In Love With Mr. Billionaire

CHAPTER 29- THE BIG DAY

**** Caroline's POV ****

My mom was smiling back at me through the picture frame. I ran my fingertips over her face. Wherever she was, was she still smiling like that? Had going away from my father given her another chance to find happiness? I hoped it had. I hope she was happy today, at this very moment.

It was my wedding day. It was one of the most important days of my life. I was happy—so much more than happy. I wished she was here to see me, to share my happiness with me, to give me assurance before I make the biggest commitment of my life. But she wasn't here.

And it would be fine, as long as she was happy—wherever she was.

The door to my room opened and Nadia walked in. "Everything is done. The car is here. We're good to go," she said.

I placed the picture frame back on the bedside table and gave Nadia a nod. I had spent the whole of the morning getting ready for the big day and Nadia had been there with me all along. Since dad had to stay back at home for an important meeting, he had told me to stop by the house to go to the venue together.

I had done that, no questions asked.

At our arrival, he was still in the middle of an important deal. He had told me to wait till it was done.

I had done that, no questions asked.

"Is he waiting?" I asked Nadia about my father.

"No. He's still in his office. And you asked me not to drag him out so..." Nadia shrugged.

I nodded, then made my way towards his office. "Tell him we'll be late," said Nadia. She had decided to stay out of his office. We both knew her patience had been thinning ever since we arrived at my father's house. It was better she didn't face him.

I knocked on his office door. No response. I knocked for the second time. No reply. Nadia clenched her teeth. With a deep breath, I pushed the doors open.

He was sitting at his desk, looking at the computer screen. When he saw the doors open, he shifted his eyes to me. "Caro," he said with a smile. He was smiling a lot today.

"It's time to leave, dad. We are going to be late," I said. Whether it was my growing impatience at his behavior or my knowledge that I was finally going away from him, I was not sure, but my voice to him was assertive.

His eyes went hard for a split second before he controlled his temper. "You see I have this really important meeting going on, Caro. I'll lose a couple hundred thousand dollars if I leave now," his voice was non-threatening, almost convincing.

"It's my wedding."

"Your mother and sister are going to be there with you, Caro. You will be fine. I need to get this done. I was trying for this deal for months and they called me this morning to have a meeting. I can't just abandon it now."

But he was perfectly fine with abandoning his daughter on her wedding day, I thought to myself. But then, had he ever thought of me as his daughter? He had turned back to his computer screen, convinced that he had made a solid argument.

"Did you ever care?" I asked. The question had crossed my mind every day since he forced mom to leave. Some days, the answer was loud and clear. Some days I had hoped for a different answer. Today, I finally had the courage to ask him.

He looked back at me. He didn't speak instantly. I got my answer.

"I'm very sorry for not being with you today, Caro." The tone he used was the tone he always used with Lahaina—sweet, loving, filled with adoration. All my life I had wished for him to speak to me in a similar manner, but now that he did I realized, it was fake too.