ebookslot Chapter 524 - 498: A Father’s Blessing
Chapter 524 - 498: A Father’s Blessing
Sienna Thornton wore an elegant white lace long-sleeved wedding dress and a crown worth millions. Through the delicate veil, her lowered lashes made her incredibly beautiful.She held onto Quentin Thorne’s arm, walking gracefully and confidently step by step. Red rose petals danced and fluttered on the long white train of her wedding dress.
Simon Forrester, in a tailcoat, held a bouquet, smiling as he watched the bride gracefully approaching him.
The fifty-meter runway seemed to encapsulate their three years of passionate romance. He watched Sienna Thornton walking towards him, and his mind automatically replayed those three years.
Finally, it was the day everything settled down.
She finally came to him.
But Quentin Thorne did not immediately hand his daughter’s hand to Simon Forrester.
With slightly reddened eyes yet a smile on his face, he asked Simon Forrester, "I’ve entrusted our Annie to you. From now on, you must cherish, respect, and protect her. Can you do that?"
Simon Forrester did not hesitate and affirmed, "I will cherish, respect, and protect my wife, Sienna Thorne, and walk with her through this life and the next, never leaving her!"
Quentin Thorne, satisfied yet with even redder eyes, handed his daughter’s hand to Simon Forrester, watched them hold hands tightly, and turned to face the main wedding stage.
He quietly wiped the corner of his eye and smiled as he walked towards the main wedding stage. The lights at the banquet hall focused instantly on him and the newlywed couple.
The previously quiet banquet hall suddenly erupted with murmurs.
Today’s guests, apart from the Forrester relatives and Simon Forrester’s friends, were all notable figures in the city.
Nobles, magnates, politicians.
Initially, the guests saw the man escorting the bride in and thought he looked a bit like Quentin Thorne, but no one associated him with today’s bride. From afar, they assumed it was merely a resemblance.
But now, with the spotlight in the banquet hall on Quentin Thorne’s face, everyone saw clearly that the man escorting the bride was indeed Dean Thorne of the High Court.
The guests whispered to each other, thinking Quentin Thorne was merely doing the Forrester Family a favor by escorting the bride.
.
On the main wedding stage,
Quentin Thorne pulled the microphone closer, cleared his throat, scanned the large banquet hall, and smiled, "First of all, thank you all for coming today to attend the wedding of this beautiful couple. Thank you, everyone."
Finished, he slowly withdrew his gaze, looking at the newlyweds standing before him.
Without a script, he gazed at the bride with a serious and reluctant expression.
After a moment, he looked again at all the guests, smiled, and said, "I am the officiator for this couple today. You might wonder why I am here. There’s no special reason, really, other than that I am also the bride’s father."
The crowd gasped in surprise.
"Today, standing here, I mainly want to say a few words to my son-in-law and the in-laws."
Quentin Thorne looked at the Forrester Family seated at the main table, "My daughter has endured many hardships from a young age. To reach where she is today is entirely due to her own efforts. Her achievements today are because she dedicated a lot of time and energy, so she excels in learning, work, and capability. But because of this, she may not have devoted much time to social relationships, so she might not be perfect in certain matters. I hope the in-laws will understand and not hold it against her. If there’s anything she hasn’t done well, it’s my failure as a father, and you’re welcome to come to me for accountability. I will humbly listen."
At this, the audience laughed, probably believing that the Forrester Family wouldn’t dare to act up in front of Dean Thorne.
Quentin Thorne’s words turned the Forrester Family’s faces a mix of red and green, not very pleased.
With his words, even if Sienna does not do well in the future, the Forrester Family cannot criticize her because it’s already been acknowledged at the wedding—my daughter’s capable, but her mind’s focused on her career, so if she doesn’t get along with you in-laws in the future, you’ll just have to tolerate it.
After speaking, Quentin Thorne shifted his gaze to Simon Forrester, drawing back his smile and sternly said, "Son-in-law, I will tell you one thing. I am 55 years old this year, healthy in my annual physicals, and expected to live till 95 without problems. So, when you’re 75, I’ll still be here."
The implication—Simon shouldn’t even think about bullying Sienna before he, Quentin, passes away. And when Quentin’s gone, an almost 80-year-old Simon won’t have the strength to bully Sienna either.
This fatherly protection was indeed palpable.
An emotional Sienna couldn’t help but smile discreetly.
Simon Forrester wore a speechless expression.
The guests also burst into laughter.
In an instant, Quentin Thorne’s sternness melted away, and he switched back to his trademark smile.
He looked at the bride, his previously booming voice suddenly turning tender.
"Annie, you’ll always be Daddy’s princess. With me around, no one can bully you. Feel free to fly relaxed and free; if you’re ever tired, just tell Daddy, and he’ll come bring you back."
The audience picked up on the highly loaded message in those few words.
Quentin Thorne was letting the Forrester Family know they shouldn’t bully his daughter or hold her back. If his daughter is not happy, he is ready to kick the Forrester Family out for her at any time.
Indeed, as Simon once told them, every word was warning the Forrester Family and Simon, outwardly blessing his daughter with freedom to explore, but truly, it was every inch a father’s love wrapped in veiled warnings.
An old lady, Grandma Forrester, smirked as she whispered to her husband, "You’ve invited a deity into our home for Jules to worship!"
Old Master Forrester’s face looked displeased but he said nothing.
Quentin Thorne concluded by blessing the couple, and finally, he told Simon Forrester, "Son-in-law, you may now kiss my daughter, I can see you are eager."
The crowd once again burst into laughter.
Simon Forrester, as if pardoned, swiftly lifted Sienna’s veil and planted a kiss on the bride’s lips.
Immediately, an explosion of brilliant lights filled the room, and countless red rose petals descended from above the wedding stage, as a romantic English wedding song began to play.
The groom held the bride’s hands, bowed down, and deeply kissed her.
At this moment, the wedding banquet reached its climax.
Quentin Thorne quietly left the main wedding stage, leaving this romantic moment for the newlyweds.
Simon Forrester and Sienna Thornton lingered on stage for a prolonged kiss, and then the bridesmaids and groomsmen came onstage to join the couple in thanking all the guests at the banquet.
The music quickly transitioned to gentle, soothing instrumental, as hotel staff in uniform served fine delicacies in the vast banquet hall.
The newlyweds and their attendants exited the banquet hall to change outfits upstairs.
Until they reached the room, Gage Grant and Logan Lockwood looked at Simon Forrester with sympathetic glances.
After the newlyweds entered the room, the two quietly started talking.
Logan Lockwood asked Gage Grant, "If it were you, would you dare to marry a girl with such a father?"
Gage Grant shook his head, "Definitely wouldn’t dare!"