No Longer Waiting for You

Thirty minutes before the wedding ceremony was scheduled to begin, I was locked out of my own bridal suite at the estate. The butler swiped the master keycard three times, but the door still wouldn't open. “Miss, the system shows you don't have access to this suite.” I froze for a couple of seconds before explaining, “I’m the bride for today’s wedding.” The butler looked visibly put on the spot. “I’m sorry, Miss, but this suite is registered under Miss Sofia. Before she checked in, she specifically gave strict orders that no one is allowed inside without Don Dario's express permission.” The hallway fell instantly silent. Holding my wedding dress in her arms, my mother’s proud smile completely froze on her face. My bouquet, veil, tiara, and priceless pearl jewelry set left to me by my grandmother were locked inside that room. The wedding was set to start in thirty minutes, and I hadn't even gotten into my dress yet. I immediately dialed Dario Catania's phone. Less than a minute later, he came rushing up from the main banquet hall. Yet the very first thing he did wasn't to ask if I was okay. Instead, he pressed his ear against the door panel, listening closely. After confirming the person inside hadn't woken up, he let out a sigh of relief. “Sofia stayed up all night helping us oversee the wedding decorations, and she just fell asleep. Go get your makeup done in the room next door for now and let her rest a little longer.” I stared at my fiancé in disbelief. “All of my attire and jewelry for the ceremony are inside that room.” “That won't stop you from getting your makeup done. When she wakes up, I’ll go in and grab them for you.” I glanced down at the clock on my phone. “I’m giving you thirty seconds to unlock that door. Otherwise, this wedding is off.” Chapter 1 Dario Catania frowned. “We’ve been together for eight years. I know better than anyone how long you’ve been dreaming of this wedding. Are you seriously willing to throw our whole marriage away just because you have to wait a few extra minutes to change into your dress?” He was completely convinced that I’d never actually walk away from our relationship. He even adopted a patronizing, self-righteous tone, acting as if he were only looking out for me. “Erin Morettia, don’t let a moment of impulse ruin the rest of your life.” Just then, the wedding coordinator rushed over, holding a walkie-talkie and looking frantic. “The ceremony starts in twenty minutes! Miss Erin, why haven’t you changed into your dress yet?” Dario held up a hand, cutting her off. “The person inside just fell asleep. Don’t wake her up.” The makeup artist shifted nervously from foot to foot. “Full hair and makeup takes at least thirty minutes! Not to mention, the back of the wedding dress has over twenty pearl buttons. If we wait any longer, there won’t even be time to do her hair!” Without a second thought, Dario shrugged it off. “Then skip the hair. Just fasten a few of the pearl buttons. As long as nothing slips out, it's fine. No one’s going to be staring at her back anyway.” I was so angry that I almost burst out laughing. “Why do I have to be the one to compromise? The estate has so many empty guest rooms. Why can’t Sofia go sleep in one of those?” “Because she’s already asleep right now,” Dario answered as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. “Sofia suffers from severe angina. If she’s suddenly startled awake, it could trigger a heart attack.” My father stepped forward, suppressing his surging anger as he pressed Dario for an answer. “Who is actually getting married today?” “Erin and I are,” Dario replied smoothly. “Then hurry up and unlock that door!” Even my mother, who was usually the picture of elegance, couldn't hide her growing anxiety. Still, she tried to reason with him patiently. “Dario, we don’t even have to go inside. Just open the door an inch so Erin can grab her things.” Dario shut her down without hesitation. “No. The moment the door opens, she’ll wake up.” Mom unconsciously clenched her fists so hard that her manicured nails dug deep into her palms. She had spent nearly three months planning this day just to give me a wedding I’d remember for the rest of my life. And now, it was all being ruined by someone who had taken over her daughter’s bridal suite. With only twenty minutes left, the photographer whispered a reminder. “It looks like we won’t have time for the bridal robe photos or the first look. The remaining time is only enough for a quick family portrait.” Dario immediately barked an order. “Cut those two photoshoots, and we’ll take the family portraits after the ceremony.” Hearing that, Dad stumbled, almost losing his balance. In order to look his absolute best at my wedding, he had been getting up early every day to work out for the past six months. He’d even given up drinking entirely. Over the last