Chapter 26 Summary, Key Events, and Analysis
⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.
Summary
The chapter opens with Meddelin in a state of barely controlled panic. She is standing near the altar, where the corpse of Ah Guan is propped up between two groomsmen, both of whom are clearly intoxicated. All twelve groomsmen are swaying, giggling, and seemingly unaware of their surroundings. Meddelin suspects Fourth Aunt gave them absinthe, and she is terrified that they will collapse at any moment, exposing the body. She tries to catch the wedding planner's eye but fails.
The MC announces the groom, Tom Sutopo, who swaggers down the aisle with a smug smile. Meddelin continues taking photographs out of professional habit, even as she internally screams. Tom notices his groomsmen's disheveled state and angrily confronts them, but they are too drunk to respond coherently. He refuses to dismiss them, even when Meddelin whispers that they might fall and cause a scene.
As the bridal party enters, Meddelin calls the wedding planner and suggests that the MC announce that the bridal party should leave the stage to give the couple privacy. The wedding planner agrees, but the MC initially refuses. After the bride, Jacqueline Wijaya, arrives and sees the groomsmen, she agrees they should leave. Tom, however, insists they stay. Jacqueline overrides him and instructs the bridesmaids to lead the groomsmen away.
Tom, enraged, grabs the nearest groomsman—one of the men holding Ah Guan—and jerks him backward. The groomsman tumbles, causing a chain reaction: another groomsman falls into the infinity pool, and Ah Guan's body collapses onto the stage. More groomsmen fall into the pool, and guests and security guards jump in to save them. In the chaos, Meddelin seizes the opportunity to drag Ah Guan's body toward an exit. Jacqueline rushes to help, touches the corpse's hand, and Meddelin, panicking, shoves her aside—sending Jacqueline splashing into the pool.
Key Events
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Meddelin discovers the groomsmen are drunk and Ah Guan's body is propped on the altar.
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Tom arrives and is furious at his groomsmen's condition but refuses to dismiss them.
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Meddelin and the wedding planner devise a plan to have the MC announce the bridal party's exit.
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Jacqueline agrees to the plan, but Tom objects.
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A bridesmaid tries to lead a groomsman away, and Tom grabs him, triggering a collapse.
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Ah Guan's body falls onto the stage, and multiple groomsmen fall into the infinity pool.
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Guests and security guards rescue the groomsmen from the pool.
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Meddelin drags Ah Guan's body toward an exit.
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Jacqueline touches the corpse, and Meddelin shoves her into the pool.
Character Development
Meddelin is pushed to her absolute limit in this chapter. Her internal monologue reveals a mix of hysteria and determination. She continues to perform her photographer duties even while a corpse is on the altar, showing her professional instinct and her desperate need to maintain normalcy. Her quick thinking—calling the wedding planner and suggesting the MC announcement—demonstrates her resourcefulness under pressure. Yet her panic also leads to a reckless act: shoving Jacqueline into the pool to prevent her from discovering the truth. This moment shows Meddelin's protective instinct, but also her willingness to sacrifice others to protect her own secret.
Tom Sutopo emerges as arrogant and stubborn. He prioritizes his pride over the safety of his groomsmen and the success of his wedding. His refusal to dismiss them, even when they are clearly incapacitated, leads directly to the disaster. His threat to sue his own friends highlights his self-centeredness.
Jacqueline Wijaya is portrayed as observant and compassionate. She notices the groomsmen's condition and immediately agrees they should leave. She also tries to help Meddelin with the body, showing her kindness—though that kindness nearly exposes the corpse. Her fall into the pool is a direct consequence of Meddelin's panic, and it underscores the collateral damage of Meddelin's secret.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
Maintaining appearances is the central theme. Meddelin is obsessed with keeping the corpse hidden, and the entire wedding is a performance. The groomsmen's drunkenness threatens to shatter the facade, and Tom's insistence on keeping them is a desperate attempt to preserve his image. The MC's announcement is a deliberate act of stage management, reinforcing the idea that everything is a show.
Chaos vs. control is another motif. Meddelin tries to control the situation through planning and improvisation, but the chaos of the groomsmen's collapse overwhelms her. The infinity pool becomes a symbol of the uncontrollable—people fall into it, and the rescue effort spirals out of hand.
The corpse as a macabre puppet is a striking image. Ah Guan's body is propped up like a puppet, and when it falls, it becomes a