Runaway Groom

The atmosphere in the bar was quite classy. The music reverberated through the dancefloor. The couples making out, drunk people dancing their hearts out, and blacked-out people was a familiar sight in clubs.

But the sight of a woman in her wedding gown demanding the bartender the strongest drink was a rarely seen sight.

"I am telling you, I want the strongest drink you have here. Spirytus Vodka or Sunset Very Strong Rum. I don't care but I must get drunk."

The woman slurred.

The bartender was feeling helpless he had no idea how to handle this situation.

"Do you know what happened?" the lady slurred recalling the events that happened that day.

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10 hours before

People ran over here and there making last-minute preparations and adjustments. Children ran around the hall while elders chatted in groups. Teenagers and young adults sat in their own groups discussing the latest social media news and trending posts.

A wedding was never an easy event. No matter how much you are prepared something or the other was always missing.

"Alina!! Where is she? Is she ready??"

Alina Hale or the bride of the wedding was the only daughter of Lucifer and Selene Hale, the founders of Hale Corps- a multi-billionaire company ranked in the richest top 10 companies in the country.

Today she was finally getting married to Xavier Lang-son of Shane and Lillian Lang, a multimillionaire himself.

The Hales and Langs were close family friends for years and this arrangement was made by their grandfathers even before they were born.

The doors of the dressing room suddenly opened revealing an ethereal beauty in a wedding dress.

"Mom! Mum! Melissa..!! Damn!! somebody get me food I am really hungry!" she yelled out nervously.

"Calm down tigress!! Here's your food. Finish it before the guests arrive. The wedding will start in an hour." Melissa appeased her.

Melissa Lang or Lisa was Alina's best friend since their birth. She was also the younger sister of Xavier Lang.

Grabbing her gown and food Alina went back to the dressing room. After finishing the food the stylist retouched her makeup. Glancing at her reflection Alina took a deep breath to calm down her wedding jitters.

The reflection in the mirror showed a face with plump lips, lifted and arched eyebrows, smooth skin without a single forehead wrinkle perfected with golden ratio proportions, and light brown eyes. Her mid-waist length caramel brown hair was styled in a messy low bun updo.

Alina touched the reflection on the mirror.

"I look so beautiful!" she remarked with a little sigh.

Lisa shook her head completely ignoring Alina's narcissistic acts.

"How do you feel about finally marrying my brother?"

Alina scoffed at the question.

She didn't know what she felt. To be honest, she grew up knowing the fact that her childhood best friend who had been with her since her birth was the one she was destined to marry. So she loved him since her childhood knowing he would become her husband one day.

Living and spending the rest of her life with him seemed normal. The same as it has been until now, the only difference was the change in the title. She grew up together with the Lang family and siblings so it seemed not very different to her.

But there was a very jittery feeling in her stomach since morning and that definitely irritated her.

"I don't know it feels the same. The wedding does not make a huge difference."

Lisa stared at her for a while before nodding: "Yes, you are right!!"

Alina walked towards the huge window and gazed outside feeling nauseated.

The sight of her very handsome groom anxiously pacing while talking on the phone greeted her. She zoomed in her eyes.

Xavier looked very nervous which was very unlike on his usually ice-cold face. She could detect a hint of worry and concern. She walked out of the side door which led to the outside Pavillion.

"I don't care!!! Get her to the best hospital and get the top surgeons immediately. Find those bastards at the very instant. I'll deal with them myself. I DON'T CARE HOW? MAKE SURE SHE IS FINE!!"

Xavier roared through the phone. Alina trembled she had never seen him this angry with the exception of the incident in their childhood. For Xavier to deal with things himself, it should have touched his bottom line.

Alina watched as he threw his phone on the ground before squatting on the ground. He clutched his head and sank to the ground.

Alina felt a chill go up to her spine upon realization. She immediately rushed towards him and held his face to face her.

Fear, concern, worry, distraught, and heartbreak were revealed through his face.

"What happened?" she inquired softly.

Xavier's defenses broke down and he hugged Alina tightly. She felt tears on her skin.

He was crying!! THE XAVIER LANG WAS CRYING!!!

