The Wedding He Stole for Her Birthday - Chapter 7: Chapter 7

The wedding venue was in shambles, and Madeline had stolen my dress. With just two hours until the ceremony, pulling everything together in time seemed hopeless.
Tristan's warm expression darkened when he heard the news. "What's wrong?" he asked, his voice laced with concern.
As I explained, the tension in his features melted away. Then he did something unexpected - he smiled and led me to an alternate venue. From across the room, I spotted my mother being cared for by two professional attendants. Though her vision had faded, her spirit shone brighter than ever that day.
"How...?" I turned to Tristan in disbelief.
His eyes sparkled with warmth as he looked at me, his hand twitching like he wanted to ruffle my hair but thought better of it. "Forgive me for being presumptuous," he said softly, "but I've been waiting my whole life for this moment."
He guided me to a preparation room where a team of makeup artists stood ready. There, suspended in all its glory, hung the most exquisite wedding gown I'd ever seen. I gaped at its beauty, momentarily speechless.
One of the stylists - Tristan's cousin, I later learned - noticed my awestruck expression and chuckled knowingly. "Tristan turned down every matchmaker for years," she confided, "but the moment he saw this dress, he bought it without hesitation. Guess he was just waiting for the right person."
Fragmented memories flickered through my mind, but before I could piece them together, the wedding march began to play. Tristan took my hand, our fingers interlaced through the matching knots my mother had lovingly crafted.
Meanwhile, across town...
Alexander stood surrounded by revelers at Madeline's birthday celebration, yet no amount of champagne or laughter could erase the image of my furious glare from his mind. A man who prided himself on control, he despised anything that unsettled him. Though he buried it deep, the disquiet in his chest refused to fade.
Abruptly, he excused himself from Madeline's side and called his assistant. "Keep tabs on Scarlett," he ordered through gritted teeth. "Don't let her cause any problems."
"Relax, Mr. Adams," came the smooth reply. "Miss Carter is getting married today. She won't be interfering with Miss Landers' birthday party."
Our wedding ceremony stretched on beautifully. Though blind, my mother kept smiling in my direction - finally, I could give her peace of mind. Tears pricked my eyes as I stood before her, vowing to live happily.
But just as we reached the ring exchange, the doors burst open. Alexander charged in with an entourage, causing such a commotion that it visibly agitated my mother. Even in her weakened state, her face showed more animation than I'd seen in months.
"Scarlett!" Alexander's voice was a venomous snarl. "How dare you marry someone else?!" His gaze flicked to my mother. "You said she was dying! Was this all some twisted joke?"
When he grabbed for me, Tristan instantly blocked his path. I sprinted to my mother's side in a flurry of satin and lace, only to find her unconscious. "Mom!" I screamed, but she didn't respond. A single tear traced down her cheek.
We'd been so close. So damn close.
As medical staff swarmed around her, hot tears poured down my face. Passing Alexander, I hauled back and slapped him with all my strength. "I hate you!" I choked out between sobs. "I hate you! I hate you!" before rushing after the gurney.
At the hospital, Alexander slumped against the emergency room wall, his face ghostly pale. When Tristan tried to comfort me with a reassuring touch, Alexander lunged between us. "Keep your hands off her," he growled.