Chapter 21 Rejection
Fierce momentum, similar to the force of a thousand troops, swept through the entire Emerdale River like a storm. Oceania seemed so small and helpless in comparison.
But that was not all. With the warships taking the lead, clouds split open, and out came the roaring of plane engines.
A total of 100 helicopters hovered in the sky in a neat square formation.
Each helicopter was full of soldiers.
They wore pure white military uniforms that represented the navy, and carried dangerous firearms.
The finale happened on the shore.
Huge armored military vehicles appeared on the shore. More than a dozen tanks formed a line of steel, carrying the sheer firepower to destroy everything in their way. Their mere presence on the shore was enough to make people retreat by a mile.
Soldiers in green military uniforms jumped out of the tanks one after another and lined up in a square formation. Their expressions were sharp and aggressive.
The military showmanship encompassed the sea, land, and sky. Ten leaders from each service branch stepped forward and looked at the man below them with a solemn expression. In unison, they said, “On your mark! Fire!”
Then, 50 warships, 100 helicopters, 50 armored vehicles, and 20 tanks pointed their muzzles at the sky.
The soldiers of the army, navy, and air force also picked up their guns and pointed them at the sky.
The slew of actions shocked and excited the spectators, and they could not help but raise their heads and shout in gusto.
“Today, we celebrate the wedding of the Commander of the Wyverns with the world! Members of the army, navy, air force! Commence firing of blanks for three minutes!” the head of the leaders said, shouting himself hoarse.
“Fire!”
Countless artillery shells launched into the sky with deafening sounds.
The din made the soldiers feel like they had returned to that era of guns and bullets.
They could almost hear their screams as they charged forward and killed their enemies.
They could feel their blood boiling inside them.
Three minutes later, the clamor of guns and cannons stopped, and colorful fireworks lit up the sky.
The soldiers put down their guns and made a standard military salute in unison.
The leaders of the army, navy, and air force formations took the lead in shouting, “Congratulations, Commander! Wyverns, to the sky!”
“Wyverns, to the sky!”
“Wyverns, to the sky!”
Each fervent voice was louder than the one before it, forming an orchestra of voices that lingered for a long time.
In the midst of the soldiers’ impassioned voices, Lydia’s eyes turned red and her voice trembled as she looked at the man before her.
“Did you prepare all this for me?”
“Daddy!”
Emilia ran over as well.
Leo picked the little girl up and turned around slowly.
Suddenly, a dazzling spotlight fell on him.
No one could see his face due to the distance.
To Lydia, however, Leo looked much more majestic than usual, and his eyes were filled with unguarded emotion.
He wore a military uniform, black combat boots, and his chest was adorned with gilded military badges. His smile was gentle as he nodded at her.
“I promised that I’d give you an unforgettable wedding night. I should’ve married you five years ago, but I failed to do that. I hope you can forgive me,” he said in a low voice.
He knelt down on one knee as he spoke, holding an exquisite box in his hand.
He opened the box to reveal an extravagant diamond ring inside.
“The Tears of Venus!”
Cries of surprise came from the guests at the reception.
Leo knelt in front of Lydia; his eyes focused squarely her flawless face. “Lydia, please marry me,” he announced earnestly.
Fireworks shot into the sky and lit up the vast skyline for a long time.
Everyone looked up in unison, watching as countless fireworks bloomed in the sky and merged to spell out a woman’s name.
It read: Lydia Henderson.
In an instant, all the attendees became eager to get a look at the groom’s face.
Unfortunately, the viewing platform was so tall that no one could get a clear look.
“Fireworks all over the city, plus a 150-million-dollar diamond ring! How romantic!”
Some of the socialites were deeply envious.
The Tears of Venus, the diamond ring with its astronomical price tag, was enough to impress all the women in attendance.
Caroline was no exception.
She was beside herself with envy as she stared at the woman on the lookout point. If only she could be in that woman’s place right now…
Then, she would have a groom influential enough to have even the army, navy, and air force congratulate him on his wedding.
William looked upward and muttered to himself, “Looks like Miss Henderson’s husband has a military background…”
No ordinary person would have warranted such fanfare from the army, navy, and air force.
Peter frowned, having noticed this as well. However, a vicious look swiftly crossed his eyes.
The Lawsons had never feared anyone in Emerdale.
Meanwhile, a graceful and curvaceous woman was standing in a dark corner of Oceania.
She was wearing a tight black outfit that seemed to merge with the darkness around her. If one didn’t pay attention, they may not have noticed her at all.
She was looking at the man on the lookout post with mixed emotions, as tears bubbled up in her eyes.
“Mr. Cohen’s wish has finally been fulfilled”, she thought.
The fireworks continued for a long time, but Leo was still kneeling on one knee in front of Lydia.
A minute passed by.
Then, two more minutes.
Lydia remained silent.
But her face was already covered in tears, spoiling her carefully manicured makeup.
“Mommy, marry Daddy!”
The little girl was clapping and grinning from ear to ear.
Lydia wept beautifully. This was her dream wedding, but it was made even more grand and magnificent.
Looking at the man kneeling on the ground before her; the same man who had disappeared for five years, whom she both loved and hated in equal measure, her head was a maelstrom of complicated emotions.
There was joy and gratitude, but also resistance.
She shook her head and rejected him. “I’m sorry.”
The fireworks were still launching and the helicopters were still hovering, but the atmosphere on the viewing platform became deathly silent.
Leo’ faltered in response to her words, and he lowered the diamond ring slowly. “Why?”
He felt cold all over at this moment; as if he had fallen into iced water.
His little girl was stunned too. She stared blankly at her mother, and then began to wail.
“Mommy doesn’t want Daddy, Mommy doesn’t want Emilia either…”
Panicked, Lydia carried Emilia in her arms and also motioned for Leo to stand up. “Don’t take it wrong”, she explained, with a hint of guilt in her voice. “It’s just… It’s all too sudden… I still don’t know you that well. Maybe in the future, at some point, but right now this is all just too much for me to absorb.”
Leo listened patiently to this, then stood up and grabbed her hand. “Okay, I’ll wait for you.”
Lydia looked a little uneasy, but from the perspective of those underneath, it looked as though she had accepted Leo’s proposal.
Thunderous applause could be heard, as everyone clapped.
It was almost a certainty that once the bride’s identity had been exposed, Atlas Beauty would become even more successful in the future.
“Stop this farce right now!”
A cold voice cut through the wedding scene.
Everyone’s expressions changed as they turned to look at Peter.
His voice was low but aggressive. Caroline and his mother, who were sitting at the same table, were taken aback.
This reminded the other guests of something, and they immediately consoled Peter.
“Mr. Lawson, there’s plenty of fish in the sea. You don’t have to fixate on just one woman.”
“That’s right, Mr. Lawson. With your wealth and status, you can have any woman you want. Besides, Miss Henderson is married now…”
Everyone knew that Peter, the eldest son of the Lawson family, loved Lydia. Therefore, it was a surprise that she would get married to someone else without warning.
“Shut up!”
Peter’s face darkened. He stared resentfully at Leo and Lydia above and shouted, “Damn it, Lydia! You even faked a wedding to get rid of me! You must have spent a lot of money on this spectacle, right?”
No one saw this wedding coming at all. He refused to believe that it was anything but a publicity stunt.
Knowing Lydia’s wealth and connections, it would not be difficult for her to prepare for such a grand wedding.
She could have arranged for Alan Rusell, the richest man in Emerdale, to buy the Tears of Venus. And the groom could just be a random actor-for-hire. That would explain why he wouldn’t show his face.
Everything was just for the sake of her lie-the lie that the man who took her virginity five years ago had returned.Text © 2024 NôvelDrama.Org.
The veins on Peter’s forehead bulged and his heart burned with fury at the thought of this.
“You want to get married, right? Well, I’m not letting you!” he said. “Smash this place apart!”
His order prompted a group of well-trained bodyguards clad in black to storm onto the ship.
“How dare you!”
Victor Sharp, the manager of Oceania, looked grim.
Before Peter’s men could make a move, the security officers of Oceania arrived.
The two groups faced off.
“What’s going on?”
Lydia watched the chaotic situation from the viewing platform and frowned.
“Someone’s making trouble.” Leo looked unperturbed.
“What are you waiting for then? Call the cops!” Lydia became anxious.
“Don’t worry. Take Emilia back to her room for now.”
He looked at her confidently. “Leave it to me.”
For some reason, Lydia could feel a sense of security from this man whom she knew little about. Even so, she was worried and asked, “Will you really be fine?”
“Yeah, don’t worry.”
Leo cast a cold look at Peter below. “Is he the one pestering you?”
Lydia hesitated momentarily, before nodding her head in confirmation.
“Okay.”
He watched Lydia and their daughter leave before walking out the back door of the viewing platform.
He changed out of his military uniform and gilded military badges. When he came out again, he was wearing a black suit that made him look cold and aloof.
Now that the wedding had ended, it was time to collect on his debts.
Behind him, Nadine was already on standby. She was still dressed in skin-tight leather clothes. She bowed respectfully toward him.
“Mr. Cohen, should I…”
“Why waste your skills on him?”
Leo smiled. “Bring Hans here.”
“Yes.”
Nadine swiftly disappeared.
If a third party overheard their conversation, they would surely be shocked.
Hans was no ordinary civilian; he was the head of the military region in Emerdale.