Ch. Bounded To My Mate 5 Bounded To My Mate 5

At nine that morning, cars packed the area outside Blue Rose Manor.

I sat before the floor-to-ceiling windows in the master bedroom, with a clear view of the entrance below.

Tom had his phone out and was livestreaming.

“Look at this, boys.

“This is Blue Rose Manor, the most luxurious venue in the region.

“We aren’t just here for a wedding today. We’re here to witness a miracle.”

He waggled his eyebrows at the camera. “And Sophie, the girl who used to weigh two hundred pounds, is coming today too.”

The livestream chat instantly flooded with comments.

“If she gets inside, she’ll stomp straight through the floor.”

Ella stood beneath the flower arch in her white wedding gown, greeting guests, while Jack stood smugly beside her.

Behind them hung an absurd dress.

Pink, and as wide as a tent.

A sign hung from it: “CUSTOM BRIDESMAID DRESS FOR SOPHIE.”

A few of the women pulled out their phones to snap pictures of the oversized dress.

“Is that thing made out of a parachute?”

“Ella’s so thoughtful. She even had it custom-made just for Sophie.”

“When Sophie puts that on, she’ll be the center of attention.”

Tom aimed the camera at the lawn entrance as several people excitedly discussed how they planned to humiliate me when I arrived.

Ella tagged me in the group chat. “Sophie, the ceremony’s about to start. You didn’t chicken out on the way over, did you? Scared you’ll embarrass yourself?”

The others jeered, “Guess that two-hundred-plus-pound hunk of lard can’t get moving. What a joke!”

“Jack, if she really rolls up, be gracious. You promised her the first dance.”

Jack adjusted his bow tie and sneered. “Relax. I’ve already got a ridiculous dance track queued up. It’s perfect for her.”

I replied, “I’m here. About to make my entrance.”

Tom stood at center stage with a microphone and called out excitedly, “Now, let’s welcome today’s most special guest!”

The crowd erupted in rowdy cheers, trading knowing looks as they waited for their prank to land.

“Five!”

“Four!”

“Three!”

“Two!”

“One!”

Barely suppressed snickers threaded through the countdown.

On cue, the ornate white gates at the lawn entrance slowly swung open.

But the next moment, the entire lawn fell dead silent.

A fitted, deep-red mermaid gown hugged a flawless hourglass figure.

The plunging back revealed sharply defined shoulder blades and the clean line of my spine. Long golden waves spilled loosely over one shoulder, and crimson lips completed the cool, glamorous look. My presence was impossible to ignore.

I walked toward the center of the lawn in four-inch heels, one step at a time.

The classmates around me froze with their phones raised, forgetting even to tap the shutter.

Jack’s champagne glass wobbled, splashing champagne down his pant leg.

The smile froze on Ella’s face and her eyes went wide.

Several of my male classmates in the front row held their breath and stared straight at me.

“Who… who is that?”

“Has some supermodel wandered into the wrong venue?”

“That’s the bridesmaid? Did Ella bring in a celebrity?”