Runaway Bride, Runaway Heart

On the day of my wedding, my fiance, Oliver Parker, asks me to take off my wedding gown. He wants to let his childhood friend, Angela Summers, be the bride instead. In helplessness, he tries to explain, "Angela has leukemia. Her dying wish is to be a bride and have a wedding. Once I've fulfilled her wish, I'll marry you." Everyone seems to think I'll just go along with it and wait for him to come back and marry me. After all, I've spent three years preparing for this wedding. I've poured my heart into every detail and devoted so much time to making it perfect. However, while Oliver and Angela celebrate their wedding that night, I gave my biological parents a call to tell them I'm coming to be with them. I board a red-eye flight out of Stonevale, leaving everything behind without looking back. … Three years later, I flew back to Stonevale with my husband, Daniel Holden, to attend the anniversary celebration of the Holden Group's Stonevale branch. However, I never expected to run into Oliver at the airport. "You've been gone for three years. Isn't that enough time to let things go? Angela's leukemia is cured, and we're divorced now. Come back to me. Let's finally have our wedding. Don't be so stubborn anymore!" Chapter 1 On the day I returned to my home country, my husband, Daniel Holden, had a last-minute work issue and had to take a later flight, so I arrived in Stonevale on my own. At the arrivals hall, I saw someone holding a sign that said "Samantha Miller". However, when I got closer, I was shocked to find my ex-boyfriend, Oliver Parker, whom I hadn't seen in three years. Wearing a tailored suit, Oliver stood with Angela Summers and several friends, waiting for someone. "Oliver, isn't this your ex-girlfriend, Jessica Brooks? Didn't you say she threw a tantrum and left without a word three years ago?" Only then did Oliver notice me. He immediately became smug, boasting, "Didn't I tell you? She left three years ago without a single word, clearly wanting me to chase after her. "I didn't call or look for her. Now, she's back here all on her own." The others stared at me mockingly and whispered among themselves. "Oliver, do you think Jessica came back because she found out you're now the general manager of Holden Group's Stonevale branch? You're making seven figures a year. Maybe that's why she's here." "Jessica, we haven't seen you for three years. And now, you look terrible, wearing cheap clothes without a single recognizable brand. Did you dress like this just to pretend to meet Oliver by chance? With an outfit like this, how will you grab his attention and win him back?" "Don't tell me you've become so poor since leaving Oliver that you can't even afford proper clothes?" "Makes sense. After all, you're an orphan. Without Oliver, how could you possibly live well? Honestly, it's already a miracle you're not living on the streets." It wasn't surprising they had such thoughts. Back when Oliver and I were dating, I always wore my best dresses and matching heels, and carefully applied makeup to avoid embarrassing Oliver. However, things were now different. I was three months pregnant. Wearing dresses was restrictive—even while traveling first class—and high heels were uncomfortable. Now, my clothing choices were based entirely on comfort rather than pleasing anyone else. Listening to their comments, I realized they didn't know I had changed my name, nor that I was the Samantha Miller they were supposed to pick up. My original name had been Jessica Brooks. However, after reuniting with my biological parents three years ago, I officially changed it to Samantha Miller. Maybe being mocked in such a manner left me looking pitiful. Someone whom I used to be close to quickly stepped in to ease the tension. "Jessica, you might not know this, but Oliver has actually been looking for you for the past three years. Now that you're back, you two should really get back together. When you decide to hold the wedding, don't forget to send me an invitation." Oliver looked a little awkward but didn't reject the idea of a wedding. He quickly replied, "Well, now that you're back, we should start preparing for the wedding. Seeing how you've fallen to wearing cheap clothes, you probably don't have a proper job either. "I'll arrange for you to work as a janitor at Holden Group. I'm now the general manager of their Stonevale branch, so I have the authority to do this." Oliver wore a superior air, behaving as if offering me a job as a janitor was something to boast about. However, I wasn't the naïve woman who used to adore him. Now that I saw him again, I felt nothing but detachment and disgust. I glanced at the time. I had a remote meeting soon, so I needed to get back to my hotel. As I reached for my passport to reveal my new identity, Angela quickly acted as if she were kindly advising me to accept the