Chapter 1

I was touching up my makeup at the hotel when Theodore Henson's female childhood friend burst into the dressing room wearing my wedding gown.

The long skirt had been chopped into an ultra-short dress, baring a wide stretch of her chest.

That gown was custom-made to my measurements by a designer I'd pulled every string to get, and she'd ruined it!

"So, don't you think I made your dress prettier?"

"Theodore said it looks perfect on me."

She lifted the sheer fabric and spun in front of me.

I was shaking all over. In a cold voice, I told her to take it off.

Theodore trailed in behind her, brow furrowed, his whole face saying how put-upon he felt.

"Pearl Sanders, don't make such a big deal of this. Bella meant well. She said it'd make you stand out."

"Besides, the gown really does suit her better. I already told her she could wear it as her bridesmaid dress."

Seeing my face flush red with fury, Theodore softened his voice a little and pressed a shopping bag into my hands.

"I bought you this dress at the boutique. It works as a wedding dress too. Change into it now, don't hold up the ceremony."

He was trying to swap my wedding gown for a dress that cost less than two hundred dollars, just to smooth everything over.

I looked at Theodore, and a cold smile tugged at the corner of my mouth.

Fine. She could have the gown for free.

"This wedding, I'm calling it off."

...

Two seconds after I said it, Theodore let out a soft laugh.

Isabel Harding laughed even harder, slapping his shoulder, doubling over.

She dabbed at tears that weren't there. "See? I told you. She's petty. She just can't take a joke."

"Don't go choosing a girl over your friends now, son."

She made a big show of balling up her fist and shaking it at him.

Theodore opened his palm indulgently for her to hit, and when he turned back to me, the warmth in his eyes drained away, degree by degree.

"I went to two different stores just to buy you this dress. It's perfect for a wedding."

"Would it kill you to just change into it? Do you have to be this petty about every little thing?"

"Bella's right. I've spoiled you, and now you don't know how to behave."

He knit his brows, displeased.

I lifted my head, stunned, unable to believe those words had come out of his mouth.

"But this gown was custom-made to my measurements."

My voice broke, and tears welled in my eyes.

Theodore froze for a beat.

Isabel jumped in instead, letting her gaze sweep quickly over my body.

"Your figure isn't as good as mine. You can't fill this dress out. So small-minded."

"That dress suits you just fine. People need to learn to be content. You can't be so greedy."

I clenched my fists hard, forcing back the tears, and lifted my eyes to stare at her.

Just two days ago, she'd shown up at the wedding suite out of nowhere, saying she wanted to steam my gown and hang it up for me.

I'd agreed without a second thought.

And she'd taken a blade to it and hacked it into this monstrosity!

"Theodore, did you not know she was altering the gown? You didn't stop her?"

I demanded it sharply, my throat raw from shouting, my eyes rimmed red.

Even my fingertips wouldn't stop trembling.

He turned his face away and didn't answer me.

"It's just a wedding gown. Don't be so cheap about it."

My heart went cold all the way through.

He knew better than anyone how much this wedding meant to me.

The handwork on that gown alone had cost ten thousand dollars.

The beaded chains and feather threads on it had all been flown in from overseas.

"Theodore, I spent nearly half a year planning this wedding. I went back and forth with the designer five separate times over the gown's design. You really don't know how much of myself I poured into it?"

My shouting had gotten under his skin too, and he tugged at his tie, impatient.

"A little thing like this, and you're making a scene?"

"Is it me you care about, or just a wedding?"

I shoved him away and staggered, nearly losing my footing.

He always brushed me off with lines like that.

From the first day of planning right up to now, every time I came to him to talk through a detail, he said the same thing.

"Pearl, a wedding really isn't important. Stop blowing everything out of proportion."

It felt like something jabbed straight into my heart, the pain stealing my breath.

But today was the most important day of my life.

Unwilling to give up, I checked the time.

"There's still half an hour."

"Theodore, are you sure you really want to let her wear my gown?"

"We dated for eight years. Are you really going to let Isabel destroy our wedding?!"

I was shaking all over, spacing out every word.

But his face was nothing but impatience.

"Enough. It's just a gown. It's not like I didn't buy you a dress. What more do you want?"

"Do you have to make a mountain out of nothing?"

"Isabel's my friend from when we were kids. She just tried it on. What's the big deal?"