Chapter 141 Their Wedding
Charlie quickly picked up his phone, trembling all over.
Emma noticed something was wrong and asked casually, "What's the matter?"
He stammered, "Mrs. Harrison, I... I'm cold, I'm going to get a jacket."
Emma looked at him—a grown man afraid of the cold—and found it rather amusing.
"Go ahead, go ahead."
Charlie waved over a servant to attend to Mrs. Harrison's dinner, then rushed toward the small building in back like a whirlwind.
The small building housed the bodyguards and staff quarters.
His heart screamed desperate prayers, 'Mr. Harrison, please be okay! You absolutely cannot die! James will be here in two days—you have to hold on!'
Racing back to the building, he found three doctors performing emergency resuscitation on Nicholas, even using adrenaline.
Charlie didn't dare breathe, silently shrinking into a corner, crouching down with clenched fists, his eyes red-rimmed as he swallowed back tears.
After what felt like an eternity, that devastating flat line on the heart monitor finally began jumping again, transforming into the familiar rhythm of peaks and valleys.
All the doctors breathed a collective sigh of relief.
Charlie rushed forward, "Doctor, how is Mr. Harrison?"
The lead physician removed his mask, letting out a heavy sigh, his voice exhausted.
"The toxin in Mr. Harrison's system has begun attacking his heart and lungs. If we can't find an antidote soon, I'm afraid even God couldn't save him."
After a pause, the doctor added, "The main issue is that Mr. Harrison's previous gunshot wound severely weakened him, which has accelerated the poison's progression."
Charlie stayed in the building for over half an hour before returning to the garden in a daze.
Emma had already gone to bed.
That night, he kept vigil by Nicholas's bedside, not daring to go anywhere.
Nicholas didn't wake until the early hours.
He had no idea his heart had actually stopped beating.
When Charlie explained what had happened, his expression darkened—clearly finding it hard to believe such a close call.
After a long while, he got up and stood by the window smoking, gazing at the garden full of lilies with distant eyes.
He seemed to be contemplating something.
At dawn, Emma woke to find Nicholas absent once again.
Nora's car had been waiting at the villa entrance since early morning. Charlie accompanied her directly to Los Castle.
No one knew exactly how she performed the detoxification.
When she emerged, her face was somewhat pale and her steps unsteady.
Nicholas stood waiting by the car, flanked by ten black-clad bodyguards, his presence commanding.
He looked rather haggard, wearing a dark suit that outlined his broad shoulders and narrow waist, radiating an aura of austere nobility and restraint.
He stepped forward, gently drawing her into his arms, "Are you tired?"
Emma spoke a single word flatly, "Hungry."
"I'll take you to eat." He patted her back gently, his tone tender.
The earlier unpleasantness seemed to have evaporated completely.
Nora happened to emerge from inside, witnessing the two of them embracing intimately again. Her eyes darkened, revealing barely suppressed fury—or perhaps killing intent.
The moment Nicholas saw Nora, his jawline tensed and his voice turned ice-cold, "Now it's my turn to settle accounts."
He raised his voice commandingly, "Go upstairs and break both of Wesley's hands!"
Emma looked up at him in shock—she had just saved Wesley!
Seeing this display, Nora was terrified nearly out of her wits and rushed out, almost falling to her knees.
"Mr. Harrison! Mr. Harrison! Wesley is still very weak. If he offended you in any way, please spare him, I beg you, don't hurt him!"
Nicholas glanced at her coldly, his tone brooking no argument, "He touched someone he shouldn't have—he must face the consequences!"
Then he added, "Ms. West, I hope you'll honor your agreement."
Indeed, the price for Wesley's detoxification was the cancellation of that three-month companionship arrangement.
Nora looked at him sadly and nodded, "I understand."
Nicholas paid her no further attention, protectively helping Emma into the car.
The bodyguards methodically stormed into the castle.
Nora fearfully followed them inside.
In the car, Nicholas held Emma's shoulder tightly, his chin resting against the top of her head, his voice carrying a barely perceptible hoarseness, "I'm sorry you had to suffer through that."
Emma did feel somewhat dizzy and leaned gently against his shoulder, "Let me rest for a moment."
The car drove smoothly for about half an hour before reaching their destination.
It was a picturesque village nestled among mountains and streams, dotted with charming traditional houses.
On a large lawn, a lively group wedding ceremony was taking place. At the center stood an ancient tree that appeared to be several hundred years old, decorated with countless red wishing balls.
The brides and grooms wore festive attire, participating in some sacred ritual.
Emma and Nicholas stepped out of the car, watching the joyous scene with bright eyes.
"What's this?"
Charlie stepped forward to explain, "Mrs. Harrison, this is a traditional wedding ceremony in Luminous City. Today happens to be the wedding of one of the company's vice presidents, so we're joining the celebration to share in the good fortune.
Would you and Mr. Harrison like to change clothes first? We've prepared some festive outfits."
Charlie retrieved two beautifully wrapped gift boxes from the trunk.
Nicholas gently took her hand and led her toward the main house.
Suddenly, many more guests appeared—men and women of all ages, all dressed festively and wearing flower crowns.