Alina felt that things would soon go awry.

"What happened Xavier?? Tell me??" she asked him repeatedly.

"Leah!! she is in the hospital and is in a serious condition."

Xavier answered wiping his tears revealing his bloodshot eyes.

A simple sentence was all that she needed.

Leah Tang was the cousin of his business partner who managed their companies in the US. She had met her many times and she was a lovely lady. Alina always felt that Xavier and Leah were a perfect match. Before the finalization of the wedding date, she tried to probe into their relationship and questioned Xavier, but the answer was negative.

And she could guess that it took a freaking accident for the ice-cube Xav to realize that he loved Leah. She could feel his internal conflict battling to stay here and continue the wedding or run off to Leah leaving everything behind.

She was conflicted she didn't know what to do. No matter what happens she is going to be on the losing side.

"Guys!! What are you doing here? The ceremony is soon going to begin." Lisa's voice broke them out of their reverie. Both of them glanced at each other before stabilizing their moods and walked towards the door to the dressing room.

But Lisa had already caught on to the tension between them but she had no time to question them.

Back in the dressing room Xavier and Alina were surrounded by their immediate family. The whole room was festive with the exception of the duo.

Alina tried to suppress her thoughts but she couldn't. It was a matter of life and death.

She abruptly stood up alarming the rest.

"Dad, Mom, Uncle, Auntie, and Lisa we need to talk."

Her somber tone immediately attracted everyone's attention.

The relatives immediately left the room leaving the parents, Lisa, Xavier, and Alina.

"Let us call off the wedding!!"

The room descended into silence while complex emotions passed through everyone's face.

"Why??" Alina's father asked knowing that his daughter wouldn't take such extreme measures until and unless she had no other means.

The rest waited for her answer while Xavier had a conflicted look on her face.

"I love Xavier. He has been there for me since the very beginning. He is my family. All my life he has protected me and cherished me. Now it is my turn."

Her answer confused the rest but Xavier felt tears stream down his face.

She walked towards him and wiped his tears away.

With tears in her eyes, she gave him an ultimatum.

"I'll give you 30 seconds to make your decision or else you'll have no more chances."

Xavier froze for a few seconds before he ran away muttering apologies to the parents.

Lisa and their parents were baffled by their behaviors.

Sobbing her heart out Alina recounted the whole situation to them. Everyone had conflicted looks on their faces.

"Don't worry this changes nothing. Believe me, you guys including Xav is my family and for me no matter what happens the happiness of my family comes first."

Her statement teared up their rest. They couldn't help but feel their hearts ache for the angel standing before them.

Wiping her tears and freshening up herself Alina tried to muster a smile hiding her pain.

"Guess what?? You guys have a wedding to call off and I have a bar to drink off all night."

Lisa and the rest didn't try to stop her, knowing that she needed her personal space.

Replacing her high heels with sneakers Alina left the wedding hall with her held-up pride and arrogance with no resemblance to the crying mess earlier.

The guests and people watched the bride walk out of the wedding elegantly as if nothing happened.

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Present

"... and I walked away ignoring everyone like a queen. I am so cool!! right??"

She ender her storytelling with her self-praising. The bartenders couldn't help but feel sorry for the beautiful angel before them.

"So you called off your Wedding?" a playful voice sounded beside her.

Alina turned in the direction of the voice to come face to face with a hot and handsome man with a flirty look on his face.

"Duh, Yes I was crying and sobbing about it just a few minutes ago."

She had a look of 'are you dumb' on her face.

The man felt amused seeing her reaction.

"Hi!! I am Mark Lee from Korea." He introduced himself.

"Stranger Danger!!" she cautioned him warningly.

Mark was quite amused by the girl's reactions and he felt it would be quite interesting to watch her.

"I can get you Drunk!!" He offered enticingly.

"Fine!! You have to get me drunk and also find me a Karaoke room to sing." She pouted adorably.

Mark sighed at her dorkiness and nodded his head agreeing to her.

The bartenders and managers watched in shock as the girl ordered their boss. Mark winked playfully at them consoling them before navigating Alina to his private hall which was only accessible to him.