Chapter 8 She Isn't There Tomorrow

Thaddeus had told Louisa to get some rest, but she didn't. There was still too much left to do. She went to the office and worked the entire day straight, completing every handover in full. All the documents that needed signatures, the contracts that had to be collected, and even Thaddeus' major project logs were carefully sorted and categorized. That same day, she overheard colleagues gossiping in the pantry. Apparently, Thaddeus had bought out every electronic advertising screen in Galaton to broadcast the ceremony live to ensure the grandest possible wedding spectacle. On the second day of her break, Louisa packed up everything that belonged to her at Thaddeus' place and handed them over to volunteers to be distributed to those in need. She also heard the volunteers discussing how the Holtens were hosting a banquet to celebrate Elijah's wedding, inviting all of Galaton and refusing to accept any wedding gifts in return. On the third day of her break, Louisa went to Mount Skyreach. She spent six full hours painstakingly scraping away the names she and Thaddeus had once carved into the Destiny Stone. By the time the last trace was gone, her fingers were raw and bleeding. That day, she saw Thaddeus and Danica being interviewed together on television. Thaddeus said he would give everyone a wedding that they had never seen before. On the fourth day of her break, which was also the day before the wedding, Louisa went to the wedding venue to watch the rehearsal. Danica warmly invited Louisa onto the stage. "Ms. Graham, you'll stand right behind me during the ceremony. I'll toss the bridal bouquet to you so you can share the joy and find your true love soon." Louisa stood behind her as instructed, watching them walk through the ceremony. She watched Thaddeus recite vows of love to Danica, saw him slip the ring onto her finger, and watched Danica close her eyes and lift her face to meet his kiss. But Thaddeus did not kiss her. Instead, he looked at Louisa. He saw her watching them, her expression clear and calm, her face serene. Seeing her like this gave him a strange feeling, as if she were a stranger. An indescribable feeling rose in his chest, accompanied by an uneasy, formless dread. "Alright, that's enough for today's rehearsal. I'm exhausted," Thaddeus said, still not kissing Danica. It was a pity Louisa didn't see what might have followed. Had she seen it, she might have been able to let go of him even more thoroughly. But she hadn't seen it today, and she wouldn't see it tomorrow either. Because she would not be coming back tomorrow. "Teddy—" Danica was displeased. She had specifically wanted to be intimate with Thaddeus in front of Louisa, to crush any lingering illusions. "Come here, Louisa," Thaddeus called, cutting Danica off. "How can I help you, Mr. Cromwell?" Louisa asked, her tone utterly professional. Thaddeus pulled off his necktie. He stared at Louisa, wanting to say something, but nothing came. In the end, he tossed the tie at her. "Get me another one." "I don't want to see you tomorrow, Louisa. You are not allowed to show up at the wedding," Danica said, coming over. She snatched Thaddeus' necktie from Louisa's hands and issued a cold warning. Earlier, when Thaddeus had refused to kiss her, she knew it had something to do with Louisa. She had seen the way Thaddeus looked at her. Her original plan had been to have Louisa witness her and Thaddeus' happiness firsthand, to make her give up. But now she regretted it. She was afraid that Louisa's presence tomorrow might cause an unexpected scene. Seeing the panic on Danica's face, Louisa curved her lips into a faint smile. "Then you'll be one bridesmaid short." "That's none of your concern," Danica snapped. "The point is, you are not to appear at my wedding tomorrow. If you do, be prepared for things to get ugly." Remembering how Danica had set her up during the wedding gown fitting, Louisa gave a slight nod. "Okay. But there's something I need to tell you." "What is it?" Louisa crooked a finger at her, beckoning her to come closer. Danice took a couple of steps forward reluctantly. Louisa grabbed her with one hand, her other hand pressing against Danica's waist. A sharp, piercing pain made Danica's eyes widen. "Lou—" "Ms. Watson," Louisa said loudly, her voice masking Danica's. "I wish you and Mr. Cromwell a lifetime of happiness and a fruitful marriage." With each word Louisa spoke, the needle she had pressed into Danica's waist sank a little deeper. That was exactly what Danica had done to her that day at the bridal shop.