cleaning job. "Jessica, although Oliver is now the general manager, he can't openly give you a decent position. After all, you've been unemployed for three years. Obviously, you have to start from the bottom. Otherwise, people might accuse him of favoritism. "But don't worry, we're all friends here. Even if you're cleaning restrooms, we won't look down on you." Frowning, I glanced at Angela. However, after all these years, she still spoke with that same harsh tone, acting like she was better than everyone else. The others around us thought I was jealous and looked on eagerly, expecting me to cause a scene. After all, in the past, whenever I had such a feeling, I'd throw tantrums at Angela. Oliver watched me smugly. He looked as if he were saying, "See? I knew you still cared about me." "Cleaning is a respectable job," he commented condescendingly. "At least it's better than being unemployed and unable to afford decent clothes. If you do well, I'll promote you to janitorial supervisor. If your salary as a janitor isn't enough for rent, you can stay at my place for now." As soon as Oliver finished speaking, everyone burst out laughing, openly mocking me. "Jessica, look how good Oliver is to you. You disappeared for three years, yet he's still willing to give you a job and a place to live. He lives in a villa now. Without him, you'd never be able to live there." "He doesn't even mind what you've been up to these past three years," commented another person. "He's still willing to marry you. Men like him don't come around often. Hurry and apologize to Oliver. Admit you were wrong to have left him three years ago!" Angela pretended to mediate, adding, "Jessica, don't worry. I'm the operations manager now. If anyone at work gives you hell, just let me know—and I'll fire them!" Oliver glanced at me dismissively. "What kind of trouble could she face? Due to something as trivial as a wedding, she ran away. Now, she's learned that making money isn't easy and wants to get back together. Even if she faces some hardships, it's still better than being unemployed." Hearing Oliver speak so lightly about it, I couldn't help but frown. The wedding I had meticulously planned for three years was given to another woman. How could he consider it trivial? After three years, he still didn't realize his mistake. The Oliver Parker who once loved me deeply was long gone. However, luckily, I had already left him behind. Now, I had found my own happiness and a husband who truly loved me. Chapter 2 I couldn't be bothered to waste my breath with them, so I released my suitcase. As a result, it rolled toward them. I calmly mentioned, "Since you're here to pick me up, let's go. You can take me back to the hotel." As soon as the words left my mouth, they stared at me with mouths agape, looking like I had lost my mind. Then, they immediately burst into mocking laughter. "Are you insane? Don't you see that Oliver is here to pick up Ms. Samantha Miller? She's the wife of Holden Group's CEO." "Expecting us to take you to the hotel? Who do you think you are?" Angela covered her mouth, her eyes filled with scorn as she looked me up and down. "Do you really think you deserve for Oliver to personally take you to the hotel? "Seriously, do you even know how to read the name on the sign? We're here to pick her up, not you. You sure think highly of yourself!" I nodded. Of course, I recognized my own name. "Mrs. Holden is the absolute apple of Mr. Holden's eye." "People always say, if you offend Mr. Holden, you might still get a second chance. But if you cross Mrs. Holden, you're done for!" Listening to their conversation, I couldn't help but smile. Daniel truly did spoil me rotten and treated me like a princess. With Holden Group's expansion, even our business partners knew just how dearly he cherished me. Angela continued, "On Mrs. Holden's birthday last year, Mr. Holden bought her the Heart of the Ocean necklace. It's a legendary blue diamond that was once kept in a museum. They say it cost hundreds of millions. "Mrs. Holden sure is fortunate to have a husband who spoils her like that. I heard they have a daughter too. They're such a happy family!" Just then, her eyes suddenly landed on the necklace around my neck. Without hesitation, she reached over and yanked at it with a mock sneer. "Is this a fake? Seriously, Jessica, if you had to wear something fake, couldn't you at least pick something less obvious? "Everyone knows there's only one Heart of the Ocean in the world, and it belongs to Mrs. Holden. Anyone can tell yours is a knockoff just by looking at it. "You're wearing cheap clothes with not a single recognizable brand. Now, you have a fake necklace too? Are you really that desperate to show off? "Though, to be fair, it's a pretty impressive imitation. Must've cost you quite a bit. The blue diamond almost looks real. But no matter how good a