A stranger defended her

Chapter 5

Her heart beats rapidly against her chest as she hops out of the car, holding the flower in her hand tightly, like she's seeking comfort from it. Looking around the parking lot where many cars are parked, her nervousness increases rapidly as realization dawns on her that there'll be many people in the magnificent villa in front of her. 

"Behave yourself in there," Ren warns him for the second time as he stands side by side with her, while having a disgusting look on his face. As much as he doesn't want to do this, it doesn't seem like he has an option at this point. 

"Where did you run off to, Ren? I have been trying to reach you, but your phone was switched off," Mrs. Bradford says as she hurries up to them, but she stops on her track and pulls a puzzled look when she spots Lilian standing beside her son. 

"Mom something came up that needed my attention. Nothing happened to my phone, maybe it was the reception. I'm here now," He replies to her, but her gaze is all over Lilian instead. 

"And who is this?" Mrs. Bradford drawls her question as she scrutinizes Lilian with her eyes, trying to recognize her. 

"I don't have much time to explain now, mom. I'll explain to you later," He replies to her before he holds Lilian's hand and they both head to the entrance door of the villa. 

As they both stand in front of the entrance door, Lilian stares down at the floor as she become even more nervous. The imagination of her being bullied in there hits her hard, and she can only feel bad about the embarrassment she's going to be facing. 

"Don't think about it, Lilian. You'll be fine. You'll just be fine. You're just going to be here for a few hours, and you'll be gone. Don't think about it," She keep reassuring herself as she gulps down nothing nervously. 

"Here comes the bride and the groom," A masculine voice echoes from inside the villa, followed by a loud applause as they both walk down aisle. It only takes a minute for the applause to suddenly reduces when they walk inside, follow by whispers. 

Although their voices are low, she can hear them talking about how ugly and fat she is. 

"What the fuck is this? I thought he was going to marry someone beautiful?"

"What happened to Ren? Why does he have to settle with an ugly fat thing like this of all the women in new York?"

"Ren must be blind to settle for this thing. Look at her hands. Gosh! She looks like she's suffering from obesity,"

"Oh my God! Is she obese? Look at her skin. So ugly. She irritates me," Hearing those hurtful words from a lot of people as she walks down the aisle with Ren, she feels like disappearing into thin air, but is that even possible? 

Tears wells up in her eyes, but she fights them back and assures herself that everything will be fine, even if it doesn't look like it will be fine. How can things be fine when she has many people throwing shades at her, and calling her names for her look? It was never her fault that she was born like this, right? 

Slowly, she glances at Ren who's just keeping a straight face like nothing is happening. What was she even expecting from someone that bullies her too? He wouldn't have fought for her, right? 

They finally arrive at the alter, and they both stand side by side. The wedding kicks off afterward. The priest hands a diamond ring to each of them. 

"I, Lilian..." She pauses and bites her lip. She has forgotten that she's to answer Ren's bride's name, and not hers. 

"I, Tracy Williams, present this ring to you as a symbol of our undying love. Before the lord, I promise to always be there as your wife, best friend, comforter, and best partner. Be faithful to you, and always stand by you. In the name of the father, of the son, and of the holy spirit," Lilian says the vow, and slid the ring in his finger afterward. 

Ren repeats the vow, and tries to put the ring on her finger, but it get stuck halfway. 

"Eww! The ring doesn't even fit her. She's so fat,"

"Wow! So the ring is not even her size," The voices from the congregation is almost loud. Tears brim in her eyes as she hides her hand. 

"Do you, Ren Bradford, take Tracy Williams as your lawfully wedded wife? To hold, and to cherish, to love, and to care for, in sickness and in health, till death do you apart?" The priest asks, and he hesitates for a few seconds before he replies to the priest. 

"Yes, I do," He replies hesitantly. 

"Do you, Tracy Williams, take Ren Bradford as your lawfully wedded wife? To hold, and to cherish, to love, and to care for, in sickness and in health, till death do you apart?" The priest turns to Lilian and asks her. 

"Yes, I do," She replies after a few seconds of silence. She never imagined that she'd ever become a substitute bride, but turns out that it was her fate that she needs to embrace. It's the fate that she was destined to suffer in her lifetime. 

"Before the congregation, I pronounce you man and wife. You may now kiss your bride," The priest says. 

Staring at her with pure disgust written all over him, he leans over her and pecks her lips, leaving her frozen on the spot. She feels her heartbeat stops for some seconds and her eyes narrow at the kiss. It's her first time kissing, and although it was quick, she still felt the spark in her heart. 

His phone suddenly starts ringing, and he excuses himself to answer the call, leaving her on the alter. Her tears finally stream down her cheeks as she watches him walks all the way to the exit door, and storms out of the villa while holding his phone to his ear. It doesn't look like he's going to come back, so she knows that she needs to find her way out of this place alone. 

Holding her wedding dress up, she climbs down the stairs and walks down the aisle briskly, ignoring the insults from the congregation. That is the least of her problem now. She just wants to get out of here and find a place to cry her eyes out. 

Almost at the door, she suddenly trips over something, and falls flat on her chest, earning a loud laughter from the congregation. Her tears finally drops down her cheeks as she slowly raises her gaze to see a young lady withdrawing her leg. She was the one that made her tripped. 

"Come on, get up. Are you too heavy to?" The young lady chuckles softly. None of the congregation stand up to defend her. They all treat her like she's not a human. 

"At least she's young and getting married now. What about you that is thirty three and still single? You think you have the right to bully her?" A masculine voice sounds from behind the lady, and she gasps sharply as she turns around to see a young handsome man graced in suit, standing with a smirk dancing on his lips. 

"Nate!" The lady gasps sharply as her eyes slowly widen in shock...