Chapter 149 Marriage and Gifts
Quinlan's face was a mask of ice. Her gaze, cool and distant, met Preston's without a flicker of disgust or affection. She simply lowered her eyes, as if he were a stranger, and stopped at a carefully measured distance, maintaining a clear buffer between them.
"You're here," Preston stated, his voice a low rumble.
"I am," she replied.
The greeting was as sterile as one between two people who had never met. He watched her, but Quinlan's expression remained placid, devoid of any hint of a smile. To approach her was to step into the heart of a bitter winter, and the chill emanating from her instantly extinguished what little patience Preston possessed.
He remembered the fire she once held for him, a passionate blaze that had, over the years, been quenched and frozen into this solid block of ice. It was a dynamic they had both grown accustomed to—the woman he had once cherished becoming first a spoiled woman, and finally, just a woman he had once known. Their relationship had devolved from physical distance to a complete emotional estrangement.
Still, after all this time, seeing her again dredged up the past in a way that simply not seeing her never could.
Quinlan's own mind drifted back. She remembered a Preston so proud, a man who never lost his composure over any relationship, including theirs. It had always been her who yielded, her who conceded, until her retreat became an unspoken expectation. When a woman loses herself so completely in a relationship, her value inevitably diminishes.
She had learned the hard lesson that there was no reward for being the one who bent, only the certainty of being broken.
Preston, in contrast, still carried himself with that same air of superiority. Quinlan knew exactly what he was thinking: that she was ungrateful, living off his money, eating his food, and still having the audacity to treat him with such contempt.
The air between them grew heavy, thick with unspoken resentments.
Sensing the oppressive silence, Leopold leaned in, his voice a hushed, urgent plea. "Today is my wedding day. For me, just this once, please act with some dignity. Pretend to be a family."
Quinlan's eyelashes fluttered as her gaze shifted to her son. She knew she hadn't been a proper mother. She had offered him little affection in his youth and had let him raise himself as he grew older. This was the child who never whined, never complained, never asked her for anything. And now, he was making the first real request of his life. For Leopold, to ensure his wedding day was perfect, she would endure Preston. She would even pretend.
Preston adopted a business-like tone. "I have no problem with that," he said, his voice clipped. "You should ask her."
Quinlan resisted the searing impulse to claw his eyes out. "Leopold, your wedding is what matters today," she said, her voice softening for her son. "Whatever you need."
Leopold felt the subtle shift in her demeanor, a wave of gratitude washing over him. "Since you both agree, then from this moment on, I need you to smile. Especially in front of Caroline's parents."
The mention of Caroline's family brought the stern, incorruptible face of Elijah to Preston's mind, and a flicker of annoyance crossed his features.
Leopold saw it, his own expression hardening with a pointed meaning.
"Dad," he said, his voice low but firm, "you promised me you would play your part today. Don't forget it."
I was playing my part, Preston thought with a silent, bitter sneer. Which meant you had better play yours. If you failed to deliver on your end of the bargain, my promises would mean nothing. The unspoken threat hung between them.
After a moment's pause, Preston's expression melted into one of practiced warmth. "The guests are arriving. I suppose it's showtime."
Quinlan despised his hypocrisy more than anything. A dazzling smile spread across her lips. "Oh, we're both so good at this sort of thing," she purred. "Let's not be modest."
With that, she turned, the hem of her long gown swirling around her ankles as she walked away. Her back was straight, her posture a study in elegance and defiance.
They stood together in the grand hall, greeting friends and family. Leopold joined a few friends near the entrance to welcome new arrivals. As the start time for the ceremony drew closer and the crowd swelled, he gestured for Lily. He whispered something in her ear, and she scurried off toward the kitchen to coordinate adding more tables.
During a brief lull as guests moved into the main banquet hall, Preston glanced at the woman beside him. "You haven't changed a bit after all these years."
Quinlan didn't bother to give him a real response. "Neither have you."
"You're still as beautiful as ever," he continued, his voice a low murmur.
"And you're still as shameless," she shot back without missing a beat.
A smirk played on his lips. "A little late to be calling me shameless now, isn't it? After you gave me a son like him."
Quinlan's face paled with fury. She turned her head, her smile fixed for the benefit of any onlookers, but her voice was a venomous whisper only Preston could hear. "Every woman makes mistakes when she's young. It's called dating a scumbag."
Preston's smile slowly faded. "And getting involved with a married man makes you a saint, I suppose?"
He expected her to bristle, but instead, Quinlan's smile only grew more serene. She brought a hand to her lips, a picture of gentle amusement. "Perhaps not," she said sweetly. "But I dumped him."
She turned and walked away, moving gracefully toward Leopold.
With the ceremony about to begin, two friends were left to greet the last of the guests while everyone else returned to their seats. Leopold stood on the stage, his eyes fixed on the closed doors at the far end of the red carpet, the spot where Caroline would appear.
Behind those doors, both father and daughter were wrestling with nerves. They were both accustomed to public speaking, to commanding rooms in high-stakes meetings, but this felt entirely different. The first notes of the wedding march began to play, and the officiant inside started the proceedings. Caroline took a deep, shaky breath and glanced at Elijah beside her.
Feeling her gaze, he turned and took her hand, placing it securely in the crook of his arm. He patted it gently. "It's alright," he murmured. "I'm right here."
Caroline's eyes instantly welled with tears. Her entire life, she had been held to the highest standards, pushed to be strong and resilient, a reflection of her parents' example. She never showed weakness, never faltered, because she was Elijah's daughter, and she could not bring him shame.
She sniffled, trying to regain her composure. The moment the doors began to glide open, a single spotlight found her, and she saw him. Leopold, standing at the other end of the aisle, was waiting.
She walked toward him, one step at a time, until they were face to face. With a reluctance that tugged at his heart, Elijah placed Caroline's hand into Leopold's.
Fighting back the emotion swelling in his chest, Elijah's voice was thick. "I'm entrusting Caroline to you. You take good care of her."
Leopold accepted her hand, his grip firm and reassuring. "Don't worry, Dad. I will."
When it was time for the vows, Caroline stood before everyone, a vision in her white gown, clutching her bouquet. Her face was radiant with a joy that seemed to light up the room. She looked deeply into Leopold's eyes.
"Mr. Leopold Wipere," she began, her voice clear and strong, "when I say 'I do,' it means I am committed to this marriage, to us, until the very end. Today, and for all the days to come, I will love you. I will cherish the ordinary, precious moments between us—the little frustrations and the quiet joys. When we are old, these are the memories I know I will never forget."
"We've been through so much, but it's because of everything we've overcome that I am so hopeful for our future. I don't fear the passing years or the challenges that will come. Life will not always be easy, but the thought of spending the rest of it with you makes me excited for every single day."
A smile broke through her tears. "So, thank you for showing up. You weren't even that late," she laughed softly. "And thank you for loving me."
Leopold reached up to gently wipe a tear from her cheek, his own eyes glistening, his composure finally breaking. Caroline remembered something she once read: [You should never have to ask for a marriage or a gift. The person who truly understands you is the only one who deserves the rest of your life.]