After He Gave My Wedding Away, I Built My Empire novel · Chapter 18 of 24

Chapter 18: Front Row

On Saturday, at a quarter to ten, I walked into Linden Hill Chapel in a green dress, with a white envelope in my hand.

Nobody stopped me.

An usher took one look at my face and opened the door wider.

The pews were full on the groom's side and full on the bride's, and both sides were Sayre Holdings.

Rowena had filled the chapel with her own staff.

I saw it in the way they sat, upright and quiet, a room of people waiting to be told when to clap.

My father came down the aisle behind me on his cane, with my mother holding his elbow.

Linnea, the baker and the potter walked in a line after them, in blue, in gray, in a yellow coat, and each of them took a seat in the front row without a word.

Hattie sat in the second row and took out her phone.

The officiant, the same old man in the same gray robe, saw us and put a hand to his collar.

"Please sit," he said. "We're about to begin."

I looked once toward the back.

The last pew was empty.

My stomach dropped, and then I made it stop.

The organ started.

Everyone stood and turned.

Rowena came through the doors in the same ivory gown with the cathedral train and a bouquet of white ranunculus.

She walked alone, because she had no father to give her away and had never needed one.

She was smiling at the room, and she did not stop when she found my row.

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