month, he had gone through dozens of custom-tailored suits just to pick out the perfect one. He had been so excited to share this moment with me. Yet now, he was being told that all of it was for nothing. Every single photo shoot had been canceled. My eyes stung, and tears threatened to spill. “No. Not a single part of today’s schedule is getting cut.” Hearing this, Dario’s face instantly darkened. He was just about to say something, but my best friend Lucy beat him to it and knocked directly on the door. “Sofia, please get up and open the door!” She hadn't even knocked twice before Dario grabbed her arm and shoved her back. “Stop knocking!” Lucy stumbled, turning bright red with rage. “Erin is the bride today!” “She’s throwing a fit, and you’re enabling her?” Dario snapped at her furiously. Static buzzed from the walkie-talkie as the wedding coordinator’s voice came through again, asking urgently, “Everything is in place. The pastor needs to know if the bride can walk down the aisle on time.” Dario spoke into the mic, replying coolly, “Tell him the bride is feeling overly emotional. Delay the schedule by ten minutes.” Chapter 2 I snatched the walkie-talkie from his hands. "Why did you lie and say I was being emotional?" He shifted his eyes, effortlessly avoiding my gaze. “Well, aren’t you? Sofia may have taken over your suite, but she has a perfectly valid reason. She just went through a terrible breakup. She really can’t handle people gossiping about her right now. “Anyway, who’s even going to remember this once the wedding is over?” Just to protect Sofia’s reputation, he was actually cruel enough to throw all the blame onto me. With only fifteen minutes left, Lucy anxiously scrolled through her phone, looking for someone to help. Suddenly, her expression completely changed, and she shouted, “Dario, Sofia isn’t even sleeping!” I quickly pulled out my own phone and pulled up Instagram, where Sofia had posted an update just a minute ago. The accompanying photo showed the ocean view right outside the suite window. Reflected in the glass was her fully dressed silhouette, complete with a face of flawless makeup that looked nothing like someone who had just woken up. Her caption read: [Sometimes, witnessing someone else's happiness is a cruel thing. Fortunately, there's still someone who remembers my regrets.] And the very first like on that post was from Dario. I shoved the screen right in front of his face. “She isn’t even asleep!” Dario only glanced at it briefly before swiping out of the app. “Maybe she just woke up.” I scoffed. “She has time to take photos and post on Instagram, but she can’t open a door?” Cornered without an answer, he finally decided to lay all his cards on the table. “Today was supposed to be Sofia’s wedding day, too. Three months ago, her engagement was broken off. When she saw all the wedding decorations around the estate last night, she had a total breakdown and cried all night long. “She’s like a sister to me. She’s already lost her own wedding, while you’re about to marry into the Catania family. Can’t you just be the bigger person and give her a break?” I stared at Dario, my heart turning cold. “It’s not my fault her engagement fell through. Why should I have to sacrifice my wedding for her?” “Who’s asking you to sacrifice your wedding?!” Dario snapped, thoroughly exasperated. “The ceremony is going ahead as planned, and I’m still marrying you. So we’re cutting out a few minor parts; is that really worth throwing a fit over?” In Dario’s mind, as long as he placed that ring on my finger at the end of the day, nothing else mattered. But every detail he dismissed as minor was something my parents had meticulously prepped for months. Right now, he wasn't just breaking my heart. He was stomping on my parents' hard work, too. As we were arguing, Dario’s mother, Elena, hurried over. She immediately grabbed my hand. “Erin, there are so many guests waiting outside right now. Don't let us become a laughingstock. Sofia was just dumped recently. Try to show some compassion for her.” I pulled my hand out of her grip. “If I show compassion for her, who’s showing any for me?” Elena’s expression instantly soured. “You’re about to marry Dario anyway, so what do you even have to feel wronged about? Sofia was supposed to get married today. Now you’re getting everything you ever wanted while she’s left with nothing. Why do you have to compete with her?” Mom trembled with rage. “My daughter hasn’t even gotten into her wedding dress yet! What on earth is she competing for?!” Elena scoffed, looking down at our family. “There are over a hundred high-profile guests sitting downstairs. If you throw a scene right now, both of our families will lose face. “The Morettis are simple winemakers. Marrying into the Catania family is an incredible opportunity for your daughter, so don't ruin it over a minor