SEBASTIAN POV

I really hoped that everything I’d carefully planned for today’s sudden wedding would go exactly as intended. Honestly, I didn’t have a backup plan at all. If El ends up rejecting me, then all of this would be for nothing—completely wasted effort.

“Sebastian,” Mom’s gentle voice called out to me, making me turn to her quickly.

“Yes, Mom? What is it?”

“I just wanted to let you know the catering and the snacks for the guests are all taken care of.” She patted my shoulder lightly.

“Why go through all that trouble? I told you, this is just a simple event, Mom. No need for catering. Just ask the kitchen staff to cook a few dishes for us,” I said as I hugged her. “Besides, there won’t be many guests—just us, a few of my friends as witnesses, and the house staff.”

“Whether it’s a big event or a small one, simple or grand, last-minute or planned in advance, there’s no way I’m letting you serve homemade meals at your own wedding.” She gave my shoulder a playful slap. I feigned a pained yelp and grinned. “You think marriage is just child’s play? Go on, focus on the outdoor preparations. Let me handle everything at home.”

I kissed the back of her hand before leaving to pick up Amelie and El from Jerry’s place. He’s an old friend who runs a wedding makeup and formalwear rental business. I had specifically asked Amelie to come up with a plan to get El to Jerry’s without raising her suspicions.

I also arranged for Amelie and Jerry to work together so El would be dressed up and made up in time for the ceremony. The moment I decided to marry her last night, I asked Amelie to pick the most beautiful gown that would suit El perfectly. Fortunately, Jerry had just completed a collection of new wedding dress designs. According to Amelie, one of them would look stunning on El.

Somehow, Amelie and Jerry came up with a brilliant plan to get El dressed in the gown I had purchased and paid for in full the night before. I even bought two matching evening dresses for Mom and Amelie. Following Amelie’s advice, I also bought a suit that matched El’s kebaya.

I tried calling Amelie to check if everything was going smoothly.

Ah! Damn! Why did I just realize I was calling El instead?! I quickly ended the call before she could answer and searched for Amelie’s number again.

“Hello, Mel? How’s it going? Everything ready?” I asked while scanning the street for Jerry’s wedding gallery—it had to be close by now.

“All set! El’s ready. Where are you?” my sister replied, sounding a little impatient.

“Uh, I’m almost there. Wait for me outside if you can—ask Jerry to come too, so we can wrap things up quickly. Also, maybe have someone bring El out to sit and wait until I arrive.”

Once Amelie agreed and hung up, I slowed the car and turned into the parking lot of an office complex at the address she’d given me. Finally, I spotted it. I smiled when I saw the sign with Jerry’s name at the end of the row of buildings.

Quickly, I got out of the car and hurried into Jerry’s wedding gallery. At the front entrance, Jerry and Amelie greeted me.

“Hey, dude! Can’t believe you got here this fast, ha ha ha!” Jerry’s laughter made me smile.

“Thanks, man, for helping me out. I know this is super last-minute.”

“Oh, please! Don’t be a stranger!” Jerry punched my shoulder. “By the way, your fiancée is gorgeous! Man, you’re one lucky guy.” He hit me again playfully.

“Aheeem,” Amelie cleared her throat. “Gentlemen, maybe save the chit-chat for later? Time is ticking.”

Jerry turned to her with a laugh. “Your sister never changes—always the bossy one!” He playfully pinched her cheek, and she immediately glared at him.

“Hey, Jerry! You’ll ruin my makeup!” Amelie snapped while Jerry laughed again.

“It’s fine, the assistant can touch it up later,” he said, pinching her nose this time, making her squeal and protest again. That’s just how we were—Jerry and I had been friends since childhood, so it was natural for the three of us to mess around like kids.

“Alright, that’s enough,” I cut in, halting their playful bickering. “Bro, where’s my suit? I’d rather get changed here to save time.”

“Relax, it’s already prepped in the dressing room. Just go put it on,” Jerry said, walking over to me. “Want me to do your makeup too?”

“Makeup? Come on, guys don’t wear makeup!” I shook my head in refusal.

“No need,” Amelie chimed in. “Just leave it natural. Maybe just fix his hair with a little gel to make him look tidy.”

Thank God for Amelie. I breathed a sigh of relief.

“Alright, follow me,” Jerry said, gesturing for me to come along as he walked away quickly.

We walked down the entrance hallway toward the inner part of the gallery. Our footsteps echoed softly on the marble floor, accompanied by the faint scent of fresh flowers in the air. The walls of the gallery were adorned with displays of wedding dresses and stunning pre-wedding photos—all creations of Jerry, who was already well-known among the socialites.

Amelie walked beside me with an enthusiastic expression. "El is going to love this place," she murmured softly. "Especially when she sees you later at the altar."

I just gave a slight smile. My feelings were a mixture of nervousness, joy, and fear of rejection.

“Don’t space out, bro,” Jerry patted my shoulder from behind. “Focus. This isn’t just a rehearsal.”

We chuckled quietly. When we reached the inside, Jerry opened the door to the men's dressing room and pointed to a deep navy suit with golden embroidery accents, neatly hanging in a glass cabinet.

Before I followed him, I lightly tapped Amelie’s arm.
“Mel, if El starts getting suspicious, maybe you can talk to her. Just explain my plan to marry her.”

“Not fair! Why do I have to do all the explaining?” Amelie sighed.

“Okay, okay, wait until I finish changing into the suit and shoes. How about that?” I offered.

After thinking for a moment, she agreed. “Fine. Now hurry up and get changed! No more chit-chatting with Jerry!”

I chuckled quietly as she grumbled. Once she disappeared into the other room, I quickly moved into Jerry’s wedding gallery to get ready.

***