I Pray That You Forget Me - Chapter 100
‧₊˚ ☁️⋅♡𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ☾.
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It was already dusk, and after moving the reception to the barn for the evening lighting, everyone was seated at the tables, waiting for toasts and dinner when the barn door swung open.
‘Major Felkner?’
I wasn’t the only one who recognized the officer in uniform strolling in with the sound of military boots. The groom, seated at the head table, jumped to his feet and saluted, rushing to greet him.
“Major, it’s an honor to have you here!”
Had the groom invited the Major? The groom wasn’t the major’s direct subordinate, nor did they belong to the same unit, and he was a non-commissioned officer, not an officer, so I hadn’t expected Major Falkner to show up.
If I had known my assumption was wrong, I wouldn’t have come.
“I sincerely apologize for not inviting you, as I didn’t want to impose on your busy schedule.”
But I was right in a way. The Major had crashed a wedding he wasn’t invited to. No wonder the groom and the other soldiers looked so flustered; perhaps the groom didn’t even know him.
“It’s fine, I don’t mind. Enjoy yourselves.”
The man, clearly a product of rudeness and shamelessness, acted as if he was the host of this party. He stood in the middle of the barn, slowly surveying the surroundings. When our eyes met, his gaze stopped on me.
He was looking for me. That’s why he came here.
The moment I realized this, fear began to creep in.
‘What if he comes over? What if he speaks to me—or worse, to Johann—and exposes that I’ve been going in and out of his bedroom…?’
It seemed I understood his purpose for attending this uninvited wedding. Just that thought made me break into a cold sweat as more and more eyes turned from him to me, heightening my anxiety.
‘I—I’m not connected to that person. Everyone knows that.’
Brigitta, who sold herself to the Major, had become wealthy, but I remained poor. It seemed the rumors about me sleeping with the Major or being his mistress were finally being dismissed as pure nonsense.
But now, with the Major scanning the crowd, pinpointing me in the throng, those rumors could easily turn into accepted truths once more. Yet, I couldn’t look away or avoid his gaze. I knew that even the slightest, most trivial action could reignite misunderstandings.
I felt utterly confused, not understanding why he was looking at me, so I shifted my gaze to the surroundings. But why was Johann staring at me like everyone else?
“Major, please, this way.”
Fortunately, the Major didn’t approach me. He followed the groom’s lead to the table where the officers and non-commissioned officers were seated. When the captain at the head table offered his seat, the Major shook his head and gestured for the second lieutenant sitting across from him to move aside.
It was a spot diagonally opposite me, confirming once again that his focus was on me.
But why had he chosen such a crowded place for whatever intimidation he had in mind?
A wave of ominous thoughts washed over me. Was it because there were so many witnesses that I couldn’t just run away the moment he looked my way? I could only hope that this was the least troubling reason, but the situation felt bleak.
With everyone seated now, if I stood up, all eyes would be on me.
The speculation about why I suddenly left without raising a toast or partaking in dinner would undoubtedly swirl, and everyone would assume it was because of the Major.
“To avoid raising suspicion, let’s finish the meal first.”
Johann, sensing that the Major’s intentions were unclear but realizing I was the target, shared my thoughts. I fought the urge to pick at my nails again and waited for the meal to be served.
As we approached the time for the toasts, only a few close family members and friends of the bride and groom stood to offer brief blessings and raise their glasses. Unexpectedly, the Major stood up.
“Sergeant, and Madam.”
He raised his glass respectfully toward the bewildered couple but referred to them simply as ‘Sergeant’ and ‘Madam,’ omitting their surnames.
“I may not be qualified to say this, as a single man with no experience in marriage, but having observed many couples closely, I can still share some insights. So, I will tell you the secret to preventing a marriage from failing based on my experience.”
Why was he discussing failures at a wedding?
“It all boils down to trust.”
