I Came to Her Wedding — They Knelt

In my tenth year working at the Federal Special Operations Division, someone suddenly started tagging me like crazy in our high school alumni group chat.

"Claire Bennett, what’s the deal? Sophie’s getting married and you’re not even coming?"

I scrolled through the messages and realized that the class belle from high school, Sophie Lane, was getting married today.

Every single old classmate had gone.

"Sorry, my division doesn’t give leave."

I replied seriously, only to be bombarded with a storm of criticism in the chat.

"What kind of crappy job won’t even let you take a day off?"

"Isn’t it obvious? She probably works for some shady little place that’s too embarrassed to let her show her face."

Sophie chimed in, tagging me: "Remember how I once bet you I’d end up doing better than you?"

I answered honestly: "No, I don’t remember."

That prompted others to pile on:

"Sophie’s marrying the richest man in Bayshore City—she’s officially a billionaire’s wife now!"

"What’s wrong? Are you so embarrassed by how badly you’ve done that you’re pretending to have memory loss?"

"Don’t tell me you’re so broke you can’t even afford a wedding gift. Want us to start a GoFundMe for you?"

Amid their jeers, Sophie tagged me again, pretending to smooth things over:

"I really hope you can come to my wedding and witness my happiness!"

"Since we’re old classmates, I’ll even arrange a nanny job for you when you come."

Then she sent a wedding photo with her groom.

When I saw her groom’s face, I froze.

It was none other than Adrian Hughes—the man who had begged to marry me three years ago.

"Fine, I’ll be there to witness your happy moment!"

Right after I replied to Sophie, I got a message from Adrian:

"Honey, don’t overwork yourself. After your leave, come home and see me."

"I miss you so much."

Because of the nature of my work, I rarely interacted with the outside world.

Even after we got married, Adrian and I were apart more often than we were together.

But he would frequently send messages telling me how much he missed me.

I had always believed he truly loved me.

Now, thinking back, I found it laughable.

I asked my superior for leave, then followed the wedding address Sophie had posted in the group.

Driving the government-issued armored Cadillac my boss had specially approved for me, I headed to her hometown.

From a distance, I could already see the huge red banner hanging at her family’s front gate:

"Warmly Welcome Mr. Adrian Hughes, CEO of Hughes Group, to Pick Up His Bride!"

Beneath the banner, Sophie stood in a snow-white haute couture wedding gown, craning her neck expectantly for the groom’s arrival.

A group of our old high school classmates surrounded her.

"Sophie, you really kept this under wraps—only telling us at the wedding that your man is a billionaire!"

"Yeah, I heard Mr. Hughes is not only incredibly wealthy but also wields massive influence—no one dares cross him. You’re amazing to have landed a man like that!"

"Sophie, once you’re officially the billionaire’s wife, don’t forget your old classmates!"

Even our former homeroom teacher flattered her:

"Sophie, I knew from the first moment I saw you that you’d be destined for greatness."

"That’s why, even though your grades in high school weren’t great, I never criticized you—because I knew you were born for wealth, and grades wouldn’t matter for someone like you!"

Basking in their praise, Sophie’s lips curled high, her eyes gleaming with smug satisfaction.

Adrian’s capabilities on his own were never that impressive.

If it weren’t for his marriage alliance with me, which made his rivals tread carefully,

he would have been torn apart long ago, down to the last bone.

Without that, he never would have been sitting in the billionaire’s chair.