Say Less I Love You Episode 17

Chapter 194

NYLA

I stand frozen in the pews, watching the chaos unfold. The magnificent cathedral, with its soaring arches and stained glass windows, now feels like a stage for some surreal drama. Hilda's voice, usually so commanding, trembles slightly as she addresses the bewildered crowd.

"Due to unexpected health concerns, we must postpone today's ceremony," she announces, her hands clasped tightly together. "We appreciate your understanding and rest assured we will announce a new date shortly."

The whispers start immediately, a rising tide of speculation washing through the church. I catch fragments of conversations - "Cancer?" "Cold feet?" "Scandal?" - as the guests begin to file out, their designer outfits rustling against the wooden pews.

Jacob stands at the altar, looking lost and smaller somehow without Trixa beside him. His bow tie is slightly crooked, and I resist the urge to straighten it.

"Nyla!" His voice cuts through the murmurs as he rushes toward me, nearly tripping over his own feet. "Did you see anything? When you were with her earlier?"

I shake my head, remembering our strange interaction. "She seemed... off. But I thought it was just wedding jitters."

"Off how?" His eyes search mine desperately.

"I don't know, I think see saw someone. I didn't see who," I say quietly. 

"Jacob!" Hilda's sharp voice interrupts us. She's maintaining her composure, but I can see the cracks in her perfect facade. Her hands shake as she clutches her designer clutch. "We need to handle this situation immediately."

But Jacob ignores her, his attention focused entirely on me. "What else? Tell me everything."

The desperation in his voice makes my heart ache. Here we are, in this massive church filled with flowers that cost more than my yearly salary, and the bride has vanished like smoke.

"I think..." I start, but Hilda cuts me off again.

"Jacob, now!" she demands, her voice echoing off the cathedral walls.

I stand awkwardly to the side as Jacob and Hilda huddle near the altar, their hushed voices carrying through the now-empty church. Hilda's eyes keep darting to me, filled with barely contained venom.

"She must have something to do with this," Hilda hisses, not even trying to lower her voice. "Always plotting, always scheming."

"Mother, stop," Jacob says, running a hand through his hair. "This isn't helping."

"Well, what do you suggest we do? You've been made a laughingstock in front of the entire city."

"Stop!" Julia's voice rings out as she bursts through the side door, waving a cream-colored envelope. "I found this in the bridal suite."

Jacob snatches the letter, his hands trembling as he breaks the seal. The paper rustles in the silence.

"Dear Jacob," he reads, his voice catching. "By the time you read this, I'll be gone. The cancer... it's spread. The doctors gave me weeks, maybe a month. I couldn't bear to trap you in a marriage that would end before it began."

My heart clenches as Jacob's voice breaks. He takes a shaky breath before continuing.

"There's something else you should know. Nyla isn't just some nurse who came into our lives by chance. She's my sister – we share the same father. I've known since she donated her bone marrow. I couldn't let you marry me knowing your heart belongs with her. It always has."

Hilda gasps, her hand flying to her throat. Jacob's eyes find mine across the space between us, filled with questions and something else – hope, maybe?

"Be happy, both of you," Jacob reads the final lines. "You deserve it. Love, Trixa."

The letter falls from Jacob's hands, floating to the floor like a fallen leaf. The silence in the cathedral is deafening as we all absorb Trixa's words.

I stand frozen as Hilda's voice rises through the cathedral, her hands gesturing wildly. "This is preposterous! We have three hundred guests at the Plaza, waiting for—"

"Mother, stop." Jacob's voice cuts through her protests like a knife. His eyes find mine across the room, intense and unwavering. "I don't care about the guests or the Plaza or any of it."

"Jacob, you can't possibly—" Hilda starts again, but Jacob steps away from the altar, moving toward me with determined strides.

"I love her," he declares, his voice echoing off the vaulted ceiling. "I've always loved her. Even when I tried to deny it, even when I convinced myself I could make it work with Trixa." 

My heart pounds against my ribs as he approaches. The morning light streams through the stained glass windows, casting colorful shadows across his face.

"I love you, Nyla Thomas," he says, taking my hands in his. "Through all the schemes, the lies, the misunderstandings – it's always been you."

Tears blur my vision as I look up at him. "I love you too," I whisper, my voice catching. "God help me, I've tried not to. But I can't stop loving you, Jacob Stone."

"This is absolutely—" Hilda begins, but Julia grabs her arm.

"Mom," Julia says firmly. "Look at them."

I barely register Hilda's silence as Jacob's thumb wipes away a tear from my cheek. The touch sends electricity through my skin, just like it always has.

"We've wasted so much time," he murmurs.

"Then let's not waste anymore," I reply, squeezing his hands.

Jacob's lips find mine, and the world dissolves into a kaleidoscope of sensations. The kiss is different from our previous ones - no more hiding, no more guilt, no more pretense. His hands cup my face with a tenderness that makes my heart ache.

"I can't believe this is real," I whisper against his mouth.

He pulls back slightly, his thumbs tracing my cheekbones. "Believe it. No more running, no more games."

I wind my arms around his neck, drinking in the warmth of his body against mine. The expensive fabric of his tuxedo feels smooth under my fingertips. "Your mother is going to have an aneurysm."

"Let her," he murmurs, pulling me closer. "I'm done living for everyone else."

His lips capture mine again, and I melt into him. The kiss deepens, becoming something primal and desperate. Years of longing, of denial, of watching each other from afar - it all pours into this moment.

"Get a room, you two," Julia calls out, but I can hear the smile in her voice.

I break away, laughing softly. "We're in a church."

"God's house or not, I'm not watching this display," Hilda announces, her heels clicking sharply as she strides toward the exit.

Jacob's arms tighten around me. "Thank you, Trixa," he whispers, his eyes glistening with unshed tears.

I nod, my own eyes welling up. "She gave us an incredible gift."

His forehead rests against mine, our breaths mingling. "No more wasted time," he promises.

"No more wasted time," I agree, pulling him down for another kiss.