The wedding was also held in St. Rowan Cathedral, one of the largest churches in T City and the usual venue for the weddings of prominent families.
When Glades Horne initially chose St. Rowan Cathedral, he hadn’t anticipated marrying Julia Bluen. Consequently, he had overlooked two things: first, that Nicholas Coldwell and Diana Powell had held their wedding there, and second, that Julia herself had suffered humiliation and mockery in that very place. He later intervened, harshly striking back at Nicholas Coldwell and the Powell Family.
After Ruby Bluen fled her wedding, he and Julia registered their marriage. He initially considered choosing a different church but ultimately decided against it. He wanted to hold a private yet dignified wedding in the same location. This would allow Julia to confront the place that had once caused her pain and show her that, even standing there, she could embrace her true happiness.
The weather that day was exceptionally fine. A warm sun hung in the clear blue sky, its light neither too fierce nor too weak, complemented by a cool autumn breeze that made it particularly pleasant.
All relatives from the Horne and Bluen families were en route to the church, and within half an hour, all had arrived.
Because Glades Horne permitted only family members at the wedding, those who knew it was the day of the Horne and Bluen union could only watch from a distance outside the church. They observed secretly, not daring to approach the venue. Even the usually fearless media kept their distance, watching and taking photos covertly.
Although only relatives were in attendance, both were large clans. When gathered, their numbers were considerable; including children, there were well over a hundred people.
Glades Horne wore a white suit—the very one Julia Bluen had given him—accessorized with a red tie, making him appear suave and debonair. His usually inscrutable, handsome face held a gentle smile, softening the intimidating, proud aura he often projected and lending him a touch of approachability. Julia had once said that in a white suit, he looked like a Prince Charming. Now, he was to be her Prince Charming, and she, his Snow White Princess.
He stood inside the church, waiting for Julia’s arrival.
Hansen Ruiz wore a black suit. This was a departure from his usual preference for white, a color that complemented his gentle and refined demeanor. Today’s change to black, however, was surprisingly striking. As the best man, he stood by Glades’s side, awaiting the bride’s arrival.
The relatives from both families were seated in their respective places, all eagerly anticipating the bride.
Adele Horne’s complexion wasn’t the best; she had never liked the idea of Julia becoming her sister-in-law. However, upon seeing her dear brother’s rare, warm smile, she had an intuition—one she wouldn’t admit to herself—that he was radiating happiness.
Though she was close friends with Orlando Evans, Glades Horne was her brother. Witnessing the happiness emanating from Glades, her expression gradually softened, and like the other relatives, a faint smile touched her lips.
Mila Anderson was overcome with emotion.
Her only son was finally getting married. Once married, he would truly be an adult, and her maternal responsibilities would be fulfilled. From now on, she could only hope Julia would live up to expectations and give her a healthy grandson within a year, allowing her to savor the joy of being a grandmother.
The person grinning from ear to ear was the old lady. While others smiled, they harbored some reservations, more or less due to the change in brides. Everyone assumed the old lady was the most delighted because she had always been fond of Julia, unaware of the other reasons for her joy.
The one with an inscrutable and tense expression on his handsome face was James Horne.
Seeing Glades Horne’s faint smile, his heart felt as if it were being pricked by needles.
Unconsciously, his hand, hidden beneath his suit jacket, clenched into a fist.
Perhaps it was James’s unreadable expression that drew Glades’s eye. When Glades swept a glance his way, James met his elder brother’s suddenly sharp and profound gaze and instinctively stretched his lips into a shallow smile.
What hypocrisy! He cursed himself inwardly.
Glades’s piercing gaze lingered on James’s face, which held a shallow, insincere smile. He studied him for about thirty seconds before finally looking away. Those thirty seconds filled James Horne with immense nervousness, terrified that his unnatural admiration for his elder brother might be exposed.
Indeed, he too possessed a handsome appearance like Glades, a similarly composed temperament, and an aura capable of commanding the world. Yet, when truly facing Glades, he realized he could never possess that innate, overwhelming arrogance his brother exuded.
Yes, Glades was the legitimate firstborn son and heir, born with a silver spoon in his mouth, a true favorite of fortune, destined to inherit the Valence Group. He, on the other hand, was merely an illegitimate child. Even though he had been brought back to be raised by the Horne Family and held the title of their Fourth Young Master, he couldn’t touch the slightest portion of the vast family fortune.
Even if he was highly capable and had built his own business empire, his stature still paled in comparison to Glades.
Before long, Julia Bluen arrived.
From a distance, the media saw the Bluen family’s motorcade stop outside the church. They also saw Julia, dressed in a white wedding gown, stepping out of a car. Since her back was to them, they couldn’t see her face clearly. Moreover, due to the distance, they failed to notice that this bride seemed a little taller than usual.
The groom and bride had both arrived, yet friends outside the Horne and Bluen families had their invitations revoked, transforming what should have been a grand wedding into a private affair. Why was that?
Countless questions arose in people’s minds.
Julia, holding her father Chris Bluen’s arm, felt a bit nervous. This was especially true when the eyes of both families focused on her; even the faint smile on her face seemed to stiffen.
She walked down the red-carpeted aisle, one step at a time.
This was her second time entering this church. The first time, she had been betrayed, abandoned, and humiliated. This time, however, she was the true focus, holding her father’s hand, wearing a pristine wedding dress worth several million. She walked towards the man who could offer her stability and happiness, bathed in the gazes of the attendees and carrying their blessings. The two experiences evoked completely different feelings, worlds apart from each other.