Stealing His Bride

The night before the wedding...

Lia cheerfully carried two large bags as she strolled back to the apartment where she and Cole would live after their marriage. Tomorrow, she would become Cole’s wife, the man she had admired since childhood. The thought of the big day filled her with joy, making her heart flutter with excitement. Their love story had been peaceful, just as she had secretly wished, giving her every reason to be happy. She walked along, humming a tune, her radiant smile so enchanting that even the wildflowers by the roadside seemed to blush in envy.

Lia had just returned from the supermarket, buying groceries for tonight's dinner. It would be a farewell party to single life with Cole and their friends. Finally arriving home, Lia stood at the door, her delicate hand fumbling in her pocket for the keys. Just as she pulled them out, they slipped from her grasp, falling to the floor, caught on the edge of her bag. She sighed at her own clumsiness, likely due to juggling the heavy bags. In hindsight, she should have set them down before attempting to unlock the door.

"Oops..." she muttered, bending down to pick up the keys, when suddenly a familiar voice reached her ears.

“Cole!... Cole... I...”

Lia stood up straight, her hands still entangled with the weighty bags. She was unsure if she had misheard, but it was undeniably the voice of Nina—her childhood friend, someone who had always been on her side. Lia intended to brush it off and enter her home, but the voice stirred her curiosity. Carefully setting the bags down on the floor, she turned towards the emergency exit, her mind buzzing with unease. What urgent matter could she have missed?

Behind the door, two people were talking.

“Cole! I really love you,” Nina’s voice was sultry, full of allure.

“Enough, Nina! Lia and I are getting married tomorrow. Don’t do this,” Cole replied, though his voice lacked the firmness needed to hide his hesitation.

But Nina pressed on, “Why do you have to marry her? We had so many great moments together. Didn’t they mean anything to you?”

Cole firmly rejected Nina's plea, but the lingering silence that followed made Lia feel uneasy. She edged closer to the source of the sound, and to her horror, saw through a slight gap in the door two figures—one with blonde hair, the other with pink—entwined together. They were locked in a passionate kiss. Lia’s eyes widened in disbelief at the scene before her. The woman was her friend Nina, and the man was her soon-to-be husband, Cole.

Lia stood frozen, covering her mouth to stifle a sob as tears silently streamed down her cheeks.

“Oh my God, how could this happen? This is betrayal!” Lia whispered to herself, her heart breaking.

Just then, Evan stepped out of the elevator and saw Lia standing frozen at the end of the hallway. Unaware of what was unfolding, he walked over to her, intending to ask why she was standing there in a daze. But before he could say a word, his gaze drifted ahead.

Before his eyes, a couple was locked in a heated, passionate kiss. At first, Evan didn’t recognize who they were, but after a few seconds, he, too, was stunned to realize the familiar figures. He stood there, speechless, then remembered Lia was still beside him, but she seemed completely oblivious to his presence. She simply stood there, dazed, before turning away and leaving, her steps heavy with the weight of betrayal.

“Lia…” Evan watched her small figure retreat. He wanted to call out, but the words got stuck in his throat.

He turned back to the couple once more; by now, they had pulled away from each other and were standing in silence. A surge of anger welled up inside him. He wanted to kick the door down and give Cole a beating. But he restrained himself, not wanting to act impulsively. Although he felt some resentment towards Cole, Evan reminded himself that this situation didn’t involve him.

“I should stand up for Lia,” he thought. “But saving a couple on the brink of collapse? That’s definitely not easy.”

The decision to stay out of it brought him a sense of relief, but something within him continued to stir restlessly. He couldn’t quite pinpoint what it was, but his feet moved on their own, leading him forward, away from the thoughts of Cole. In the end, he decided to follow Lia. It was foolish, but seeing the girl grappling with the shock of betrayal on the eve of her wedding, Evan felt compelled to be by her side.

“Lia!” he called softly, hoping his voice would reach her broken heart.

