Chapter 3

I didn't answer my father.

At 7:31, William's messages started firing in one after another.

【I know I was wrong】

【The motorcade's already turned around. Fastest it can get there is 7:50】

【But we've definitely missed the lucky hour. Can we push it to 9:58? That's a good time too】

【Don't just go silent on me】

Right after came a message from Cara.

【I'm so sorry. This is all my fault. I never should have called William. I've already told him to drive the car back. I'll just take a cab to the hospital myself.】

【Please don't be angry. You're the most important person to William.】

The last one came with a photo.

She was sitting in the back seat of the Rolls-Royce, her ankle wrapped in a bandage.

Wearing a black dress.

On my wedding day, she'd worn black.

Antonia saw the photo and sucked in a breath.

"She did that on purpose, didn't she?"

I said nothing.

At 7:38, William called.

"The motorcade's already turned the corner. It'll be there by 7:55 for sure. But we've missed the lucky hour, so have the wedding planner work it out with the hotel and push it to 9:58."

"Five hundred guests, sitting in that hotel two hours early, waiting?"

"Well what am I supposed to do?" He was worked up again. "If you'd listened to me earlier and taken the subway, you'd have been there long ago!"

I drew in a deep breath.

"William, you're the one who took the motorcade."

"Didn't I already apologize? What more do you want? Can you please just drop it?"

"Where's Cara?"

"What?"

"Where is she?"

The line went quiet for a second.

"At... the hospital."

"You dropped her off?"

"Yeah."

"Then the motorcade should have turned back a long time ago. Why did it only just round the corner now?"

Silence again.

Then I heard a sound.

The voice from the car's navigation.

"In five hundred meters, you will arrive at your destination, Bayport Orthopedic Hospital."

"William!"

"I'm almost at the hospital entrance! Really, just two minutes!"

"You're lying to me again."

"I'm not lying! There's just one last stretch of road! I'll drop Cara off and go!"

Cara's voice came right on cue. "William, I'm getting out, you should hurry."

"How are you going to walk in with your foot like that? Let me take you to the emergency entrance."

"William." I cut him off. "Say it again. Who is your bride today?"

He finally went quiet.

Three seconds passed, and he said through his teeth:

"Fine, I'll drop her at the hospital entrance right now. Two seconds, then I'll turn around immediately."

The call ended, and I stood where I was.

The fifty-pound gown pressed my shoulders until they went numb.

The crystal heels had rubbed my skin raw, and a small patch of my stockings was soaked with blood.

From four in the morning until now, I hadn't sat down for a single second.

My mother rushed over, crouched down, and saw the blood on my feet.

Her tears fell at once.

"Take them off. Take them off right now."

"Mom, it's fine."

"What do you mean fine! Your feet are bleeding and you're telling me it's fine?"

She stood and said to the bridesmaids, her voice sharp:

"Help her out of the gown. There's no wedding today."

"Mom." I caught her hand.

"Wait a little longer."

"Wait for what? Wait for him to finish settling that woman and then come throw you a scrap of charity?"

I said nothing and looked down at my phone.

I scrolled to the very bottom of my contacts, to a number I hadn't dialed in three years.

My finger hovered over the call button.

The phone suddenly buzzed.

A message from William.

【Cara says the pain is unbearable. I'm waiting for our number to be called at the ER, ten minutes at most, just wait for me a little longer.】

My finger came down.

The call went through.

One ring, and he picked up.

"Kevin Henson."

"Mm."

"You said you'd bring me to my wedding with nine helicopters. Does that still count?"

The line was quiet for a second.

His voice was low and calm, just like three years ago.

"Send me the location."