inconvenience.” Dad wasn't about to back down. “A family that forces the bride to compromise before the ceremony even starts—do you even have the right to talk about keeping face?” The usual gentle warmth was gone from Dad's face, replaced by an overwhelming intimidation. Dad used to be a powerful Godfather in Palermo. An arms deal had gone terribly wrong back then, resulting in his most trusted underboss dying right in front of him to save his life. Otherwise, Dad would never have moved our whole family to Sicily under assumed names to run a winery as his way of seeking redemption. Even so, whenever Dad heard Dario was in trouble, he would always reach out to his old network for help. He used to tell me, “As long as this kid treats you right, all my effort is worth it.” Who would have thought our generosity would only earn us their complete contempt? Just then, a maid pushed a room service cart over. On it sat buttered toast and warm milk. Dario reached out and tested the side of the glass. “The milk is still a bit hot. Wait two minutes before taking it in. Also, she doesn’t like butter. Swap it out for strawberry jam.” I hadn’t eaten all morning, and my stomach churned with nausea. Yet he didn't offer me a word of concern, completely focused on preparing breakfast for another woman. There were only ten minutes left until the ceremony. The pastor came over himself to check on the situation. “The wedding starts in ten minutes. If the bride doesn’t change into her dress right now, the entire schedule is going to be ruined.” Dario grabbed a pen and began crossing off event after event on the schedule sheet. “Cancel the robe photo shoot and the first look. Oh, and cancel the family portraits too. Shorten the speeches and the processional, and skip the vows entirely. Head straight to exchanging the rings.” Chapter 3 The pen scraped across paper with a harsh, grating scratch. In seconds, six months of meticulous wedding planning were reduced to a simple ring exchange. Dad looked horrified. He had spent nearly a month writing, editing, and polishing his wedding speech, only for it to be cut down to three sentences tops. The pastor turned to me, looking visibly torn. “Miss Erin, are we really canceling all of these parts?” “We’re running out of time, so this is the only way,” Dario cut in before I could speak. “Let’s just get the ceremony over with first. Once we’re home, you can take it out on me.” With eight minutes left before the ceremony, a sudden crash echoed from inside the suite. Immediately after came Sofia’s quiet sobbing. “Dario, am I making things difficult for you?” Dario’s brow furrowed, and he quickly swiped his keycard to open the door. I tried to follow him inside, but he shifted his body and blocked the doorway. “Just wait a little longer.” “The jewelry I need to wear is inside!” I snapped. He lowered his voice. “She’s in an unstable state right now. You going in there is just going to add fuel to the fire.” “Dario, I’m the bride today!” “I know that!” It was the very first time he had ever raised his voice at me like that. “And precisely because you’re the bride and all the guests are waiting for you, can’t you just look at the bigger picture for once?!” With that, he ducked into the suite and slammed the door shut right in my face. Through the door, I could hear Sofia crying. “Maybe we should let Erin in. I can just hide out on the balcony.” Dario shut her down without a second thought. “No need. None of this is your fault. Eat your breakfast first. I’ll handle the rest.” “But today is her wedding day...” “Erin has always been understanding. She’ll get it. I’ll explain everything to her after the ceremony is over.” Every single person standing out in the hallway heard every word he said, loud and clear. So that was it. My parents, my wedding, and my feelings were just problems to manage, while Sofia was the one who needed protection. With five minutes left until the wedding, the pastor had already led the choir to start the opening piece, their voices echoing through the walkie-talkie. Dad stuffed his written speech back into the inner pocket of his suit jacket and asked me in a low, gentle voice, “Erin, are you sure you still want to go through with this wedding?” I stared blankly at that tightly shut door. Eight years ago, when Dario was pursuing me, he promised that no matter what happened, I would always come first to him. That was until his childhood sweetheart returned to Sicily after her engagement was called off. From that moment on, the man who had always kept his word began to break every promise he made. When she went through her breakup, he ignored our anniversary and invited her to join our candlelit dinner. At my dad's birthday party, he flaked just to go help her move. When she said she was scared in the middle of the night, he didn't hesitate to drive across the city just to be by