Chapter 417 Conclusion of the Main Text [Part 1]
Stefan looked at Timothy and Elizabeth's cold expressions, and his heart sank.
"Mr. Robinson, Mrs. Robinson, I'm sorry. I didn't handle this matter well. Seraphina was wronged today," Stefan's voice was low and sincere. "Could we please continue with the wedding?"
Damon quickly stepped in to speak for Stefan. "Mr. Robinson, Mrs. Robinson, let's sit down and talk this through. There's still time before the ceremony starts."
Elizabeth said calmly, "Let's go inside and talk."
Stefan breathed a sigh of relief.
The dressing room was spacious enough that both families sitting inside didn't feel crowded.
Seraphina looked at Stefan, Timothy, and Elizabeth's expressions with confusion. She felt uneasy.
Stefan's eyes showed regret. "Mr. Robinson, Mrs. Robinson, Seraphina, I'm truly sorry. I had no idea Eleanor's family would choose today to cause trouble."
"Two years ago, six of us went mountain climbing. Two were girls, friends my roommate Finnley brought along. One of them was Eleanor."
Stefan showed a bitter smile. "Eleanor was standing on a step taking photos when a small snake appeared. She got scared and instinctively jumped back. She lost her balance and was about to fall down the mountain. I was close to her at the time and reached out to grab her, but I didn't expect the step I was standing on had moss on it."
Kennedy was stunned hearing this. She had almost lost Stefan two years ago.
"I slipped on the moss. As I was falling down that side of the mountain, I grabbed onto a protruding rock, but it couldn't support my weight. Just as the rock was coming loose, Eleanor held out her hiking stick for me to grab."
"When facing death, you don't think much. I grabbed the stick and temporarily steadied myself, then grabbed a tree root with my other hand."
Stefan continued helplessly, "Because of the weight when I grabbed the stick, Eleanor fell straight down the mountain. By the time our group got to the bottom, she was barely alive. Who knew she would confess her feelings for me before dying? After that, the story became that Eleanor sacrificed herself to save me."
Stefan himself felt unlucky about the whole thing.
But in everyone else's eyes, Eleanor saved him because she loved him.
After hearing Stefan's story, Seraphina could roughly guess what had happened at today's wedding.
Elizabeth looked at Seraphina. "Seraphina, Eleanor's family came to cause trouble today. Do you want to continue with the wedding?"
Timothy frowned. When Stefan mentioned Eleanor's name, Timothy thought of something. Enduring his physical pain, he said sternly, "This wedding is canceled."
Elizabeth looked at Timothy with some surprise, but they were united as a couple. Since Timothy said so, she wouldn't object.
Timothy stood up. "Seraphina, we're going home."
Elizabeth stood up with him. As the two prepared to leave the dressing room, Seraphina glanced at Stefan, then turned to bow apologetically to Kennedy and Damon. Seraphina lifted her wedding dress and followed Timothy and Elizabeth out.
Honestly, Seraphina's mind was in chaos right now, and she clearly noticed that Timothy was angry.
Stefan's family hadn't expected Timothy to react so decisively by canceling the wedding.
Kennedy and Damon's expressions also became extremely unpleasant.
Kennedy tried to persuade them. "Mr. Robinson, this matter doesn't seem to have much to do with Stefan. It's mainly that family being unreasonable. Isn't canceling the wedding a bit too..."
"That's the end of it." Timothy's voice was calm, leaving no room for negotiation.
Timothy wasn't someone who got angry easily, but this time something had clearly crossed a line he couldn't tolerate.
Elizabeth didn't say much either. Since he decided to cancel the wedding, she would support his decision.
"Mabel, please help me look after Brandon."
After saying this to Mabel, Elizabeth took Timothy's hand and left the dressing room.
The two got in the car.
Elizabeth took out a bottle of medicine from her purse, poured out three pills, opened a bottle of water, and fed them to Timothy.
Elizabeth didn't speak because she knew Timothy was suffering right now.
She called Joe. "Arrange a plane, have Eldridge..."
Timothy reached out and held the phone. His expression softened, and he shook his head. "No need, don't worry Seraphina and them."
Elizabeth looked at Timothy, her heart aching. She held his hand and said softly, "Okay, then let's go back to the hotel first." She said to Joe on the phone, "No need to prepare the plane for now."
Joe on the other end was worried and decided to notify Eldridge anyway.
Timothy leaned back in the car seat and closed his eyes to regulate his breathing.
Elizabeth knew he was trying hard to endure, not wanting to look too miserable in front of her.
The car drove smoothly on the road, and she didn't let go of Timothy's hand.
At this moment, Demetrius, standing outside the wedding venue, glanced at Seraphina getting into the car in her wedding dress, then looked away. "Let's go back."
Gavin nodded and opened the car door for Demetrius to get in.
Today was supposed to be a wonderful day, but no one expected it to end this way.
In the dressing room, Stefan made several phone calls with an expressionless face. He wanted to know who had told the Rivera family about his wedding.
Damon and Kennedy, suppressing their embarrassment, went out to see off their relatives and friends.
As the car was about to reach the hotel, Timothy opened his eyes and said calmly, "Elizabeth, remember the surgery Seraphina had two years ago? The donor was Eleanor."
Elizabeth frowned slightly at this. "You're worried that Stefan's contact with Seraphina has ulterior motives."
Timothy's lips had lost all color. "Yes."
After returning to the hotel, Elizabeth had Timothy lie down and rest first. "I'll talk to Seraphina. You sleep for a while."
The three pills he took had sedative and pain-relieving effects.
Timothy agreed and closed his eyes, quickly falling asleep.
Elizabeth leaned down and kissed his lips, then went out to see Seraphina.
In the next room.
Seraphina had already changed out of her wedding dress, and Mabel was with her.
Brandon, probably knowing something had happened, sat obediently beside Seraphina.
Alfonso poured several glasses of water for them.
Seraphina took the glass. "Alfonso, thank you."
Elizabeth walked into the room.
Not seeing Timothy, Seraphina asked worriedly, "Mommy, where's Daddy?"
"He has something to deal with right now."
Mabel had Alfonso take Brandon out to play.
When only the three of them were left in the room, Seraphina asked, "Mommy, why cancel the wedding?"
If it was just because Eleanor's family came to disrupt the wedding, Timothy wouldn't have insisted so firmly on canceling it.
Elizabeth didn't plan to hide it from Seraphina. "Two years ago, you had an organ transplant surgery. The donor was Eleanor."
Seraphina's face instantly lost all color.
Elizabeth reached out and hugged Seraphina, her eyes also reddening.
Her Seraphina had suffered since childhood, taken away by Jake right after birth.
When Seraphina finally came back to them, she was kidnapped again. It was as if fate was targeting her Seraphina. She had undergone many surgeries since childhood to restore her face, and her body had problems because of the medications.
Fortunately, Seraphina was naturally optimistic. Each time, she would turn around and comfort Timothy and Elizabeth instead.
Seraphina's optimistic words from years ago still remained vivid in Elizabeth's memory.
"Mommy, many people in this world die because they can't afford treatment. The fact that I can still be treated is a very fortunate thing."
Seraphina just hugged Elizabeth and cried for a little while, then lifted her head. Elizabeth wiped away her tears.
"Mommy, I'll talk to Stefan myself. I'm sorry for making you and Daddy worry about this."