He hadn't talked to Emily since he'd advised her to see Jason, so he didn't know what had happened after she'd agreed to do that. In the meantime, he had been working, serving the guests with endless alcoholic drinks or little snacks before the big moment. Everyone else seemed excited about the big moment, but he was too nervous about the future to want to think about it. There was no way to predict what would happen, and he had no clue what was going on in Jason's suite in the little tower of the castle.

He also didn't know the guy but hoped he wouldn't be mad at River. Would Jason even know it was him? If he'd paid attention to his nameplate, he might see the connection, but River hoped he hadn't.

Someone tapped two times on an empty glass to gain the attention of everyone sitting in the lounge area just as River was putting two more glasses down. "I'd like everyone's attention," a female's voice said, and River saw it was Brooke, Emily's mother. "The ceremony is about to start. Could everyone gather in the ballroom and notify the people who are not here? We'll start at one sharp."

This announcement seemed to get everyone even more excited; faces were smiling, people were standing up and chatter filled the room as everyone began to make their way out.

But it got River scared. Just five minutes until the ballroom was filled with guests and the ceremony began - the ceremony of unifying Emily and Jason forever. In that relationship was no place for River.

And where was Emily? She still was nowhere to be found, but he expected to get some answers before the big moment. Had she found a way to talk it out with Jason? He wished the wedding would be canceled, but didn't know whether it was possible.

"Do you think we're allowed to watch the ceremony too?" Mason, River's colleague, asked him when no one else could hear.

River shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know," he said. "I hope we are, maybe we can sneak in the back." He wasn't curious about the ceremony because he wanted to see Emily marry someone else; he needed to know if there was a solution to the situation and if there was any way of preventing the marriage from happening.

He decided for himself that, even if someone else told him not to, he'd go see the ceremony. He just had to, there was no other option but to go. Whatever was about to happen, it would be interesting and he was standing in the middle of it; no one had the right to deny him to go.

He washed his hands behind the bar and struck his clothes clean. It still felt like he should make a good impression, even if there was no one to leave an impression on. Emily's parents probably didn't like him already and he doubted whether he could change anything about it. Jason wouldn't care what River looked like; Jason always looked better, maybe because he was British, maybe because he was the groom, but more likely because he was Jason.

Jason frickin' King. Must he be so perfect?

It didn't make it any easier for Emily to make a choice between the two of them, River figured. Although he suspected she actually liked him, Jason could offer her a future and much more than he ever could. And she was already walking down the aisle towards him, something he wasn't ready to do for her yet—and he doubted whether she was ready for marrying him too.

"River, are you coming?" Brian asked. "They're instructing the team."

He shook his head. "I—I need to go for a second. To the toilet." He felt his cheeks redden and knew Brian didn't believe a word he said.

Fortunately, Brian let it slide. He walked through the kitchen door after winking and as River walked away, he could hear Brian say, "River will be here in a minute." Though, as River would soon learn, it would be a bit longer than a minute.

The ballroom was hard to miss; the doors were wide open and there was a path laid out with white flower petals. Hoping he didn't take someone else's place, River sneaked in and took a seat in the back while trying not to be of disturbance to others.

Jason was already standing at the end of the aisle, his hands on his back and standing on his toes, then rolling to his heels and back on his toes again. The constant movement made River nervous if he wasn't already and he couldn't read from Jason's face if the nerves came from excitement of marrying Emily—who wouldn't be excited?—or because there would be an important announcement made. River still hadn't given up hope for the latter to happen.

A piano started playing and the chatter died, after which everyone stood up as they awaited the bride. Hundreds of pairs of eyes were fixed on the opening between the doors, wanting to see Emily in her wedding dress and to see the beginning of something beautiful.

And then, she came.

Maybe it was the lighting or that she had had time to touch up a little more, but she seemed even more beautiful than before, when he'd interrupted her while getting ready for the wedding. Her skin was glowing, the dress was whiter and she stood taller, telling of confidence. However, the confidence didn't translate to her face; her smile was missing. That beautiful, joyful, dazzling smile was not there as she walked down the aisle, one arm hooked in her father's—that's when River noticed she'd put on silver bracelets on her wrists to hide the scars she'd just shown him—as her father guided her down the aisle towards Jason. He seemed happier than she was.

There was a brief moment in which he caught her eyes and she saw him too. It was the second that she walked into the room and took her time to look at everyone, and at first there was a shock in her eyes when she realized he was here to see it all. Then, sadness took over.

That was when he knew.

The disappointment was huge. The disbelief was even bigger. He'd been convinced there was still a way out and that they could make it. What about fate? It felt like fate the moment they met, and the whole day they'd spent together had been nothing but perfect.

