Chapter 1

The groom didn't show up on our wedding day.

The emcee came over for the third time to ask whether we should keep waiting, and that was when I got Cliff's call.

He sounded tired, and a little annoyed. "Carly's in a bad way. I have to stay with her. Cordelia, push the schedule back for now."

I looked at the hundred and twenty-eight guests seated below the stage and took off my veil.

"There's no need to push it back."

"The wedding's canceled."

Five hours later, Cliff ran back to the empty hall and finally panicked.

He'd thought I was only throwing a tantrum.

Later, he staged a hundred public confessions begging me to come back.

On the hundredth one, he waited at the old pier until dawn.

All he got was the news that I'd already gone.

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The wedding was set for 11:18 in the morning.

By 10:40, Cliff still hadn't arrived.

The best man had called seven times. No one picked up.

Cliff's mother couldn't sit still. She waved her hands anxiously at the relatives. "It's just traffic. Cliff always handles things carefully—nothing could have happened to him."

I smiled along with her.

The makeup artist was touching up my lipstick, but her hands were shaking.

"Miss Payne, would you like to switch to a different color?"

"No."

This was the bright red my mother had picked out for me before she died.

My mom used to say that on a woman's wedding day, she shouldn't spend the whole time worrying about keeping other people happy.

At eleven, the big screen started playing the warm-up video.

In it, Cliff and I went from school uniforms to a wedding dress.

At seventeen, he held an umbrella over me at the school gate.

At twenty-one, he hugged me at our graduation ceremony.

At twenty-six, in front of both families, he slid the engagement ring onto my finger.

The last shot was of him looking down at me after his suit fitting.

There was only one line of text.

Cordelia Payne, this time I won't keep you waiting.

The guests applauded.

My phone still didn't ring.

At 11:13, Carly posted to her social media.

The photo showed a hospital ER wristband, with only two words.

I'm sorry.

I called Cliff.

The first time, he hung up.

The second time, the same.

On the third try, he finally answered.

I could hear a nurse's voice on the line, and Carly crying.

I gripped my phone. "Where are you?"

"City General Hospital."

"Do you know what day it is?"

"I know."

He paused, and his voice dropped. "Carly took some pills. She just had her stomach pumped. The doctor said she can't be left alone. Cordelia, a person's life matters—don't make a scene right now."

Outside the hall, the emcee was still covering for him.

He held the microphone and soothed the crowd. "The groom has a surprise prepared. Please bear with us a little longer."

Every single one of them was waiting, for my sake, on a man who wasn't going to come on time.

"Did the doctor say she's still in danger?"

"She's out of danger now, but she's emotionally unstable."

"How soon can you get back?"

"As soon as I can."

"The ceremony starts at 11:18."

"Then change the schedule."

He said it so easily.

As if a wedding I'd spent nine months planning, a room full of guests, and even the last video my mother left behind should all step aside for Carly.

Me included.

For the past eight years, I'd always been the one giving way.

I closed my eyes. "Cliff, you don't need to come back."

There were two seconds of silence on the other end.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"The wedding's canceled."

His voice went cold. "Cordelia, now is not the time to be throwing a tantrum."

So refusing to wait on a groom who never came was called throwing a tantrum.

And making the bride wait in front of more than a hundred people was called keeping the bigger picture in mind.

I hung up and pushed open the doors of the hall.

The lights came down on me, and everyone turned to look.

The emcee walked over. "Looks like the bride can't wait to share the good news with everyone herself."

I took the microphone from his hand.

"I'm sorry to have made you all come here for nothing."

The room slowly went quiet.

My father's face was grim. Cliff's mother's eyes reddened at once.

"The groom has someone more important to be with today. He can't come."

"So the wedding is canceled."

The room broke into noise.

My father rushed up onto the stage. "Cordelia, have you lost your mind? If there's a problem, settle it behind closed doors—don't humiliate both families!"

I stepped away from his reaching hand.

"Dad, the only person humiliated today, from start to finish, is me."

The big screen was still frozen on that line.

This time I won't keep you waiting.

I had the staff turn off the video.

"The wedding gift money will be returned to everyone. For out-of-town guests, I'll cover the travel and lodging."

"The banquet is ready. Anyone who wants to stay is welcome to eat."

I took off the ring and set it down at the front of the stage.

"As for Cliff and me."

"After today, there's nothing between us."