Chapter 7: Rainbows and Revelations

Seven days before the wedding, the construction team arrived.

The sound of drills and hammers echoed through the Ritz ballroom, sawdust mixing with the scent of new fabric. My clipboard was always in hand, my phone buzzing with texts every hour.

Six days before the wedding, the host made his first appearance.

He was a well-known TV host—the Simmons and Luke’s families were old friends, and he had come especially to emcee the wedding.

He wore a navy blue suit, cracking jokes with the hotel staff. I listened to the script; it was excellent.

Not overly sentimental, but warm and welcoming.

Five days before the wedding, I personally "built" a rainbow in the center of the hall.

Handmade colored silk threads, imported from Belgium, totaling 60 miles in length.

In the 25-foot-high hall, each strand was assembled on site.

From color matching to gradient blending, I did it all myself.

It took two full days and nights to complete.

A "halo"—not quite a rainbow, but more beautiful—shone down from the skylight, casting brilliant light across the hall.

Emily stared at it for a long time, her eyes shimmering as if with tears.

Her voice was barely above a whisper. "What’s this design called?"

I was lost in thought for a moment, then answered softly,

"When you meet the right person, it’s like seeing a rainbow for the first time."

Emily forced a smile and looked at me.

She dabbed at her eyes, then said quietly, "On the wedding day, I want to throw the bouquet to you."

I almost laughed, but the ache in my chest said otherwise. I wasn’t the kind of girl who caught bouquets. Not anymore.

I was about to decline when Luke’s voice sounded from across the hall.

His voice carried, breaking the mood. "This rainbow is amazing. Who made it?"

Emily greeted him. "How do you have time to come today?"

Luke picked up his phone to take a picture of the rainbow, said a few words offhandedly, then started looking down at his phone.

A couple of Cubs fans in jerseys joked by the revolving door, while a bellhop wheeled in a cart stacked with deep-dish pizza boxes.

The next moment, my phone vibrated.

It was a message from Luke, with a photo attached.

[Baby, look at the venue decoration for the company event. Isn’t it beautiful?]

Almost at the same time, Luke, hearing a noise, frowned and looked toward the partition.

"Is someone behind there?"