Chapter 147 Test
Caroline had returned to her parents' house just after ten the previous night. It was still pitch black outside when the makeup artist arrived at three in the morning. She sat before the vanity, stifling a yawn, as her mother, Elysia, approached with a steaming mug of coffee. Caroline took a few fortifying gulps, handing the half-empty cup back to her mother.
"Mom, make sure Dad changes into the suit I picked out for him."
"Elijah's already wearing it," Elysia replied, her voice warm.
Moments later, after slipping into her wedding gown, Caroline stood before the full-length mirror. Elysia came to her side, her eyes filled with a smiling, tender pride as she surveyed her daughter. She gently fussed with the hem of the dress, smoothing out an almost imperceptible wrinkle in the fabric.
"Such a beautiful bride," she murmured, her gaze lingering on Caroline's reflection.
With her short hair, the stylist had crafted a look that was both simple and striking, complementing her features perfectly. Her hair was blown out into soft, voluminous waves, with a headpiece made of layered, stiff tulle nestled on top. A pearl hairpin tucked behind her ear completed the ensemble, transforming her from the sharp, competent professional she usually was into something softer, almost sweet.
"You sit here for a bit," Elysia said to Caroline. "I'm going to get the makeup artist a bowl of porridge to tide her over. It's going to be a long morning for all of us, and we can't have her going hungry."
"Go on, Mom." Caroline said, her eyes still fixed on the unfamiliar woman in the white dress staring back at her. The whole scene felt surreal, like a dream she hadn't quite woken up from.
"Caroline."
The voice, calm and deep, broke through her reverie. She turned slowly to see her father, Elijah, standing in the doorway. His face carried its usual air of stern authority, a presence that naturally commanded respect and made one instinctively straighten their posture.
Seeing her standing so rigidly, he gestured for her to sit. "It's still early. Rest for a while."
Caroline moved to pull out the chair from the vanity, but Elijah intercepted, taking it and placing it opposite the foot of the bed. He sat down first, a silent invitation for her to do the same. She settled onto the edge of the mattress, her hands clasped in her lap.
He didn't speak immediately, his gaze softening as he studied her. A slow, approving nod followed. "Time moves so fast. In the blink of an eye, my daughter is getting married."
Caroline's lips parted, but no words came out. Conversations with Elijah were rare, usually feeling more like a subordinate reporting to a superior than a daughter talking to her father.
"I'll still come back to see you and Mom often after the wedding," she managed, the words feeling formal and inadequate.
"That's just talk for the occasion," Elijah said, waving a dismissive hand. "I don't want to lecture you today. You're probably tired of hearing it."
"No," Caroline started, beginning to rise, but he gently motioned for her to stay seated.
"Your home isn't far. If you don't feel like cooking, just come home for a meal. If anything happens, give us a call. We'll always be your backup."
Hearing such gentle words from a father who had been strict with her for her entire life was a profound shock. The sentiment struck a deep, unfamiliar chord within her, leaving her momentarily stunned.
While she was still processing, he added, "I don't care how big his family's company is. He is not allowed to let you suffer any grievances."
"He won't, Dad. He's very good to me," Caroline said, a small, genuine smile touching her lips.
"I heard from Elysia that Leopold treats you well," he conceded. "But Preston, we've had dealings in the past, and they weren't exactly pleasant. I worry he might give you a hard time."
Before he could finish, Caroline interjected, "With Leopold there, he won't let anyone bully me."
Elijah fell silent for a moment, his expression thoughtful. "His family situation is complicated," he said finally. "You'll need to be understanding of that."
"I know," Caroline said. "His work is demanding, but I've never made excessive demands on him when it comes to material things."
"Wrong." Elijah's tone was sharp, corrective. "Your thinking is wrong. At his current position, the stress he feels has nothing to do with marrying you. Would his job suddenly become easy if he weren't marrying you? To take on that guilt right after you marry him will sentence you to a life of feeling indebted. Remember, you must not think that way. When I say you need to understand, I mean you must understand the complexities within his family. Be careful not to say anything that could wound his pride, or his mother's."
"I won't," Caroline promised quietly.
Elijah glanced at his watch. "I should go help Elysia with the relatives."
Just as he stepped out, Erica slipped in from the living room, closing the door behind her with a conspiratorial grin. "You just wait and see the games we have planned for this wedding."
