... she passed away in her sleep."

The shock left me breathless, a ringing in my ears drowning out everything else. David's beloved grandmother—gone on our wedding day. Another piece of him, another memory, lost forever.

In the span of hours, I'd lost not only my wedding day but also the woman who had welcomed me into the Wilson family when others had not. A woman whose memories of David in his childhood might have helped anchor him as his own memories faded.