However, despite Melody's efforts, their mother refused to call off the wedding between her and Raven Hendrix. Penelope and the rest of her siblings also found out that the groom wasn't also involved with the wedding preparation. Instead, he allowed the Montgomery family to stand up for him and make all the decisions. Penelope couldn't shake the feeling that something was off about this whole situation.
As for her and Melody's plan to get Oscar's help, the Milliani family refused to acknowledge their relationship and didn't want to get involved by offending the Montgomery family and Raven Hendrix. As for Oscar himself, he resigned from the idea of getting Melody's hand for marriage and regretted not standing up to his family for the woman he claimed to love.
"Damn that bastard," Priscilla seethed in anger as soon as she found out what Oscar Milliani did to their sister. "I will wring his neck if it's the last thing I do," she vowed, her eyes darkening in fury.
Their mother and the Montgomery family continued the preparations, making decisions that didn't sit well with Penelope and her siblings. It was clear that they did not intend to listen to their concerns or allow them to have a say in the wedding arrangements.
As the wedding day drew nearer, Melody grew more and more anxious. She spent her days crying in her room, refusing to speak or see anyone aside from Penelope.
Penelope watched her sister with a heavy heart, unable to offer her much comfort. She knew Melody had always been more delicate than the rest of them, but seeing her like this broke something inside her. Penelope had never felt so helpless in her entire life.
"Is there something we could do to help her?" Clara asked worriedly. She also feared their mother would set her up for an arranged marriage once Melody married.
"We can't risk going against our mother's wishes directly," Penelope replied, her voice trembling slightly.
"How much do you have right now, Penny?" Priscilla suddenly asked. "Do you think we have enough money to convince Mom to delay Melody's wedding?"
Penelope glanced at her sister and sighed. Priscilla was three years younger than her and had just become a full-time doctor. Only the two of them were working now; the rest of their siblings were still living at home, relying on their mother for support.
"I don't know if it's enough, but we could try," Penelope said, her mind racing with the possibilities. "We could also seek help from one of our father's old friends or friends of the family who might interfere on Melody's behalf."
"That might work," Priscilla agreed. "Let's gather our funds and see if we can find someone who's willing to help."
"But there's only three days left before the wedding." Clara reminded her elder sisters.
Penelope, Priscilla, and Clara knew they needed to act fast. With the wedding just days away, they quickly pooled their meager savings and started making calls to anyone they could think of who might be willing to help. They contacted their father's old friends, family acquaintances, and even some of their own friends who might have connections in high places.
As they made calls after calls, their hopes began to dwindle. Most of the people they contacted either didn't answer or outright declined to intervene in the wedding preparations. Despair began to settle in, but they couldn't afford to give up now.
As the days passed, the anticipation of the wedding grew more unbearable. Melody's anxiety skyrocketed, and Penelope could see the toll it was taking on her younger sister. Each day, she sat by Melody's side, trying to provide whatever comfort she could.
Finally, the wedding day arrived. The wedding was private and intimate, with only close family and friends in attendance. Penelope, Priscilla, and Clara were there with their mother, wearing their best dresses and trying to put on a happy face.
However, a commotion in the bridal room began before the ceremony started. Penelope and Priscilla rushed inside to see what had happened and found their mother frantically crying, with Melody nowhere in sight.
"Melody! Where's Melody?!" Roselia clung to Penelope's arm with tears streaming down her face. "She can't do this to us, Penny. She can't abandon our family like this!"
Penelope took a moment and finally understood what had happened. The bridal dress was still on display. There were no signs of Melody anywhere in the room. Her heart sank as she realized her sister had run away.
"Mom, let's take a deep breath," Penelope said calmly. "Let's not jump to conclusions right now."
Penelope tried to think of what could've happened as they stood in the empty bridal room. She remembered their plan to gather funds and find someone to help, but it hadn't worked out. Could Melody have seen her wedding as inevitable and decided to escape it on her own?
As the reality of the situation set in, Penelope and Priscilla exchanged glances. They knew they had failed. Melody had taken matters into her own hands.
"What do we do now, Penny?" Roselia asked her eldest daughter. "If Melody doesn't show up and marry Mr. Hendrix, we'll be dishonored in the eyes of society. How will we face everyone who was invited to the wedding?"
Penelope took a deep breath and looked at Priscilla for help, but her sister only shook her head, feeling helpless in their situation. They both knew their family would lose everything. Offending the Montgomery family and Raven Hendrix would mean losing their social standing, their wealth, and their reputation.
As they stood there, Penelope knew she had to do something to save her family. It would be too late for them to find and bring Melody back before the ceremony starts. Taking a deep breath, she pulled from her mother's embrace and gave them a weak smile.
"Allow me to talk with Mr. Hendrix, Mom. Surely, there's another way we can avoid the damage to our family's reputation."
Priscilla rushed before Penelope could step out of the room and held her wrist.
"What are you going to do, Penny?" she demanded
Penelope forced a smile and placed a hand over Priscilla's.
"I'm doing what an older sister should do," she whispered. "I'll try to fix this and make sure our family isn't ruined."