Ryzel staggered forward, his steps unsteady as he made his way toward Zeus and Ceres, who both stood frozen in place.
"Ryzel, you're drunk. Stop embarrassing me and your mother," Mr. Clark's voice was sharp, filled with warning as he grabbed his son's arm, preventing him from going any further.
"I'm fine, Dad. I promise I won't embarrass you," Ryzel replied with a lazy grin before yanking his arm free. He turned and continued walking toward the center of the garden, where all eyes were now on him.
The once lively celebration of Cielo and Romos' wedding had gone eerily silent. The guests barely breathed as they watched the unfolding scene with anticipation and dread.
Zeus immediately stepped forward, positioning himself in front of Ceres, shielding her behind his broad frame. Whatever amusement they had felt earlier had disappeared completely, replaced by tense wariness.
"Stay where you are, Ryzel, or I swear to God," Zeus warned.
But Ryzel acted as though Zeus didn't exist. His glassy eyes were locked onto Ceres, an unsettling mix of longing and desperation swirling within them.
"Babe," he choked out, the old endearment sounding broken, hollow. "I have something for you."
Ceres raised an unimpressed brow, arms folded over her chest, making it painfully clear she was uninterested.
"Ryzel, stop this!" Ciena rushed toward him, grabbing his arm in an attempt to pull him back.
"I said, SHUT UP!" Ryzel snapped, violently shoving Ciena aside. She stumbled back, her expression stunned, but he didn't spare her another glance. His attention was solely on Ceres.
Reaching into the pocket of his suit pants, Ryzel pulled out a small velvet ring box.
"What the hell is he thinking?" Caspian muttered under his breath.
Even before Ryzel flipped the box open, everyone already knew what was inside.
"What the fuck?!" Xavier cursed as Ryzel suddenly dropped down on one knee, presenting the ring to Ceres.
"Babe, look," Ryzel said, smiling as though this were the happiest moment of his life. "I had this made just for you."
The ring inside was exquisite—undeniably expensive, with a diamond so large it captured the light from every angle. It was a ring that cried out wealth, status, and desperation.
Ryzel reached out to take Ceres's hand, but before he could even graze her fingers, Zeus intercepted, gripping Ryzel's wrist in a crushing hold.
"Get him out of here before I break his arms," Zeus said coolly, his voice deceptively calm, but the sheer rage burning in his eyes betrayed him.
At his command, two security guards stepped forward, grabbing Ryzel by the arms, ready to drag him away. But Ryzel thrashed violently, his drunken state fueling his resistance.
"Let me go! Do you even know who I am? I could have you fired!" he raged, pointing aggressively at the guards, even kicking them in frustration.
"Let him be."
The soft yet firm words came from Ceres, making Zeus snap his head toward her in disbelief.
"Love," Zeus murmured, his pain and disappointment flashing across his face before he quickly masked it.
Ceres merely smiled and reached up, cupping his cheek with her hand, silently asking him to trust her.
"Let him speak his mind. I don't want to ruin this day completely... It's my mom and dad's special day. If we shut him down now, he's only going to make things worse," she said calmly.
Zeus inhaled deeply through his nose before exhaling in frustration. He had no choice but to relent. With a slight wave of his hand, he signaled the security to back off.
Ryzel smirked smugly, straightened his suit, and glared at the guards as if he had won something. He even had the audacity to laugh, his drunken arrogance growing stronger.
Turning back to Ceres, his face softened as though he truly believed he still had a chance.
"I knew it," Ryzel said, his voice thick with drunken confidence. "You can't resist me." His gaze flickered toward Zeus, his lips curling into a smirk as if challenging him.
Then, as if to prove his point, he dropped to one knee again, opening the small velvet ring box.
"Babe, please, come back to me. I know you don't really love Zeus."
A collective gasp rippled through the wedding guests.
"Now that I know you were just using him to make me step up, I understand everything," Ryzel continued, nodding to himself as if he had just solved a great mystery. "And I concede. You win. Just tell me what you want, and I'll do anything... anything at all. Just please, come back to me." He flashed a drunken smile at Ceres, his eyes gleaming with delusion. "Let's go through with the wedding. Everything has already been set."
Ceres didn't react immediately. Instead, she tilted her head, her expression unreadable. Then, her voice came, sharp and laced with sarcasm.
"And what about Ciena?" she asked. "She was the one who planned that wedding. Her name is on the marriage license."
Ryzel scoffed at the mention of Ciena, completely unfazed.
