chapter 6

As she drew closer, Eric studied the face under the white veil and suddenly realized it was Felicia.

What was going on?

Eric froze instantly.

How could this be?

Could the person I saw at the airport earlier actually have been Nicole?

He replayed every detail of Nicole boarding the plane in his mind.

She had worn a fully covered hat and a big mask, and no matter what he said, she had stayed silent.

None of it matched Felicia's usual behavior.

At the time, he had felt something was off, but he hadn't suspected anything.

So the one who left was Nicole?

Eric was completely confused, unsure where things had gone wrong.

"Eric, today I finally marry you!" Felicia's eyes flickered with a hint of triumph.

Watching the couple, Keith smiled and placed Felicia's hand in Eric's. "Eric, Felicia is my most cherished daughter. Now I entrust her to you. Take good care of her from now on."

Eric felt his heart ache, as if pricked by a thousand needles, and he stepped back two paces.

With a sharp smack, he threw the bouquet to the ground.

"Why is this happening? The person I was supposed to marry is Nicole, not Felicia!"

In an instant, the previously quiet hall erupted in shock.

Felicia's bright expression immediately darkened, tears glinting in her eyes.

"Eric, you've always treated me well and wanted to marry me. How can you change your mind now?"

Eric's parents hurried over, looking astonished. "Eric, what's going on?"

Keith's face darkened. "Eric, isn't my precious daughter good enough for you? The marriage alliance between our families never stipulated that you must marry Nicole."

Some guests immediately spoke up in objection.

"I heard Felicia is an illegitimate child, born out of wedlock. And with the Hudsons' massive fortune, Eric is planning to marry an illegitimate child with no social standing. If this gets out, it could ruin their reputation, couldn't it?"

Keith immediately snapped angrily, "Shut up! Who do you think you are, spouting nonsense here? Today is my daughter's wedding—what right do you, an outsider, have to say such things?"

The person refused to back down.

He clicked his tongue and said, "Feeling guilty? Looks like the rumors are true."

Eric's mother, Laura Aguilar, could no longer contain herself. "Eric, what is going on? Weren't you supposed to marry Nicole? Why is it someone else?

"We're a family that values our standing, and the Chapmans are really taking advantage—bringing some illegitimate child out of nowhere to fool us. It's absolutely outrageous!"

Eric's father, Maynard Hudson, quickly chimed in, "If someone wants to marry into our family, it has to be proper and aboveboard. I would never allow Eric to marry an illegitimate child!"

Keith suddenly raised his voice. "Let me make this clear—Felicia didn't just appear out of nowhere, and she's not an illegitimate child. She is my biological daughter—Nicole's younger sister!"

"Do you have any proof? Like a DNA test or something?"

Keith, who had been shouting moments ago, suddenly weakened.

"See? All talk and no evidence," someone sneered.

"Even as a father, you can't produce evidence. Looks like the bride really is a illegitimate child."

"I do have proof!" Keith suddenly said.

With that, he immediately made a phone call.

"The evidence will be here shortly. Please be patient," he told everyone.

About 20 minutes later, Keith's assistant entered and handed him a file folder.

Keith hurriedly pulled out a white birth certificate from the folder.

"This is the proof," he said proudly, waving it at everyone.

A socialite took the document and opened it, reading quietly, "Father's name—Keith Chapman. Looks like she really is his biological daughter."

She then handed it to another socialite nearby.

The second socialite glanced at it and suddenly exclaimed, as if uncovering a hidden truth, "Isn't Mr. Chapman's wife's last name Wade? Why does the mother's name on this form say Rowena Thompson?"

Curiosity instantly spread through the guests, all leaning in to see.

Some of them smirked. "This birth certificate is indeed evidence—but it doesn't prove that Felicia is the Chapman family' legitimate daughter. It actually shows that she is an illegitimate child, because her mother's name is Rowena Thompson."

At that moment, the assistant who had just left ran back in a panic and told Keith, "Mr. Chapman, there's a huge problem! The news about you forcing your legitimate daughter to marry abroad for the illegitimate child is trending online!"

Keith's fury exploded. "It must be that rebellious Nicole! I was wondering why she suddenly volunteered for the marriage alliance in Entogow…"

Watching and listening quietly, Eric suddenly understood everything—why Nicole had been hostile toward Felicia from the start and why she had always challenged Keith.