copy is, it's still a fake! Just like you! You're just an orphan! How could you ever dream of becoming someone like Mrs. Holden?" The others laughed uproariously. Indeed, I used to be an orphan. However, three years ago, one month before my planned wedding with Oliver, my biological parents finally found me and asked me to come live with them in Everdale. Back then, I refused because I couldn't bear to leave Oliver. I had planned to tell him about my true identity after our wedding, but I never got the chance to do so. In their eyes, I was nothing more than an abandoned orphan who'd been left at the altar by her fiancé. How could someone like me suddenly become the wife of Holden Group's CEO? To them, it must've sounded impossible. I stepped forward, reaching out to take back my necklace. However, Angela tightened her grip and refused to let go. "Jessica, how about selling it to me? I'll give you 10,000 dollars for it. How does that sound?" I firmly shook my head and reached forward. "No way. Give it back. It was a gift from Daniel..." Before I could finish my sentence, Oliver shoved me roughly aside. I lost my balance, fell onto the hard floor, and scraped my arm. Luckily, my belly was unharmed. Chapter 3 Oliver looked down at me with a look of disgust. "Jessica, you disappeared for three years and came back even more shameless. Not only are you wearing a fake necklace, but you even had the nerve to say Mr. Holden gave it to you. You're just making things up! "I can put up with your tantrums, but you should've never made up a story about being with Mr. Holden. That's crossing the line. He bought that necklace for his wife, not for you! "Jessica, watch your mouth! Stop spreading these ridiculous lies! We're here to pick up Mrs. Holden and leave a good impression on her. If she hears you making up stuff about being with Mr. Holden, don't think I'll let it slide. Oliver's friends also glared at me and began criticizing me. "Oliver worked so hard to become the general manager of Holden Group's Stonevale branch. That's the only reason we even got a chance to join the company. And now, you're here causing trouble! Are you trying to get him fired?" I sat on the ground, wiping away the blood from my scraped arm, and stared back at Oliver coldly. Maybe I looked too fierce, or maybe Oliver realized he had gone too far. Either way, a flicker of guilt crossed his face. He took a step forward, reaching out as if to help me up. However, Angela quickly stepped between us, blocking his path. "Jessica, you're really ungrateful. You found out we were coming to welcome Mrs. Holden, and you showed up on purpose to stir up trouble, didn't you? "You're spreading lies about being involved with Mr. Holden just to upset Mrs. Holden when she gets here, hoping she'll get Oliver fired! "Even if you're still angry about Oliver leaving you three years ago to marry me, destroying his career isn't the way to take revenge. "Back then, Oliver only married me because I was dying of leukemia and he wanted to fulfill my last wish of having a wedding. "Now that I'm healthy again, he plans to marry you. What more could you possibly want?" Hearing this, I couldn't help but laugh. Angela was up to her old tricks again, painting me as petty and spiteful so that everyone would turn against me and keep their distance. Oliver had fallen for the same tricks three years ago. At first, he stood by me and believed in me. But over time, Angela's manipulation wore him down, and he started to see me in the way she described. In the end, he took her side. Just like now, Oliver nodded along with Angela and added dismissively, "That's enough. You should leave. Don't waste our time anymore. We need to pick up Mrs. Holden." He reached into his pocket, took out a check, and handed it to me as if he were bestowing a generous gift. "Here's a check for 100,000 dollars. Buy yourself some decent clothes instead of these rags. If you really can't stomach working as a janitor, I'll arrange a different position for you later." I didn't take the check. Instead, I stepped forward and firmly took the necklace back from Angela's grip. "You can keep your money. We're not that close anyway. But this?" I replied calmly, holding up the necklace. "This belongs to me. I'm taking it back." Chapter 4 Oliver angrily grabbed my arm and pulled me back. "What do you mean we're not close? I already agreed to have another wedding with you. Who exactly are you throwing this tantrum for?" I shook off his hand. "Oliver, we broke up three years ago! I don't want to have a wedding with you! Stay away from me! I wouldn't want my husband to misunderstand." Oliver laughed mockingly at my words. "Husband? You're married? Jessica, stop playing hard to get just to get my attention. I'll give you the fairytale wedding you always dreamed of, and with the wedding dress you wanted. "This time, the