The Lies Behind Her Marriage novel Chapter 303

Mr. and Mrs. Dorian.

The weather that afternoon was perfect.

A gentle breeze drifted across the hilltops outside Rexam while the orange sunlight stretched warmly over the endless greenery surrounding the estate.

Nestled atop one of the quiet hills beyond the city was the garden venue Alice and Xavier had personally chosen for their wedding.

It was elegant without being overwhelming, romantic without trying too hard.

White roses, champagne-colored blooms, and cascading arrangements of fresh flowers lined the stone pathways leading toward the ceremony grounds. Soft curtains flowed gently around floral arches near the hilltop's edge, where guests could overlook the distant mountains and the faint skyline of Rexam below.

The atmosphere felt peaceful. Intimate.

Very much like Alice and Xavier themselves.

They had gone through the wedding ceremony, and it had been dreamlike with Alice walking under the sunset.

Now, the celebration had begun. At one point during the reception, Serena was invited to say a few words about the couple.

“Alice, Xavier, again, congratulations,” Serena said, smiling at them. She was standing on stage, turning to the audience as she started, “I have known these two for a very long time. They were… my best friends.”

“I have never imagined they would end up together, at least back in college.” Serena shook her head. “I never saw the signs.”

“Back then, we were so close, we could have been mistaken for siblings,” she made a face. “And siblings don’t marry each other.”

Gentle laughter lingered in the air.

Serena returned her attention to her best friends. “There was even a time when Xavier and Alice had their own love interests, but both ended up heartbroken.”

“Who could that be?” Alice asked, giggling.

Serena chuckled too.

Xavier only shook his head and rubbed his temples helplessly.

Looking back now, even Xavier’s past feelings for Serena no longer carried any weight between them. It had simply been one of those chapters people needed to go through before finding where they truly belonged.

Because somewhere along the way, Xavier finally realized that the person he had been searching for all this time had quietly been standing beside him already.

And her name was Alice.

“Back in college, Alice would literally walk into Xavier’s house unannounced, steal food from his fridge, complain about her cramps, and then fall asleep on the couch like she paid rent there,” Serena recounted. "Remember that, Aunt Claire?"

In her seat, Claire chuckled. "Yes, I really did think Alice was paying rent."

“When Alice first came to Rexam, she had difficulty walking because of her injury. Xavier accompanied her to nearly every physical therapy session," Serena shared.

She laughed, remembering, “He would carry her bag, argue with her whenever she tried pushing herself too hard, and practically hover around her like an anxious husband.”

“And somehow,” Serena added dramatically, “they still thought they were just best friends.”

Serena caught many amused looks as she went on.

“One time, when I was at Alice’s house, someone farted,” Serena shared, looking at the guests. “Alice said, ‘Oh, that’s Xavier’s fart. I know that fart anywhere.’”

The entire venue exploded into laughter.

“Oh, my God!” Alice screamed. She turned to Xavier and said, “I’m sorry.”

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify