With no bride in sight, the wedding banquet descended into chaos. Alone, I walked up to the stage, while the guests murmured among themselves.
"Where's the bride? Why is it just the groom?"
"This is so strange. What's going on?"
...
I grabbed the microphone from the host and spoke in a low voice. "On this joyous day, I'm afraid I have to apologize. My fiancée just decided she doesn't want to marry me, so the engagement is off. But please, enjoy the feast. Eat well, drink well."
Then I walked off the stage, my body trembling. After three months of preparation, the bride was nowhere to be found. It was all just a big joke.
My face was pale, and I could feel the guests' pitying stares.
I tried calling Grace, but all I got was a mechanical voice: "The number you dialed is currently unavailable. Please try again later."
The empty beeping was all I heard.
I opened my phone and was shocked to see Cindy's latest post on her social media.
The photo showed two hands tightly intertwined, fingers locked together. The man, wearing a hospital gown, bore an uncanny resemblance to me. Cindy, in our custom-made wedding outfit, was blushing as she leaned against him, covering her face shyly.