Unveiled: The Survivor's Triumph
Chapter 228 A Lifetime So Long

Nora grabbed the mic, her voice all choked up.

"Today, I got married. Finding the right person at the right time is pure luck and happiness. I gotta give a special shoutout to Emily, my classmate and boss. Emily, life's fair. When one door closes, another one opens. I hope you find your true happiness too, so I want to give you this bouquet myself."

Frank's face went pale as he listened. He tugged on Nora's sleeve, trying to get her to stop, but she ignored him and looked straight at me, saying, "Emily, can you come up here?"

Everyone turned to look at me, waiting. I was stuck, not sure if I should go up or not.

I glanced over at Ethan. He was busy chatting and laughing with that gorgeous woman, totally unaware of what was going on.

I took a deep breath, stood up, and walked to the stage.

Once I was up there, I avoided looking at anyone in the crowd.

Taking the bouquet from Nora, I felt it was like a ton of bricks.

"Ms. Russell, do you have anything to say to the bride and groom?" The host handed me the mic out of nowhere.

I took it, pulled myself together, and forced a smile. "There are so many people in this world, and for two people to come together is rarer than winning the lottery. It shows you are meant to be. I wish you eternal happiness and a long life together."

From the moment I got on stage to the moment I stepped down, I didn't look at Ethan once. After stepping down, some male classmates came over to chat. I was exhausted but had to keep smiling.

The wedding banquet was about to start, and everyone headed to the banquet hall in the winery.

Not knowing that Ethan and I got divorced, Frank had seated us at the same table.

I wanted to switch seats, but the other tables were full, and Ethan and that woman were already sitting across from me.

He didn't seem to mind sitting with me, so why should I care? I decided to act like he wasn't there.

Jason sat next to me, along with a few other friends of Frank and Ethan. Many of them knew about my past with Ethan, so the vibe was a bit awkward. Only Ethan seemed chill, occasionally serving food to that woman, just like he used to do for me.

I tried to ignore it, but it still stung.

Jason served me some food and said, "Eat up, the food here is pretty special."

I thanked him, and just then, the waiter came to serve more dishes and added a few jugs of wine to each table.

The wine jugs were these beautiful, classic ceramic ones. The waiter explained that the wine was made using a secret recipe passed down for decades at the winery.

I picked up a jug and said with a smile, "It must be really good then."

I poured a glass and took a sip.

Enduring the burn in my throat, I said, "It really is good wine."

I didn't know much about wine, but right now, any wine that could numb my pain and get me drunk was good wine.

"Mr. Windsor, let me pour you some."

The woman picked up the jug and poured wine for Ethan, her voice sweet and her body close to his, almost touching his face as she spoke.

Ethan used to have this aura that kept people at a distance, but now, he didn't mind the woman getting close, looking more like a playboy.

I wanted to act indifferent, but it hurt inside. But I couldn't cry, that would be too embarrassing.

Some old classmates came over to toast with me, and I didn't refuse anyone. Some successful male classmates took the chance to ask for my contact info. Knowing their intentions, I still gave it to them because they were old classmates. So, I drank and handed out my contact info.

After drinking too much, my face started to burn, and my head felt dizzy. All I could see was Ethan and that woman being all lovey-dovey, which made me feel even worse.

By the time Nora changed her clothes and came over with Frank to toast, I was already pretty tipsy. Jason had tried to stop me, but I didn't listen.

Feeling so miserable, I couldn't find any other way to ease the pain except to numb myself with alcohol.

Nora, now in a stunning evening gown, came over with Frank. After toasting everyone, Nora said she wanted to toast me specifically.

I stood up shakily with my glass, smiling, "It just shows you are meant to be."

I said to Frank, "Treat Nora well."

Frank immediately stood up straight and promised, "Don't worry, I will treat her well for the rest of my life."

These kinds of vows sounded all too familiar, and right now, they even seemed a bit funny, so I couldn't help but laugh while holding my glass. "Until you reach the end, you never know who will be there with you."