wedding will be even grander than three years ago! Now that I'm the general manager of the company's branch, money is not a problem! "Mr. Holden is hosting a business banquet tomorrow evening. I'll bring you along and introduce you as my fiancee." He held out the check again. "Take this and buy yourself a decent evening gown. Don't embarrass me!" I smiled and pushed the check back to him. "Thanks, but I don't need it." Oliver glared at me. "Jessica, your temper has gotten worse over these three years! Fine, if you're not going, I'll take Angela instead and introduce her as my wife!" "Be my guest," I answered indifferently, grabbing my luggage and leaving. They could wait here all they wanted for the Samantha they'd been expecting. I wondered if they'd ever find her. ... The next evening, my stylist curled my hair into soft waves. I wore a custom-made, understated black evening dress without any visible logo. When Oliver saw me at the banquet, his face broke into a smug expression that clearly said, "I knew you'd show up." "Didn't you say you weren't coming? Are you regretting it now?" he sneered, stepping closer. "Well, you should. It was the smart thing to do. I'm the general manager of Holden Group's branch office now. "Do you really think you'll find anyone better than me? That dress isn't bad, either. You should wear things like that more often. I can't have my girlfriend looking cheap and making me look bad." Ignoring him completely, I walked past Oliver toward the front-row seats, but he reached out and grabbed my arm. "Jessica, the guests tonight are all senior executives from Fortune 500 companies. Don't run around. Sit right next to me." He pointed to an empty seat beside him. "Sit here." I frowned, pulled away, and gestured toward the very front. "My seat is in the first row." Everyone knew what the three seats in the first row represented. Oliver's expression darkened instantly. Just then, Angela rushed over and grabbed my necklace. "Jessica, how did you even get in without an invitation? And you're still wearing this fake necklace!" Her voice wasn't loud, but the room was quiet enough that she immediately drew everyone's attention. "Oh my god! Isn't that the Heart of the Ocean necklace? Mr. Holden gave that to his wife!" "She's wearing a fake necklace at this banquet? Isn't that openly provoking Mrs. Holden?" "Mr. Parker, do you know this woman? How could you associate with someone like her?" Oliver quickly denied knowing me. Angela immediately called security, asking them to throw me out. I laughed coldly, staring right at her. "Are you sure you want me out?" For a moment, Angela froze, taken aback by the look in my eyes. I was nothing like the timid woman she remembered from three years ago. She hesitated for a moment before pulling herself together. "Why shouldn't I? You're just a woman who sneaked in without an invitation. Who knows if you're here to steal something? Take off that necklace! What if Mrs. Holden sees it and gets upset?" Angela reached for the necklace again. This time, I couldn't protect it. She ripped it off my neck, sending me tumbling to the floor. Someone stepped on my wrist, sending sharp pain up my arm, but I forced myself to curl up to shield my stomach. Others quickly joined in, eager to throw me out of the banquet hall. Struggling, I began, "I'm Daniel's..." Before I could finish, Angela slapped me hard. "Were you about to say you're Mr. Holden's mistress?" I shot Angela a fierce glare. I hadn't intended to get involved with them after returning, but Angela had pushed me too far. I'd make sure to repay her for this slap. She raised her hand to slap me again, but Oliver caught her wrist just in time. He looked at me with a frown. "Jessica, I know you're just trying to get my attention. You showed up at the airport yesterday. And now, you're here at the banquet too. You want to reconcile, but you won't say it outright. "I've already said we'll have another wedding. So, what more do you want? If you keep making a scene, I'll cancel it altogether!" I furrowed my brows, astonished at his arrogance. What made him think I'd marry him? Sensing my silence, Oliver seemed relieved. Just as he opened his mouth to say something else, the banquet hall doors swung open. A tall man in a navy-striped suit walked in, holding the hand of a little girl dressed like a princess in blue. "Mr. Holden has arrived..." Everyone stood up immediately, welcoming him respectfully. As soon as they entered, the little girl broke free from Daniel's grasp and ran toward me with excitement. Oliver suddenly turned to me. "Mr. Holden's daughter is really adorable. If we got married and had a daughter, I bet she'd be just as beautiful as you. "Jessica, stop being mad. The past is behind us. Let's have a child together." Right as he finished speaking, the little girl reached me and happily jumped into my arms.