her side. Whenever I confronted him with my doubts, he would always explain, “I only see her as a sister, nothing more. You’re always number one in my heart.” Yet every time he had to choose between Sofia and me, he made me compromise. I let it go time after time. But I never imagined that on our wedding day, he would expect me to do it again. Mom wrapped her hands tightly around mine, while Dad gently patted my shoulder. “You don’t need to worry about saving face for us. A man like this isn't worth keeping!” The final reminder crackled through the walkie-talkie. “Three minutes left. Bride, please prepare to walk down the aisle.” At that exact moment, the suite door finally clicked open. Chapter 4 Sofia stood right behind Dario, wearing my custom silk robe and holding my bridal bouquet. Her eyes were slightly red, but her makeup was flawless, and her hair had clearly been professionally styled. So she hadn't been sleeping at all. She had simply hijacked my bridal suite and comfortably soaked up every bit of Dario's blatant favoritism. Sofia looked at me with a meek expression and offered a soft apology. “I’m so sorry, Erin. Dario saw that my clothes were all wrinkled from sleeping, so he just lent me your robe to wear.” Dario, on the other hand, didn't bother to offer any explanation. He simply snatched the wedding dress from Mom's arms and shoved it into mine. “Hurry up and go change. We still have three minutes. It's enough time if you rush.” Mom tightly held my hand. “It takes more than three minutes just to put on the bodysuit! How do you expect her to walk down the aisle in three minutes?!” Dario glanced down at his watch, his tone growing impatient. “Then skip it. We can't make everyone wait on her. The ceremony has already been delayed, and we've stripped down the whole schedule. If she moves fast and slips in through the side door, she'll definitely make it on time.” He then turned on his heel and barked instructions into the walkie-talkie to the wedding coordinator. “Have the flower girls wait by the side entrance. The bride will be there in three minutes.” I stood rooted to the spot, unmoving. “Who told you I was going in there?” The last lingering thread of patience drained from Dario's eyes. “Erin Moretti, just how much longer are you going to throw this childish tantrum? The room has been handed back to you, and Sofia has already stepped out. Do you really have to humiliate both of our families completely before you're satisfied?” I let out a bitter, angry laugh. “Am I the one who ruined and delayed this wedding today?” “What is the point of pointing fingers right now?!” Dario’s voice turned raspy. “You know better than anyone how long this wedding took to plan! The guests sitting outside aren't just family. They're long-time business partners and key connections. “If you bail today, how do you expect your family’s winery to keep doing business in Sicily?!” Elena chimed in from the side, pressing me in a stern tone. “Erin, Dario is trying to meet you halfway. Stop making a scene, go change, and we can move past this.” The corners of my mouth curled into a cold smile. Assuming I was giving in, Dario let out a long sigh of relief. “Alright, stop being mad.” Without a word, I shoved the wedding dress right back into his arms. He instantly froze. “What is the meaning of this?” “It means I'm not marrying you anymore.” Static buzzed over the walkie-talkie as the coordinator began the final countdown. “One minute remaining. Bride, please prepare for your entry.” Dario stared daggers at me, his voice dangerously low. “Erin, if you dare to step out of this estate today, we're done.” He actually believed that a single threat would keep me here. Instead, I turned around, wrapped my arm through Mom's, and walked straight toward the exit. “Erin, where do you think you're going?” “Home.” “The ceremony is about to start!” I stopped, glanced back over my shoulder, and threw my last words at him. “And what does that have to do with me?” Dad had already instructed his men to pull a car up directly outside the estate gates. Dario tried to rush forward to stop me, but Dad's bodyguards stepped in, forming an impenetrable wall and shoving him right back. The engine purred to life as we rolled away. Dad reached over, taking my hand gently into his. “Don’t worry, Erin. I won't let them humiliate you like this.” With that, he pulled out his phone and dialed his old mafia contacts. “Those docks, luxury hotels, and underground casinos we handed over to the Catania family? I want every single one of them reclaimed before tomorrow morning.” “And schedule a meeting with the elders for me. We meet at the usual spot in one hour.” Behind us, inside the grand estate, the wedding march was setting up to play. But from the second I walked away, that wedding, and everything attached to it, no longer had anything to do with me.