But now it all came crashing down.

There was no hope, no fate, no love. There was no River and Emily, no perfect solution or a happy ending. Instead, it was Jason and Emily that ended up together, and everyone thought it was the better ending.

People were clapping as she minimized the distance between her and Jason and the attention made her chuckle. Her father whispered something in her ear with a broad smile on his face. But for River, the world seemed to stop turning. He zoned out; the sounds disappeared and he wasn't aware of his surroundings anymore. He stood there like a robot and needed to pinch himself before he believed it was true, and that this was the end.

Then, Emily stood next to Jason after what seemed like an endless walk down the aisle and her father handed her to Jason.

"Thank you, everyone," the officiant said. "I'd like to ask you all to sit down now." She smiled and seemed to enjoy the moment, but it didn't get through to River. He wished he could run down the aisle and yell, "Stop!" but he would make a fool out of himself and he couldn't do that to Emily, not on her wedding day.

Wedding day. It dawned on him that this was just that. Jason and Emily would exchange their vows and promise to never leave each other and be married. It was over already. It had been over even before the moment that River had seen Emily earlier that morning for the first time in months, but he just hadn't wanted to know it, and because of that the disappointment was now even bigger.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today..." the officiant spoke when everyone sat down again, but River didn't pick up any of the words she was saying after that. He just stared at Emily, then Jason, then at Emily again.

And as they were standing there, they seemed perfect together.

*

River blinked twice and looked around. No, it was not a dream, and yes, he was still here. When he looked over the heads of the people sitting before him, he could see Jason and Emily standing in the midst of everyone's attention. Cameras were flashing, lips were smiling, but as for River... He still had trouble believing this was actually over.

"Jason and Emily would like to exchange vows now."

He tried to imagine it. Today was the wedding and in just a moment Emily and Jason would exchange vows. After that, there would be a toast and a big party and everyone would be happy. Tomorrow, all the guests would leave again and he would be here, alone, while they had their happily ever after in San Francisco. The city seemed to be the other side of the world as he knew his life would just be him and Talia again—unless he chose to call the number on that business card.

That darn business card. He'd totally forgotten about it, but it was still in his pocket with slightly more crinkles this time. The opportunity of playing basketball professionally seemed much more likely now that he wouldn't have Emily.

"The first thing I want you to know about Jason," Emily began, and she chuckled as she read her notes, "is that he's a coward." The audience laughed. "That he lets me go first in exchanging the vows is proof of exactly that."

And what about Talia? His mind had too much to think about. What would she do if he wasn't there anymore? She'd get by on her own, River knew that, but he would see her only during the holidays. Was that enough? He'd prefer a career in basketball much over being a waiter for the next thirty years, but he had to factor Talia in and it made everything more difficult.

River shook his head, mumbling to himself. This was not the time to think about that, other things—more important things—were at hand.

"... but Jason's an amazing guy. He's caring, loving, and always puts others first."

Everyone around him seemed to enjoy the ceremony, River realized. Why couldn't he? Yes, it was the love of his life walking down the aisle to someone else, but it was a beautiful ceremony. The least he could do for Emily was try to be happy about it—although it was very tempting to sneak out the same way he'd snuck in and the only thing stopping him from doing that was the fear of hurting Emily. And maybe because he would be caught by the press doing so and he wasn't looking forward to tomorrow's headlines if he was. Who's the mystery guy at the King and Abbington wedding?

"... You're an example for many, and I'm happy that I, as your biggest fan, can say 'I do'."

Everyone started clapping, and Emily folded the note up again and handed it to someone else before turning back to Jason with a broad smile. He was blushing, even when the clapping had died down and everyone was waiting for him to say something.

River reminded himself he needed to pay more attention to what was happening. He was missing out on everything! It was a wedding, it was supposed to be fun, and although River wasn't having much fun at the moment, the least he could do was pretend to enjoy it.

"Jason, you can say something now," the officiant said quietly when it had been silent for a moment and she nudged him in his side to make sure he'd heard her. He just nodded and looked around the room. Everyone held their breath as they awaited his answer and with just the look on his face, he'd managed to get everyone silent; there were not even mumbles or soft chatters and all the eyes were on him. And Jason, being the man that he was, seemed to love it.

He folded his hands together and turned his head towards the bride. "Emily," he said.

River noticed he wasn't holding a note, and was amazed he knew everything he was about to say by memory. But, as he soon learned, he didn't have much to say.

"I don't want to marry you."

* * *

I'm so sorry, I forgot to upload yesterday! I still hope you liked this chapter though 😅 What are we thinking of Jason and him taking the fall? Next week we'll see the end in the last two chapters!