A famous celebrity, Ruby, was shooting daggers at the two with her eyes, her expression visibly filled with jealousy.
She had had her eyes on Ace even before she joined the entertainment industry, promising herself that she'd work hard to get his attention and subsequently become his wife.
Unexpectedly, he married someone else before she got to make a name for herself.
Yet after a long while of waiting, waiting for her dream man to get a divorce, it seemed that it would be to no avail.
"Who knows? I just know my cousin dislikes her, so I'm guessing she was the one who's pestering him!" Lucy said as she looked towards Joanna with disdain, patting Ruby on the shoulder.
"You're just too modest, Ruby. You won't even make a move on him! Now that they're divorced, you should just go for it… My cousin is literally available now! Do you know how many people want him? How can you be so relaxed?"
Ruby was visibly frustrated. "It's not that I don't want to, but I am at the peak of my career now. My new movie is going to premiere soon too. I just can't afford to get into a scandal!'
"But my cousin is single. People would praise you for winning his heart! How could that be considered a scandal then…"
Just then, Lucy let out a sigh. "Though, you have to be careful around that witch, Pierce. Don't be fooled by her nonchalant act. She actually has a lot of tricks up her sleeve, you know?"
"Back then, when Alice was pregnant with Ace's child, Pierce went as far as to destroy her! So I don't dare to provoke her either. I'm avoiding her at all costs!"
Ever since Ace lost her place in the family, Lucy had been meaning to find someone in her circle as a replacement, and Ruby was definitely her best option as of now.
Ruby's beautiful face was brimming with pride and confidence, smiling slyly. "Her tricks are child's play compared to the entertainment industry! You should know that I managed to work up from the bottom to where I am today, so how could I possibly lose to her?"
In order to prevent more gossip, Joanna quickly separated from Ace and headed straight for the dessert section. She had been starving during their quest to find the seashells and wanted to reward herself in some way.
Seeing how the woman was rushing off, Ace felt upset but didn't stop her this time. Instead, he walked backstage to meet with Christopher and the others.
From afar, a figure in white appeared before him. Surprisingly, it was Cecilia in her wedding gown.
Ace furrowed his eyebrows slightly, his expression distant. "Why are you here?"
Cecilia seemed depressed, on the verge of tears, as she said, "Ace, can we go somewhere private for a bit? I have something to say to you."
"Just say it here." Ace remained cold, keeping his distance from the woman.
"I need to speak to you in private. Please, I'm begging you, or else this wedding can't go on…"
Ace looked rather hesitant. Many famous figures were present at Christopher's wedding, and it would be humiliating for Christopher's family if something were to go wrong.
"Stop hesitating, okay? Just take it as a sacrifice for your precious little Chris! I'll move on after our conversation is done!" Cecilia chewed on her lip as she grabbed Ace by the arm, heading straight to the VIP room at the side.
Out of consideration for the bigger picture, Ace reluctantly agreed to follow.
Cecilia shut the door and instantly pounced into the man's arms. It was as if she had been suppressing all her emotions up till now, sobbing hysterically.
"Ace, I regret everything! I really do! I don't love Christopher at all. It's always been you!"
"After breaking up with you, I've always dreamed of getting back together with you. I just didn't think you'd marry so soon! Thank god you've divorced now…"
Tears continued welling up in Cecilia's eyes, her expression pitiful as she stared back at Ace, carefully asking, "What if I told you I wanted to start over? Would you take me away from this wedding?"
"No!" Ace quickly replied, his voice dismissive.
"Impossible!" Cecilia broke down, wailing at this point. She wrapped her arms around his neck, rubbing her cheek against his as before, hoping to rekindle his love.
"You're worried about hurting Christopher. You're holding back your love for me, right? You've never forgotten about me, right?! You feel the same, don't you?!"
"This has nothing to do with Chris." Ace looked frostier now, pushing her away.
"Even if you never ended up with Chris, there's just no hope between us. Please understand that."
"Why?!" Cecilia yelled at Ace, unable to accept the fact that the man no longer loved her.
"You used to love me so deeply!" she moaned. "I remember how you confessed to me under the sakura tree, how you kissed me softly! I know you genuinely loved me!"
"You were willing to give up your position as an heir for me! You would follow me overseas when I was planning to further my studies! How could you give up on love as deep as that?!"
"I admit I once loved you deeply, and that love was genuine too, but that's all in the past now. Both of us have to cherish other people in our lives now. " Ace replied with hidden implications.
He did indeed fall for Cecilia back then, to the point he mistakenly thought he still held feelings for her during his entire marriage.
Only after Joanna divorced him did he finally realize that he missed the genuine love he once provided. It definitely wasn't Cecilia.
With his current single status, he felt like he was just reminiscing about that pure, innocent relationship they once had.
"Hah… cherish others? Who are you talking about, huh?!" Cecilia huffed sarcastically.
"You might not know this, but your precious little Chris is such a fake person! He doesn't even love me. He just thinks my status and background make me a suitable candidate to join his family!"
"They're involved in politics, so, of course, they have to find someone with a scholarly family too…"
"Would you believe me when I say he'd be relieved if I were to become a runaway bride?"
Ace narrowed his eyes. He had never noticed Christopher and Cecilia encountering problems in their relationship.
They've been so lovey-dovey for the past few years, though…'
"Christopher is a logical man. He normally shows his love through his actions. He might not be expressive, but that doesn't mean he doesn't care about you," Ace responded. He didn't wish pain on Cecilia.
He then patted her on her shoulder for extra comfort. "Don't overthink it. Chris does love you."
"Don't try to comfort me. You don't know anything…" Cecilia took a deep breath, her expression bitter.
"So you're rejecting me because you have someone else you'd like to cherish, don't you?"
Ace pressed his lips together, staying silent.
He wondered, 'Do I have someone else? I'm not sure either.'
However, the first person who came to mind was Joanna.
'But we've already ended things…'
"I understand. I lost." Cecilia flashed him a soft smile, then looked upon him with endearing eyes.
"Miss Pierce is an amazing person, and I can tell that she really loves you. I wish only the best for you both. I admit defeat now."
"Alright, it's fine, I'm fine. You should leave now. If you stay here any longer, others might really misunderstand…"
"Really?"
"Really!"
"And about the wedding…"
"The wedding will go as planned." Cecilia shrugged, still smiling. "I'm not a little kid anymore. I just needed to let out some steam. I still have responsibilities.."
"Chris might not love me, but he treats me well. I think I'm considered luckier than most to be able to marry him. I'll definitely cherish him."
"Good."