Chapter 474
That night, Bowen should have been the busiest groom alive, bustling with the fervor of the grand
reception. Yet, the moment Leandro and Seraphina made their entrance, the smile that once graced his
face vanished, never to return.
Even as he asionally exchanged pleasantries with the arriving guests, hisughter was faint, his
eyes betraying a stormy gloom.
Before long, Bowen had slipped away from the entrance of the grand hall.
Simon Martin, mingling among the guests, keenly sensed Bowen’s absence. He promptly sent his
assistant, Isaac, on a search mission.
Isaac scoured the ce without any luck. Eventually, he knocked on the bridal suite, only to find Tania
primping in front of a mirror, surrounded by a gaggle of bridesmaids, all immersed in merry banter.
The sudden appearance of Simon’s aide startled Tania, “What brings you here? Is something wrong?”
“Nothing, nothing at all,” Isaac stammered, “I just came to see if you were ready, miss. I won’t disturb
youdies further.”
Knowing Tania’s inability to keep things under wraps, Isaac dared not divulge Bowen’s disappearance,
fearing the chaos it might unleash. So, with a polite nod, he closed the door and retreated.
Just around the corner, Isaac nearly collided with Andrea. He hesitated for a split second before
greeting her, “Miss Martin.”
Andrea simply nodded, “What are you doing here?”
Isaac furrowed his brow slightly and decided to speak up, “Miss, have you seen Mr. Smith?”
Andrea shook her head, asking, “He’s missing?”
“He was just at the entrance, weing guests,” exined Isaac. “He seemed to leave the banquet
hall, and Mr. Martin sent me looking for him.”
Andrea showed little reaction, merely responding, “Carry on, then.”
With a quick acknowledgment, Isaac hurried off.
Andrea lingered, but then turned and stepped back into the banquet hall.
Amidst thevish spread of a hundred tables, Andrea walked straight to the front, where indeed, she
found Leandro and Seraphina at the third table.
Seraphina was engaging with those around her, and upon spotting Andrea, she waved her over.
Approaching, Andrea joined her away from the crowd, “Your dress is a hit tonight,” Seraphina
commented.
But Andrea was hardly concerned withpliments, “Did you see Bowen when you arrived?”
“He was ying doorman, how could I miss him?” Seraphina replied, adjusting her own gown.
“What did you say to him?” Andrea inquired in a low voice, “He’s gone missing now.”
At this, Seraphina couldn’t suppress a giggle, “Really?”
While inquiring, she scanned the room and indeed noticed the Martin family in a state of subtle
disarray, a stark contrast to the earlier jovial atmosphere.
Seraphina sighed, “Why all the fuss? He’s waited so long for this day; do they really think he’d ditch her
at the altar?”
“That depends on what you told him,” Andrea retorted.
Seraphinaughed again, eyeing Andrea, “Whatever I said, it wouldn’t shake him.”
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As they spoke, Simon rushed past, apanied by an assistant. Seraphina nudged Andrea, who
followed Simon’s lead out the door.
Watching Andrea disappear, Seraphina turned back to Leandro.
Meanwhile, Andrea and Simon arrived at a room guarded by Isaac.
“Miss Martin,” Isaac greeted her.
Andrea simply nodded, eyeing the door behind him, “Did you find him?”
“He’s resting inside,” Isaac informed her.
With another nod, Andrea stood by the door, the room’s soundproof walls concealing any conversation
within. Yet, she chose to wait.
Inside, Bowen, his tuxedo disheveled, cor unbuttoned, sat slouched in an armchair, a cigarette
dangling from his lips. His mind was haunted by the images he had seen on Seraphina’s phone,
especially thest one—Sandra, with the slight swell of early pregnancy.
He knew what he had done. That night, after Sandra betrayed him, rage and desire erupted
unchecked, and he took her against her will.
Her body was not meant for pregnancy, and he had not intended for her to conceive until everything
settled. But that one careless moment led to this—she could indeed be pregnant.
If Sandra was pregnant, the irony was too cruel.
Once, he had sought to take Leandro’s son as a pawn against the Reynolds; now, it was his own flesh
and blood in Leandro’s grip, a tether always pulling.
But that wasn’t the most pressing issue. It was Sandra.
How could she manage alone? How would she protect the child, survive the hardships?
He shouldn’t have cared, yet the thoughts tormented him relentlessly.
“What have you be?” Simon stood at the door, his gaze icy as he beheld Bowen.
Bowen didn’t move, his eyes fixed outside, unseeing, silent.
“Is that all you’ve got?” Simon’s voice was calm but frosty, “A few simple words from a woman can
break you like this. If I had known you were so fragile, what use would I have for you?”
Bowen remained motionless, a man adrift amidst a storm of his own making.
Simon seemed to have little interest in prolonging their conversation. After shooting him a
contemptuous nce, he said, “If all you want to do is hide out in this room, then by all means, hide.
The Martins couldn’t care less if you back out of the wedding at thest minute. But can you afford the
fallout? You’d better think of what you’re getting into.”
With that, Simon turned on his heel, yanked the door open, and strode out.
The moment the door swung open, Andrea was hit with a st of cigarette smoke and couldn’t help but
lower her head and cough.
Simon gave her a heavy look but said nothing.
As Andrea lifted her gaze, she caught sight of Bowen slowly standing up inside the room. His eyes
were bloodshot, and his stare was icy to the core.
“Sorry,” Bowen’s voice was as cold as his look when he finally spoke, “I need a few minutes to pull
myself together.”
He then shut the door. Andrea, seeing this, knew that Bowen had regained hisposure.
The wedding would go on, no matter what.
A sense of unexinable loss washed over Andrea, settling heavily in her heart.
Simon then nced at her again and asked, “What brings you here?”
“I came to see what was going on,” Andrea replied. “I’m d everything’s fine.”
Hearing this, Simon nodded slowly and then questioned, “So, who are you nning to spread this
delightful news to?”
Andrea paused, taken aback. “Dad?”
Simon’s face darkened, his eyes unfathomable as he spoke in a measured tone, “Andrea, don’t forget
you’re part of the Martin family.”
At his words, Andrea felt her breath catch.
Without another word, Simon turned and walked away, leading his entourage out of the scene.