When Emma and Nicholas emerged from the house again, they instantly captured everyone's attention.
They wore traditional white ceremonial outfits in pure, simple styles, with exquisite red and gold embroidery adorning the collars and sleeves, featuring lifelike seven-colored berries and various celebratory birds.
They looked absolutely stunning!
The man was handsome and tall, the woman gracefully beautiful. Standing there, they somehow made even the ten carefully dressed couples fade into the background.
As they appeared, the ten couples automatically parted to create a path.
Approaching the ancient tree, an elderly woman with silver hair, supported by two young women, shuffled toward them.
The old woman stopped before them, chanting words in a language Emma couldn't understand, slowly circling them three times as if performing some ancient blessing ritual.
Nicholas whispered in her ear, "This is the local priestess, responsible for blessing all wedding guests."
Emma was somewhat surprised—guests received such treatment?
With so many guests, she must perform many such rituals!
Next, the woman took an ornate ceremonial cup and gently sprinkled blessed water over them.
Emma instinctively turned her head to avoid the droplets.
Nicholas raised his hand to shield her from the flying water, then gently wiped the moisture from her hair with his fingertips, giving her a smile filled with deep affection.
After a while, the priestess gestured for someone to bring forward a velvet box, speaking to them while pointing at the sky and even jumping twice.
Nicholas whispered again, "The priestess says this is a blessed gift from heaven, hoping for your peace and prosperity."
She nodded and said softly, "Thank you."
The box opened to reveal a necklace with a precisely cut pink stone ring as its pendant—so beautiful it was mesmerizing.
Nicholas picked up the necklace and personally fastened it around her snow-white neck.
"Do you like it?" he asked.
"It's beautiful!" She nodded again, her fingertips gently touching the cool pendant at her chest.
She didn't know this was the billion-dollar pink diamond with the letters E and R carved inside.
The old woman smiled as she handed them two bracelets made of seven-colored berries.
She indicated they should wear them together on their wrists, and they carefully helped each other put them on.
Nicholas suddenly leaned close to her ear again, his breath warm,
"Now I have to pretend to kiss you, or the ritual won't be complete. Otherwise, we won't be seated at the main table for dinner."
Before Emma could object, he lowered his head slightly and pressed a gentle kiss to the corner of her mouth.
Light as a butterfly's touch, yet carrying irresistible authority.
The surrounding guests immediately erupted in cheers, tossing flower petals from their hands.
Some elderly people and children quickly ran to the Wishing Tree, hurling their red wishing balls up into the ancient branches.
The warm and beautiful scene instantly elevated the wedding atmosphere to its peak, the air fragrant with happiness.
Charlie approached with a tray holding one red and one green wishing ball.
"Mr. Harrison, would you and Mrs. Harrison also throw wishing balls for good luck?"
Nicholas turned to look at her, and Emma nodded happily.
Nicholas gently intertwined the red and green wishing balls and handed them to her.
Standing behind her, he lightly embraced her, his large hands enveloping her small ones as they threw together. The pair of balls landed securely on the tree.
The ten couples laughingly approached, taking their hands and leading them to the center of the venue, inviting them to dance.
Emma was immediately swept up in the joyful and special wedding atmosphere.
Nicholas held her hand as they joined the others in a cheerful group dance.
Watching the radiant smile blooming on her face—that pure, heartfelt happiness—Nicholas's lips unconsciously curved upward.
How wonderful this was!
In the crowd, a pair of sharp eyes fixed on Emma's direction.
"Nicholas, how dare you?" he ground out through clenched teeth, each word dripping with poison.
Indeed, this was Luminous City's authentic wedding ceremony. Today was a carefully orchestrated wedding—Nicholas's final gift to her, his last keepsake.
And she knew nothing!
After dancing and feasting, afternoon had arrived. Nicholas emerged with Emma in his arms.
She was slightly intoxicated by then.
Squinting, she turned to study his handsome face, "Nicholas, how much did you give as a wedding gift? Add mine too—today's wedding was delightful!"
Nicholas wrapped his arm around her slender waist, his voice gentle as a breeze, "I gave generously, bought many blessings, so much happiness, so many memories!"
Emma tried hard to open her eyes wide, extending her small hand to count, "Nicholas, I've learned many of your secrets. I have a big secret to tell you too."
Nicholas's eyes brightened as he leaned his ear close to her mouth, "What secret?"
"Do you remember that big shark? You were about to be eaten, and I pulled you up."
After speaking, she giggled, burying her head in his neck, her warm breath tickling his throat!
Nicholas paused for a moment, then smiled it off.
Big shark, eating him? He took it as drunken nonsense, delirious rambling.
"I need to use the restroom."
"Alright, I'll go with you." Nicholas lifted her and hurried toward the main house.
He stood by a window not far from the restroom, smoking, his face bearing an irrepressible glow of happiness.
After quite a while with no one emerging, he walked over and knocked on the door.
No response. Had she fainted?
His heart leaped in alarm as he pushed the door open—the restroom was completely empty.
"Emma!"
He cried out in shock, terror coursing through his entire body as he rushed outside...