Chapter 21
Cersei and her mother stood at the door, waving goodbye as the Moore family’s car disappeared into the distance. The wedding date had been set for April of the following year; a time neither too cold nor too hot. Esme stroked Cersei’s hand, a hint of sadness in her eyes. “So soon, you’ll be married.”
Cersei’s parents had divorced many years ago. Due to Esme’s poor health, Cersei had lived with her father after the divorce. Though her father hadn’t prevented them from meeting, for various reasons, their contact had been minimal. Later, when her father passed away, Esme had returned briefly and asked if Cersei wanted to go abroad with her. But at that time, she was deeply in love with Louis and declined the offer. It was only in recent years that they finally got to truly spend time together.
Esme felt heartbroken about Cersei’s past experiences and guilty for her absence in Cersei’s life. That’s why, when Hurley and Cersei had discussed returning to New York, she had refused Cersei’s proposal to join them, fearing she would become a burden. Until Hurley found her, telling her of his plans to propose. And in the process, he helped resolve her inner conflict. Indeed, if she remained hidden abroad, her regrets would only multiply. Plus, if she were by Cersei’s side, at least she wouldn’t be alone if things went wrong. Perhaps because of this epiphany, her health had improved rapidly during that period. Fortunately, she still had the chance to be part of Cersei’s future.
Cersei smiled with satisfaction as she leaned against her mother’s shoulder. “I’m grateful to have you by my side, Mom.”
Chapter 21
The once-quiet Winters’ home now had a warmth to it. Esme pasted bright, joyful wedding symbols on the windows. The night before the wedding, the lights in the Winters house remained on through the night. Early the next morning, before dawn had fully broken, the wedding cars arrived to take Cersei and her mother to the pre-booked hotel. Shortly after their arrival, the styling team also appeared.
Cersei looked at herself in the mirror, momentarily dazed. She was actually getting married again. “Ms. Winters, your skin is gorgeous. You barely need any makeup—you’re already perfect,” the makeup artist said with admiration while working. Cersei smiled without responding.
Once the preparations were finished, the ceremony was about to begin. Esme had come to check on things, but seeing Cersei fully made up, she felt a wave of emotion. During Cersei’s first wedding, Esme couldn’t attend due to her health. This time, she could finally make up for that.
Noticing her mother’s emotions, Cersei walked over and gave her a comforting hug. “Today is my wedding day—a joyous occasion. No tears, okay?” Esme quickly tilted her head back to hold back her tears, nodding in agreement. “Right, it’s a happy day.”
As mother and daughter talked for a while, someone came to hurry them along. Just as there was a knock on the makeup room door, Cersei remembered it was about time and asked, “Is it time to go in?” Her mother snapped out of her reverie and nodded. “Yes, I came to check on you, and we ended up chatting. Time really flies.”
Opening the door, it was indeed staff inquiring about their status. Cersei nodded and followed them to the entrance area.
Unlike the touching scenes here, the banquet hall was much livelier. To show how much they valued Cersei, the wedding was grand. He stood with his parents greeting guests, his gaze frequently scanning toward the bride’s entrance. Noticing this, his parents exchanged amused glances. “Seems like a man can’t be kept if he’s not married. His bride hasn’t even walked in yet, and he’s already looking like a lovesick fool.”
Hurley cleared his throat to hide his embarrassment, the tips of his ears turning slightly red. But in a moment, he regained his composure and responded with a confident grin. “That’s precisely why I was able to marry her so quickly!” His proud expression made his parents shake their heads, but they didn’t think much of it. Seeing the time was near, they started nudging him along.