Nine months too late: After divorce by Baby Charlene

Lana's world came crashing down in a single, crushing moment. The word echoed in her head.

Chapter

78

"No." 0

Kage's refusal sliced through the silence like a knife, sending a wave of shock rippling through the congregation. A stunned murmur broke out as heads whipped around, eyes darting between the groom and the bride, unsure whether they had misheard. But the look on Kage's face made it clear: this wasn't a mistake. He meant it. Lana's fingers trembled around the bouquet, and her lips parted in disbelief. She blinked, as if the motion alone would change what had just happened. The priest, shifting uncomfortably, stared at Kage in bewilderment, his voice low and

unsure.

Mr. Hawkins, you... I'm sorry, could you repeat that?" he asked, his words careful.

"I said no," Kage replied, his tone firmer, carrying an unmistakable finality. "I won't marry her."

A wave of gasps rippled through the crowd. Whispers erupted, spreading like wildfire as people exchanged confused looks. The high-society guests, the reporters, even some of the family members-every single person in the room was utterly dumbfounded. Lana à felt a hot flush rise to her cheeks, mingling with the cool sensation of sweat prickling at her skin. The flowers in her hand slipped to the floor as her fingers went limp, her pulse roaring in her ears. "Kage... no, you can't... this can't be happening..." she whispered, her voice a shaky echo of itself.

I

But Kage didn't even glance at her. His gaze was distant, hard, and resolute. As if the decision had been made long before he ever stood at this altar.

Lana's chest tightened, tears stinging at the back of her eyes. She reached out, her hand trembling as it hovered in the air between them.

"Please, I

Kage," she pleaded, her voice barely audible. "This is our wedding day... we're supposed to be getting married!"

expression didn't soften. If anything, his resolve only seemed to harden.

"I'm sorry." He muttered.

sentence. Lana's knees wobbled, and she stumbled back a step, feeling the weight of every eye in the room upon her. Tears pooled and

reaching for him, but he took

Without another

away from the altar,

to their feet, craning to see as he pushed walked

pale and wide-eyed, trying to steady her as she collapsed onto her knees, her dress pooling around her in

no, no. "she whimpered, shaking her head. She couldn't breathe. She couldn't think. All she could feel was the suffocating weight of humiliation, the

he do

no one had

1/3

Chapter 78

**********

into the suitcase, zipping it shut with a

distance from him, preparing to leave the country-all while trying to convince herself that this was the right thing to do. Maybe once she was out of his reach, out of this

Sylvie paused, frowning, and picked it up. The screen was flooded with messages from her

it, her eyes

see what happened at Kage's

in front of everyone! You have to

you know about

a

her chest. Her fingers tightened around the phone as she opened the browser, fingers flying as she typed in

α

&

was. The headline was splashed across every

MARRY LANA HARPER

staring at the screen, unable to process

she paced

he thinking? To humiliate us like this, to humiliate me...in front of the entire world!" 'Humiliate us?" Elizabeth repeated sharply. "That boy has disgraced the entire Hawkins family! We'll be the laughingstock of the city, the country-no, the entire world!" Her eyes blazed as she glared at Phoebe, her voice trembling