Did she speak? No!

[I don't want to marry.] Vernon heard Helena's voice and did not understand what had happened and what changed at all.

He was shocked. He looked at Helena.

He saw the woman smiling at him as if she had not said anything and was ready to get married.

Vernon couldn't help but frown.

He looked around and felt no one had any different expressions. They all looked as calm as ever.

Except for astonishment at the bride's beauty, there is no other expression on their faces at all.

Vernon was only more confused.

Vernon took a deep breath once more. 'Maybe I heard wrong.'

He looked straight at Helena who was slowly walking towards him.

The smile on her face was wide and bright.

If one did not know, they would never think that her mother had passed away just a couple of days ago.

Vernon wanted to ask her how she could smile like that. If it has been a few days since her mother's incident, he wouldn't think much but it has been just two days.

How could anyone come out of their grief so easily?

'Did she even have any grief? Did she even love her mother?' Vernon asked to himself.

[Mom, are you watching me?] He suddenly heard Helena's voice once again.

Since he had been watching her closely all this while, he had seen that her lips did not move at all.

He was confused. If she did not talk, what did he hear?

He was sure that the voice belonged to Helena.

They had known each other since childhood and they had been a married couple for ten whole years. There is no way he would mistake someone else's voice for hers.

'So, what exactly was happening? Am I listening to things again? Did I go crazy?'

[Mom, I don't want to marry. But since you wanted it, I will do it. Are you looking at me right now? Are you happy?] Vernon heard Helena's voice again.

This time he was very very sure that she did not talk at all but he heard her words.

'I can hear her thoughts?' Vernon came to a sudden realization.

He felt his breath hitch. What did Helena mean by what she just thought?

She doesn't want to get married but she was marrying for her mother?

What does that mean?

He suddenly realized he did not know why she agreed to marry him in the first place.

They have been childhood friends. Both their families had always said that they would get married one day.

They grew up listening to such words their entire lives.

They did not fall in love with any others, so they did not have any reason to reject the marriage.

Everything just went smoothly and they got married. There were no feelings involved or any thoughts.

Now, Vernon did not want to get married because he had seen his future and didn't want to suffer that life.

But why does Helena not want to marry him?

If she didn't want to marry him, she could have told him, right?

It is not like he would force her to marry him, right?

Why does she have to force herself and marry him when she doesn't want to?

And why does she have to torture their family by spewing multiple schemes?

Vernon felt his head ache.

[Stop it.] Helena thought.

Vernon looked at her and raised an eyebrow. What does she want to stop? Their marriage?

He wanted that as well, alright?

[Stop crying. You shouldn't cry. No one should see a single tear in your eyes. Mom wouldn't want that. Smile. Wider. Smile wider. The more you smile, the more your tears will be hidden.]

Vernon could hear her thoughts very clearly. She was giving a pep talk to herself and following her instructions clearly.

When she said to smile wider, her smile really did widen.

If Vernon couldn't hear her thoughts, he would have thought that she was smiling wider because she was very excited to get married to him.

That was what he had thought when she did that in their previous life as well.

He looked at his smile and felt excited to marry her himself as well.

He thought he would have the best life ahead by marrying his good friend who was happy marrying him.

Only now did he understand that the smile wasn't because she was excited but to stop herself from showing her sadness to the others.

Helena walked to him and her father placed her hand in Vernon's hand before telling him to take care of his daughter.

Vernon wanted to throw her hand away and shake his hand but he did not say anything.

He nodded to agree.

It was time to put the ring on.

Vernon held his ring in his hand and looked at Tristan from the corner of his eyes. It was already time. Where did his arrangement go?

Tristan was looking at his phone as well, wondering if something had gone wrong.

"Vernon," Just before he could put the ring on Helena's finger, a female voice called out to him and stopped his action.

He sighed in relief. He was scared that she wouldn't come in time and he would have to get married.

Vernon feigned confusion and looked at the woman. He innocently asked her, "Who are you? Why are you disturbing my marriage?"

The woman was crying.

The hall erupted in discussions. 

"Vernon, I am pregnant," The woman said while her tears fell down her cheeks like waterfalls.

"You are pregnant? So what does it have to do with me?" Vernon continued his act.

"The child is yours," The woman stated before falling to the ground and crying desperately.

Everyone was shocked.

Even though Vernon was famous for having a playful lifestyle, everyone also knew that he never played around with any women before. But now, a woman came to him saying she was carrying his child?

And on his wedding day, nevertheless?