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?