Lia wandered like a lost soul, completely disoriented. Unbeknownst to her, two thugs had targeted her, waiting for the right moment to strike. Besides them, Evan was also trailing her, neither too close nor too far, maintaining a comfortable distance. His brows furrowed when he noticed the two thugs preparing to make their move. Swiftly, he grabbed the shoulders of the two men just as they were about to lay hands on Lia.

One of them snarled, “What the hell? Let go!” But Lia didn't hear the angry shouts from behind the bushes where Evan was dealing with the two attackers. After finishing them off, he dusted off his hands and continued following her.

Evan questioned why he was even chasing after Lia. They only knew each other through Cole—his friend who had begged him to join the farewell dinner before his wedding. After much hesitation, Evan had reluctantly agreed to come, never expecting to witness the scene he had just seen. It should have been Cole here, not him. The bizarre feeling gnawed at him, but he couldn’t stop trailing behind her.

A whirlwind of emotions swirled in his mind as he thought of the girl named Lia. Seeing her in tears made his chest tighten with an inexplicable ache.

“Damn it! What the hell am I doing?” Evan cursed at his own impulsive actions. Maybe he pitied Lia. He also despised deceit and betrayal, just like she did, and perhaps that’s where the sympathy came from. That was the only conclusion he could come up with to justify his behavior.

Lost in thought, Evan suddenly realized that Lia had disappeared from his sight.

“Damn it! Where did she go?”

He cursed again, then hastily broke into a run, frantically searching for her.

“Lia!”

Evan's voice echoed through the stillness, shattering the quiet of the night. He didn't know why he found himself running toward the beach in search of her. Whether it was sheer luck or something else he didn't care to question, he finally spotted Lia sitting atop a large rock. Letting out a frustrated sigh, Evan considered approaching her, saying anything that might convince her to go back home.

But as he drew closer, Lia's restrained sobs broke free. She buried her face in her hands, crying uncontrollably. In the tranquil night, the only sound was her sobs merging with the wind, carried toward the crashing waves on the shore.

Evan quietly settled himself on the soft golden sand, keeping a respectful distance from her. The night passed in silence. Lia remained unaware of his presence, and Evan still couldn't find an answer to the question that plagued him: Why had he followed Lia all the way here?

Today is a momentous day for Lia Hart. Nothing could be more wonderful than becoming the wife of the man she loves, building a happy family together. Her husband is handsome, successful, and influential, the heir to the prestigious West family. He is the object of desire for many women, but perhaps Lia is the luckiest, as she has the chance to walk beside him, both literally and figuratively. Everything happening to her feels like a dream about a charming prince stepping out of a fairy tale. To have love with him is truly romantic and blissful.

Up until the moment she is about to step into the magnificent castle of her in-laws, Lia still believes that this story is real, that it was made for her. Yet, another story, a sad and unexpected one, occurred, making her pause and reflect as she stood in front of the mirror, gazing at her haggard face, a look no bride should have – it is clear that her mood is deeply troubled.

Lia still hasn’t been able to make a decisive choice. The door to the waiting room opens, and her father enters, urging her to hurry. Lia obediently follows her father out of the room, not opposing or resisting his wishes.

The wedding march echoes through the church. At this moment, everyone gathered to witness this beautiful moment and offer their blessings to the couple standing up, looking toward the entrance. The groom stands there, his gaze frozen before the sparkling image of the bride. His heart beats faster and faster.

Lia begins to take small steps forward, the groom continuously smiling at her.

The father stops in front of the groom, kisses his daughter’s forehead, and hands her over to him. Lia stares at him as they walk up the steps to the altar. She tries to hide the troubled thoughts in her mind to focus on the sacred ceremony.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” the priest begins, addressing the people present. “We are gathered here to bless and witness the union of this couple in marriage before God.” He turns to the groom. “Cole West, do you take Lia Hart as your wife, promising to remain faithful to her in prosperity and adversity, in sickness and in health, to love and cherish her for the rest of your life?”

“I do.” He smiles lovingly at her.

“Lia Hart! Do you take Cole West as your husband, promising to remain faithful to him in prosperity and adversity, in sickness and in health, to love and cherish him for the rest of your life?”

