A Wedding Night Gone Terribly Wrong novel Chapter 400

"We're leaving," Holden ordered.

He stiffened his neck, holding his bandaged, humiliated face as high as he could manage.

The wheelchair turned and began rolling down the hall.

The joyous sounds of the proposal in Room 008 faded behind him. But just as the laughter completely disappeared from his ears, he slammed his foot onto the floor.

"Stop!"

The bodyguard jumped. "Sir? Is something wrong?"

"Go back!"

"Back? But... aren't we going to see Miles?"

"Take me back to Room 008!"

"Sir..."

Despite his hesitation, the bodyguard spun the chair around and wheeled him right back into his nightmare.

A small crowd had gathered outside Room 008, hovering around the doorway to watch the spectacle. The proposal was hitting its emotional climax, and even parked against the wall, Holden could hear every word perfectly.

Leland's voice trembled slightly with emotion. "Winifred... today, I am formally and completely giving you my heart. Will you marry me?"

Winifred sounded like she was crying. "I will."

"Winifred!" Leland's voice cracked with overwhelming joy.

She let out a tearful sob.

"Hey, don't cry, don't cry," Leland cooed gently. "You just had eye surgery. Crying is bad for your recovery."

Seth's little voice piped up. "Daddy, put the ring on Mom!"

Annelise cheered in agreement. "Yeah! If Mommy gets the sparkly ring, she'll be happy!"

Leland laughed warmly. "Bring the ring to Dad, buddy."

"Here."

"Give the basket to Daddy!" Annelise added.

The room erupted into applause, whistles, and laughter.

It seemed the ring was officially on her finger, because Leland began to speak again, his voice thick with raw emotion.

"He's got manners, too. You can tell he was raised right. Good family."

An elderly woman nodded wisely. "That's exactly the kind of man a girl should marry. Good character, good money, good in-laws. She's set for a beautiful life."

Holden's teeth ground together so hard it sounded like bones snapping.

The bodyguard shifted uncomfortably. "Sir... should we go now?"

Holden let out a ragged, toxic breath. "Keep waiting."

The elderly woman noticed him and raised a judgmental eyebrow. "What, are you trying to crash the wedding and steal the bride?"

Holden ignored her.

"What happened to your eyes? And your legs? You're blind and stuck in a chair?"

Someone in the crowd scoffed loudly. "Women aren't stupid these days, buddy. You've got nothing to offer compared to the guy in there. Why on earth would she want you?"

"Seriously. Why would she leave that to be with you? So she can be poor, deal with your nightmare family, and be treated like garbage?"

Through the humiliating barrage of insults, Winifred's radiant voice cut through the noise, ringing crystal clear from inside the room.

"Leland, you are the only light I have ever known. When the entire world turned against me, when they left me to die, when everyone I ever trusted betrayed me... you were the one who showed me that I was still worthy of being loved."