Chapter 6

Hailey's POV

Our wedding day.

The grand ballroom of the Plaza Hotel in New York.

I stood in the bridal suite, wearing the cheap, off-the-rack dress, staring at my reflection.

"Hailey, the quest is at 99%. Once the rings are exchanged, the quest will be complete."

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.

Julian, I am finally going to see you.

Suddenly, the door was kicked open.

Eric's assistant rushed in, drenched in sweat. "Miss Miller, this is bad! Miss Bennett is standing on the roof of the Empire State Building threatening to jump! Mr. Carter rushed over there!"

My eyes snapped open.

I grabbed the hem of my dress and ran. I sprinted down the hallway, ignoring the stares, and managed to block Eric's car right as he was about to leave the hotel driveway.

"Eric, you can't leave!" I grabbed his car door, my voice trembling.

Eric's eyes were bloodshot. "Claire is trying to kill herself! I have to save her!"

"The ceremony starts in ten minutes! If you leave, what about me?" I glared at him. "Just give me five minutes! Exchange the rings with me, and then you can go wherever you want!"

"Hailey, do you even have a heart?!" Eric shoved my hand away, roaring, "Claire is about to lose her life, and all you care about is this stupid wedding! I'm telling you, I'm not doing this today!"

He slammed the door, and the car sped away.

The force of the acceleration threw me onto the asphalt. My palms were scraped raw, blood oozing out.

I watched the tail lights disappear, the light in my eyes fading into darkness.

"Warning! The groom has left the venue. The quest is at risk of failing!"

I slowly pushed myself up from the ground. Ignoring the whispers of the onlookers, I walked back into the ballroom step by step.

Inside, the guests were already whispering.

"Where is the groom?"

"I heard he ran off to save Claire. Hailey is so pathetic, dumped at the altar."

I walked up to the center of the stage, took the microphone from the stunned officiant, and spoke.

"The wedding will proceed." My voice echoed through the speakers, calm and steady.

The crowd went wild.

How could a wedding proceed without a groom?

I didn't care about their stares. I reached into my pocket and pulled out the rusted metal soda tab.

If I put the tab on my own finger, would the System count it as complete?

I raised my hand, preparing to slide the metal ring onto my finger.

Bang.

The heavy double doors of the ballroom were slammed open.

Eric stood there, panting, his suit disheveled, his eyes wild with panic.

Seeing me standing alone on the stage, holding that ridiculous soda tab, a look of profound guilt and agony crossed his face.

He sprinted up the stage, snatched the tab from my hand, and threw it away.

He pulled a spare diamond ring from his pocket, dropped to one knee, his voice shaking. "Hailey... I'm sorry. I'm so sorry I'm late."

The room fell quiet.

I looked at Eric kneeling before me, saying nothing.

Terrified by my silence, he grabbed my hand and desperately slid the diamond ring onto my finger.

"Hailey, we are married now. I will treat you well from now on. I'll make up for everything I owe you."

The moment the ring slid into place, the mechanical voice echoed in my head.

"Ding! The wedding is complete. Quest progress: 100%. Reward issued: Julian Vance has been resurrected. Hailey Miller may exit this world at any time."

I smiled.

For the first time in five years, a genuine, dazzling smile broke across my face.

Eric stared at my smile, completely mesmerized.

"Hailey." He stood up, reaching out to hug me.

But I took a step back, dodging his touch.

"Eric, thank you," I said, looking at him with eyes that held neither love nor hate, but only absolute relief.

Eric froze. "Hailey, what are you doing?"

I didn't answer.

I turned around, grabbed the hem of my cheap dress, and ran toward the massive floor-to-ceiling glass window at the end of the ballroom like a bird escaping its cage.

"Hailey." Eric's eyes widened in horror as he chased after me like a madman.

But it was too late.

I grabbed a heavy chair nearby and smashed it against the glass.

The window shattered. The cold wind howled into the ballroom, whipping my cheap dress around me.

I looked back at Eric one last time, and without a single shred of hesitation, I leaped out.