"Who cares about her?" he said, grinning. "I never planned on marrying her in the first place. We can always get a new marriage license. With my name and yours... it'll be easy."
Ciena, who had been frozen in place, snapped out of her daze at his words.
"Ryzel, she's playing you!" she shouted, rushing forward to pull him up. "Do you really think that after everything she's learned, she would still choose you? Do you think she'd forgive you that easily? You cheated on her with me!"
"Stay out of this!" Ryzel roared, violently yanking his arm away and grabbing Ciena's wrist in a crushing grip. His nails dug into her skin, making her wince. "She loves me! She still loves me!"
His voice cracked as he repeated those words like a madman, as if saying them enough times would make them true.
But Ciena wasn't backing down either. Desperation clung to her like a second skin. She had no one left... no allies, no support. Even Ryza, who had once been close to her since she moved in with the Monteverdes, had abandoned her. No one was on her side anymore.
"You can't leave me, Ryzel," Ciena said firmly.
Ryzel let out a sharp, mocking laugh. "And why not? I don't love you. I never did. You weren't even a virgin the first time we slept together!" he spat. "And don't act like I forced you. You threw yourself at me because Zeus wouldn't give you the time of day!"
A collective gasp spread through the crowd.
"Oh my God. Slut." Diana muttered under her breath, unable to hold back the disgust lacing her voice. The entire situation was spiraling into something almost comedic, a ridiculous drama unfolding in the middle of an elegant wedding.
Ciena, however, seemed unfazed by the insult. Instead, she lifted her chin and screamed, "You can't leave me!"
Ryzel rolled his eyes, shaking his head in exasperation. "And why the hell not?!"
"Because I'm pregnant!" Ciena shrieked. "And you're the father!"
All the color drained from Ryzel's face. His head jerked back as if she had physically struck him. Then, he let out a breathless, panicked laugh.
"No. No. No. You're lying," he whispered in horror, his voice rising in hysteria. His eyes darted to Ceres. But Ceres simply raised an eyebrow, utterly unimpressed.
"Babe, don't listen to her," Ryzel pleaded, desperation oozing from his every word. "She's not pregnant! That's impossible."
Ciena let out a bitter laugh. "Impossible? Maybe you didn't love me. Maybe you never wanted me. But you sure as hell had no problem using my body, did you?" she spat. "Because I gave you something Ceres never did."
"I was careful!" Ryzel's voice cracked in disbelief. "I always used protection! And you... you were on the pill!"
Ciena's lips twisted into a knowing smirk. "Well," she drawled. "I stopped taking them."
Ryzel looked like he'd been sucker-punched. "What?!"
"Why would I need birth control when we were already engaged?" Ciena shrugged as if the answer should have been obvious. "We are getting married, Ryzel. A child would've just made it real."
"I don't want that child!" Ryzel suddenly shouted, his face contorted with disgust. "You fucking abort that baby!"
A loud slap echoed through the air.
Everyone froze. Even Zeus tensed.
Ceres stood in front of Ryzel, her hand still raised from the force of the slap, her entire body shaking with rage.
"You want me to come back to you?" she asked, her voice laced with venom. "And yet, here you are, demanding the abortion of your own child?"
Ryzel barely had time to react before she stepped closer, her eyes blazing with disgust.
"Do you really think I'd get back together with you? Marry someone so heartless that he'd willingly kill an innocent baby?" she hissed. "Grow the fuck up, Ryzel. Even if Ciena weren't pregnant, I would never... never... come back to you."
Her voice rose with every word, her anger spilling over like an uncontrollable storm.
"Do you think I'm stupid?" she scoffed. "Did you really think I would trade Zeus for a spineless coward like you? And you expect me to marry you just because 'everything is set'? Are you out of your goddamn mind?"
Ceres let out a bitter laugh before snatching the ring from Ryzel's hand.
"This ring?" she said, holding it up for him to see. Then, with a flick of her wrist, she threw it across the garden.
"There. That's where it belongs. Not on my hand." Her voice was ice-cold, her glare sharp enough to cut through steel. "You never even bothered to get to know me, Ryzel. And you never would have."
She jabbed a finger into his chest, her final words slicing through him like a blade.
"And let me make this clear," she said. "I am with Zeus because I chose him. Not because of you. Not because of Ciena. Not because of anyone else. So leave me the fuck alone, and stop ruining my parents' wedding."
Then, turning to the security guards, she gave a simple command.
"Take him outside. And if he resists... tase him. Or knock him out."