It was her turn, and the priest asked the question to the girl standing still in her pristine white wedding dress. Lia held the bouquet of red roses, but her thoughts distracted her, and she overlooked this important question – a wedding she had dreamed of for so long with the man she loved.

The atmosphere was enveloped in silence. The priest asked the question a second time but received no response from the bride. Everyone exchanged puzzled glances, bewildered by Lia's silence.

“What’s going on?” Whispered conversations began to rise from the seats below. Everyone was wondering why the bride stood there dazed, not answering the priest's question.

“Lia!”

Seeing the guests murmuring, the groom standing beside her gently called out to the bride, who seemed lost in thought, to bring her back to the moment. Lia snapped out of her reverie when Cole reminded her. She looked at Cole, who was smiling at her; it was a smile that once brought her happiness. Realizing that all eyes were on her, Lia turned and scanned the faces of her family and friends. Her gaze stopped at a pink-haired girl. Nina smiled back at her, but it seemed insincere, almost mocking. Lia's heart suddenly ached. She turned back to face the priest.

“Lia Hart! Do you take Cole West as your husband?” The priest repeated the question as she regained focus, but Lia hesitated, unable to find her voice. The guests continued to murmur among themselves at the bride’s behavior.

“I...” She swallowed, trying to speak, but the words were hesitant, refusing to come out of her mouth. Lia looked back at the groom once more, her eyes filled with indecision. Just as she struggled to say something, a voice suddenly rang out from among the guests, cutting through the tension.

“I object!” The deep voice of a man drew everyone's attention away from the bride to the source of the interruption. Lia was just as shocked, turning to find the person who had just objected to her wedding.

“Evan!” Lia whispered his name in surprise.

The entire congregation shared a collective look of astonishment, completely confused by what was happening. Lia's eyes widened as she looked at Evan, who stood calmly in the back row of the church.

The atmosphere became increasingly chaotic as murmurs grew louder, and both families began to show signs of irritation. Lia remained frozen, unsure of how to react. Sensing the growing discomfort among the guests, Evan left his seat and walked toward the bride and groom. He stopped right in front of them, with every eye in the room locked on his next move.

Without offering any explanation, Evan simply looked at Cole, then turned his gaze to Lia, swiftly taking her hand.

“Let’s go,” Evan said, pulling her away, leaving everyone in the church stunned. Lia was bewildered by his actions, her feet moving almost instinctively to follow him. They had barely taken a few steps when Cole’s voice rang out, forcing them to stop.

“Evan! What are you doing?” Cole couldn’t stand by any longer. He called out to the man trying to take his bride away, stepping down to confront them both. He stared at Evan in disbelief, waiting for an explanation. Evan, however, paid no attention to him, looking only at Lia.

“Isn’t it true that you don’t want this marriage?” Evan’s question shocked everyone present, including Lia, who seemed caught off guard. She couldn’t respond with any clear, definitive answer.

“I…!” Lia stammered, glancing between Evan and Cole—who was waiting, just like everyone else, for her response. She was utterly confused by everything that was unfolding. All eyes were on her, including Cole’s, as if she were the one at fault, which made her feel incredibly uneasy.

“Lia!” Cole called her name, prompting her to turn back to him. “Say something.”

He urged her to refute Evan’s claim. Lia looked at her groom, hesitating as she began to speak.

“I…”

But once again, Evan interrupted her before she could finish her sentence.

“Don’t forget the pain you’ve endured. Come with me.” Evan’s words seemed to snap Lia out of her daze. The conflicted look in her eyes transformed into a deep sadness that she had felt even before walking down the aisle. Regaining her composure, Lia finally made a firm declaration:

“I’m sorry, Cole! I can’t marry you.” At last, Lia found the courage to say the words she had never wanted to speak. Though it was painful, she felt a wave of relief wash over her as soon as she said it. With that, Evan took her hand again, leading her out of the church.

“Lia!” Cole shouted her name, quickly chasing after her and grabbing her hand, forcing Lia to stop and turn around.

The dream wedding had turned into a farce, a spectacle for both families. The entire church fell silent, watching the three figures at the center of the altar: the bride, the groom, and the man who had just stolen the bride away.