A Broken Heart

Candy accompanied the guest to the bathroom upstairs and helped rinse the wine-soaked skirt with water. Fortunately, it was floral and less obvious.

When she finished, she went down first. At the door, she met Karen.

“Oh, Candy, darling. I've been looking for you. I have something to tell you."

"Are you leaving now?" she immediately asked here. She knew that after the wedding the couple would only spend an hour for the guests and then travel to M City. Tomorrow morning, they will fly to Japan for a month-long honeymoon.

"That's exactly what I want to talk to you about, Candy, darling…"

But she saw something outside that distracted Karen. And she didn't even pay attention to her calling to her as she hurriedly stepped out onto the porch. From there she glanced at the familiar white Montero parked right in front of their gate.

It was Richard’s father’s car! But when her boyfriend worked in M City, Arthur Thomas let his son use it.

Suddenly a combined excitement and trepidation rose in her chest. He had come! Her eyes quickly rolled around. Then she saw him. He is currently talking to one of their friends and former classmate.

"Richard!"

Holding on both sides of her gown Candy almost ran over the boyfriend. His classmate smiled and tapped him on the shoulder and motioned to her and then turned around.

"I thought you weren't coming!" she exclaimed and hugged it. "I've been waiting for you for a while."

But there was no response to her hug. Instead, he grabbed her two hands and pulled her slightly away and stared from head to toe. Then take a step back.

"We should have gone home a week ago but when I received your daddy's wedding invitation, I'm better now," he said, not wanting to meet her eyes.

The "we" Richard used barely passed Candy's hearing. She was just too happy that he had come.

“I want to see the bride in person…” He smiled awkwardly. “Daddy and Mommy told about her. I heard that your dad got married to a well-known family. He’s very lucky.”

Richard was cold, polite, and distant. She was sure he still angry. It didn't take five hours just to see her daddy's wife. It just wants to make her suffer a little bit. But Candy didn’t mind. She will humble herself and say that she will come with him when he returns to M City.

She also didn't want to think about what her father might say that she would be with Richard before they were even married. Her father would approve of him. From their childhood, their parents already expecting that they would be together one day.

She smiled at him warmly. She hooked her arm around his. "Come and meet my stepmother." She giggled. "I look even older than her."

But Richard did not budge. She frowned and stared at him. Then a smile broke her lips, she wrapped her arms around his waist.

"Oh, well, I hope you're not sulking anymore, Richard. Later when you return to M City I will—”

"I have something to tell you, Candy," he interrupted her, holding her on both shoulders and slightly push away from it. “I didn’t expect it to happen. In fact, my parents just found out… They were shocked and I won't be surprised if you were surprised too.”

“D-did something happens to you in M City? Did you lose your job?” she asked worriedly.

He shook his head. "S-Stella and I met in M City… and she's with me now."

"Is it Stella?" She backed away and looked up at it. "Stella and you came together?" She was genuinely surprised.

Stella was her distant cousin. Her dad is her mommy's third cousin. When Stella's father died four years ago, her mother sold their house in B Province and went to M City where they lived because her mother's family was from there.

From then on, they only met Stella every summer when she went up to B Province with friends. It usually stays in their house. And although she didn’t like the kind of friends Stella had, she treated them politely on the rare occasion of staying with them.

And for the past two months or so it has called her and said she was leaving for America. However, she also sent her mother an invitation for her daddy’s wedding although expectedly it will not be coming because she didn’t like the long trip.

"I-I thought she went abroad?"

Richard was stopped in his tracks when from the reception area he heard the voice of what they were talking about. "Candy!"

“Stella…” Her hands slipped from Richard's waist and hugged her cousin. “It's good that you arrived. Have you met Daddy yet? I thought you went to America?”

Stella laughed. “Just one question at a time, Candy. Okay, I greeted the newlyweds and postponed my departure,” she replied and glanced at Richard and smiled sweetly and then hooked her arm around his arm. “You shouldn’t have left me with your parents, Richard. They aren’t too glad of the news about us.”

Candy took two steps back from Richard reluctantly. She shifted her gaze between the two. At first, confusion enveloped her mind, which was replaced by a surge of nervousness. She had this growing sense of impending disaster.

"Why did you suddenly disappear?" Stella continued, pouting seductively. "I don't know any of the people here except Tito Gabriel and your parents ---" she grimaced "--- who received me coldly."

Candy couldn't find a word. She didn't seem to be there when Stella stared at Richard as if she didn't know they were dating.

Richard scratched his head and stared at Candy. He smiled at her awkwardly. “C-candy… I want to tell you… Stella and I…”

"Oh, Richard!" Stella said irritably. "Just to repeat to her what you said to your parents, you've stuttered." It gave Candy a sweet smile. “Congratulate us, cousin. Richard and I are dating and he has already told his parents that we are getting married.”