"Don't make them too hard. I'd actually like to get married today," Caroline laughed.
In Seaside City, a unique wedding tradition required the groom to pass a series of challenges set by the bride's side before he could take her away. A classic test was hiding the bride's shoes, forcing the groom and his groomsmen to find them to pass.
Erica was already scouting for hiding spots. "Don't worry, they're not that hard. The room is only so big. If they can't find them, that's on them for being useless."
Caroline watched as Erica's eyes darted around the room, even offering a few unhelpful suggestions of her own. She saw Erica's eyes land on her favorite stuffed animal—a plush toy nearly as tall as she was. A zipper ran down its back, and the hollow interior was just big enough for a pair of shoes. But just as Erica was about to tuck them inside, she shook her head.
"No, Maddox would definitely find them here."
'He'd guess that?' Caroline thought, impressed.
Erica's gaze then drifted to the small trash can under the vanity. After a moment of contemplation, she dismissed it. "Not here either. Leopold has eyes like a hawk. He'd spot them for sure."
After trying several other spots, she finally placed the shoes in a small bag, tied a long cord around it, and dangled it just outside the window, hidden from immediate view.
Caroline pressed her fingers to her forehead, a wry smile on her face. "Erica, you really don't want me to get married, do you?"
The hiding spots she had considered were genuinely devious.
A commotion from the hallway filtered through the door. Erica leaned back against the wood, a playful glint in her eye. "They're here. Get ready."
"You're the one who needs to be ready," Caroline retorted. "You're in charge of the trials today."
"Relax. I'll guard this door like it's Fort Knox." Erica pulled two printed sheets from her purse and waggled her eyebrows at Caroline, her grin wide with mischief.
"What are those?" Caroline asked.
"A foreign language listening quiz and a 'name that tune' challenge."
A look of pure exasperation crossed Caroline's face. "You really are trying to keep me single. Can't you lower the difficulty just a little?"
"The difficulty is already rock bottom," Erica declared. "And don't even think about cheating. Besides, I'm the maid of honor today. How I test them is my business. You just sit there and look beautiful."
A knock sounded at the door behind her.
Erica called out in a sing-song voice, "Who is it?"
"It's me," Leopold's voice came through the door.
"And who is 'me'?" Erica pressed, stifling a laugh.
"Caroline's husband."
Erica clapped a hand over her mouth to muffle her giggles. "And what can we do for you?"
Leopold's voice was laced with amusement. "I'm here to pick up my wife."
"Who's your wife?" Erica shot back.
"Caroline."
"That's not right," Erica said, her laughter finally breaking through. "The last time I heard, that's not what you called her."
Leopold knew exactly what she was referring to. He cleared his throat. "I'm here to pick up my little sweetheart."
The endearment sent a ripple of laughter through the room. Maddox, standing behind Leopold, groaned and rubbed his arms dramatically. "Seriously, man? That's so cheesy."
He turned to the door, not waiting for another prompt from inside. "Erica, just open up! I can't take any more of his sappiness."
His plea was met with another round of roaring laughter from the relatives in the living room.
"I can open the door," Erica called out, "but is the groom ready to face the challenges?"
"Ready," Leopold confirmed.
"Alright, I'm opening it." Erica slowly swung the door open, handing a quiz sheet to Leopold and each of his groomsmen. Maddox unfolded his with a bewildered expression. "What's this for?"
Leopold glanced at it and understood immediately. "Foreign language listening quiz."
Maddox clutched his head as if he were about to faint. "Are you kidding me? This was supposed to be a challenge, not a final exam! I hate tests."
"You can forfeit," Erica said sweetly, "but if he gets eliminated and can't get through, it's on you."
Leopold handed a pen to Maddox. "My happiness is in your hands."
Maddox gave him a pained look. "Did you forget you always got better grades than me? And now you're counting on me? You've got a lot of faith."
"Let's begin," Erica announced, reciting the first question in flawless, rapid-fire French. After five consecutive questions, she paused and switched gears, playing a snippet of music from her phone. "Next up is 'name that tune.' Listen carefully."
The moment she stopped the music, Maddox beamed. "Hey, I know who sings this!"
He was just about to write the artist's name on his paper when Erica spoke again. "Please state how many times the word 'Dear' appears in the lyrics of the song."
The pen in Maddox's hand nearly snapped in two. "What?"
Leopold blinked, for the first time that morning, feeling utterly helpless.