As soon as I said that, the table went dead silent.

Ethan lowered his head to light a cigarette, staying quiet. The woman next to him said something, and he smiled gently at her.

Seeing the awkward looks on Frank's and Nora's faces, I suddenly snapped back to reality.

"Did I say something wrong? Sorry, I'll drink three glasses as a penalty. I wish you eternal happiness."

After downing three glasses, everything in front of me started to blur.

Nora seemed to get what I was feeling, patted my shoulder, and whispered, "Don't be sad. Didn't you see Ethan and that woman being all lovey-dovey? If you look sad and pitiful here, he'll just feel more triumphant." I touched my face and looked at Nora, confused.

I wanted to seem happy and carefree.

Even though I couldn't let go, I didn't want anyone to see it, especially Ethan.

I drunkenly smiled at Nora, saying, "It's your wedding day, I'm really happy for you."

I must have really drunk too much; my stomach felt uncomfortable. Not wanting to embarrass myself in front of everyone, I grabbed my bag and rushed to the restroom.

After throwing up, I felt a lot better. I washed my face and heard a thud outside the restroom.

Opening the restroom door, I first saw Jason, then Ethan and that woman.

The woman was touching Ethan's face, angrily questioning Jason.

"Who are you? How can you hit him? Do you know who you just hit?"

I glanced at Ethan and saw a bruise on the corner of his mouth.

Jason had his back to me, his shoulders heaving.

They must have heard the restroom door open because they all turned to look at me.

It was the first time today that Ethan looked directly at me. With just one glance, my heart filled with pain. I didn't want to analyze the emotions in his eyes, so I looked away. As I stepped out, my steps were a bit unsteady. Jason supported me just in time.

"Have you had enough to eat? If so, I'll take you home."

I said, "I don't want to eat anymore, let's go."

Jason helped me leave, and even from a distance, I could still hear that woman cursing.

Nora and Frank were busy entertaining guests, so I didn't say goodbye to them and left with Jason.

As the car drove away from the winery, the noise and commotion faded, and the suburban road became very quiet.

But even though the environment was quiet, my mind couldn't calm down. Images of Ethan and that woman laughing and talking kept flashing in my head.

Jason's car was playing soothing music. Leaning against the window, I softly said, "I want to hear a song."

"What song?"

"A love song, 'Love Story.""

He agreed, connected his phone to the Bluetooth, and found the song.

Soon, the song started playing through the speakers.

I still remember the day Ethan played and sang this song. The sun was shining, his smile was gentle, and his eyes were full of affection.

Every line was filled with hope for a beautiful future, but before I knew it, my face was covered in tears.

I had once imagined our future to this song, thinking it was within reach, but in the blink of an eye, everything had changed.

Jason didn't take me home but drove straight to the beach.

"I know you're feeling down. Let's get out and get some fresh air."

In this weather, the sea breeze felt like it was cutting my face, but it quickly sobered me up. The cold wind seemed to clear my head a bit.

The tear stains on my face had dried. As I gazed at the rippling sea, its vastness seemed to offer an outlet for my emotions. Suddenly, I couldn't hold it in any longer and went from silent tears to a full-on breakdown. The quiet beach, apart from the sound of waves and wind, was silent.

Jason was the only one beside me, and he wouldn't laugh at me, so I finally let myself cry out loud.

I didn't know how long I had been holding back my tears, but once they started, I couldn't stop.

Since the day I walked out of the Marriage Bureau, I had been holding in my emotions and tears. Today, it felt like he was deliberately provoking me, and I couldn't hold it in anymore.

I cried until I had no strength left and sat down on the sand, hugging my knees and staring at the waves.

Jason took off his jacket and draped it over me, standing quietly by my side.

Looking into the distance, I saw someone swimming in the sea.

In this weather, it was rare to see someone swimming.

The person was swimming towards us, moving quickly.

I stared at the face that occasionally emerged from the water, my eyes widening.