Separate Weddings, Separate Lives novel Chapter 27

Danica traced the edge of her manicured nails, her fingers digging hard into her own palm. "When the ceremony starts, I still expect your mom to give me my gift," she said.

The words carried more than one meaning. Danica was reminding Thaddeus not to let her be humiliated. She wanted this wedding and every bit of dignity that came with it.

She could not afford to lose to Louisa badly. Even if she already knew she could never truly win.

Compared to Elijah, Thaddeus no longer measured up.

Elijah had long been rumored to have no interest in women, with whispers that he would never marry at all. Yet he had pulled a stunt today while marrying the one woman Danica could least tolerate.

Thaddeus looked at Danica. She had the most innocent-looking face, yet the cruelest words slipped from her lips. In that moment, he understood just how blind he had been, mistaking her for pure and kind.

He regretted it even more now. Out of spite and revenge, he had made the wrong choice and lost the woman he truly loved.

"Fine!" Thaddeus understood exactly what Danica was after, and he agreed anyway.

If she wanted this marriage, he would let her have it. However, they could never get a divorce.

They spoke in low voices, standing close together. No one knew what they were saying, but the guests' curiosity had reached its peak. Even Jake hesitated, unsure whether he should continue.

It wasn't until Thaddeus shot Jake a look that he proceeded.

Jake lived up to his reputation as a good emcee. He turned what was essentially a wedding disaster into a tale of deep devotion. Then, as if by magic, he pulled a strangely shaped ring from his pocket.

"This ring is not gold, not silver, and certainly not a diamond. It is nothing more than a simple clay ring. Yet it bears witness to a man's most raw and sincere love for a woman," Jake improvised smoothly.

He spun a story on the spot, claiming the ring had been handmade by Thaddeus seven years ago, a promise forged by his own hands for Danica.

The hall froze for a moment before erupting into quiet discussion.

Those shares might not have been as valuable as what Louisa had received, but ownership in the Cromwell Group meant something else entirely.

It proved that Thaddeus truly intended to marry Danica. It was the strongest rebuttal to all the rumors that his heart belonged elsewhere.

With those shares, even if Danica and Thaddeus were to part ways one day, she would still hold a stake in the Cromwell Group.

That recognition, combined with Jake's fabricated love story, successfully dissolved the embarrassment of Thaddeus' earlier absence from his own wedding.

As Thaddeus placed the ring on Danica's finger, the ceremony came to an end. That same day, Galaton's headlines were dominated by the weddings of the Holten and Cromwell families. Comparison photos circulated online, drawing countless comments.

One comment stood out. "Two wedding convoys crossed paths on the same day. In the end, only one couple was destined for happiness."