Chapter 2

My voice fell right into the silence between songs playing on the car radio.

The air in the car quieted down for a few seconds.

The driver was stunned. He leaned back slightly, his voice rising in disbelief.

"What did you say? Turn around?"

I gently rubbed the fabric of my wedding dress.

I unlocked my phone. On my lock screen, there was our pre-wedding photo. Ethan and I were smiling so happily, looking like the perfect couple.

Outside, the gossiping voices of pedestrians drifted through the cracked window.

"Did you see that? That wedding convoy was insane! Maseratis, Porsches... dozens of luxury cars!"

"They say the more expensive the wedding cars, the more blessed the bride is. The groom must be head over heels in love with her."

My fingers trembled slightly.

Another passerby sighed.

"Well, different people, different fates. I just came from the Grand Plaza Hotel, and I literally saw a bride arriving in an Uber."

"No way... That's so embarrassing..."

My phone screen went black. I squeezed the hem of my dress, wrinkling the delicate lace.

I swallowed the bitterness in my throat and repeated clearly.

"Yes."

"Take me back to my hotel. I'm not getting married anymore."

The countdown ended, and the red light turned green.

A horn honked impatiently behind us.

The driver swallowed whatever questions he had left. He quickly spun the steering wheel, making a sharp U-turn.

As the car smoothed out on the road, my phone buzzed. It was a message from Ethan.

"I told the convoy to speed up on purpose so you couldn't keep up. Don't try to chase us."

"Tell your driver to take it slow. Don't arrive at the hotel at the same time as Lily. She hates it when people steal her spotlight."

"Also, enter through the back door near the kitchen later. Lily is sensitive. If people see you entering the main ballroom at the same time as her, it'll be hard for her to explain."

It was rare for Ethan to send me such a long message.

From her feelings to her reputation, every single word was carefully thought out for Lily.

But just a moment ago, when he dragged me out of my own wedding car in front of everyone and forced me into an Uber, he never once considered if people would gossip about me.

He never thought about whether I would lose my dignity.

I opened the chat box and slowly typed out.

"I'm calling off the wedding. Do whatever you want."

Just as I was about to press send, notifications started popping up frantically at the top of my screen.

It was the Snapchat group chat with Ethan's friends. Ever since they added me, the group had been dead silent. But suddenly, it was blowing up.

"Lily: Being a bride for a day."

Dozens of photos instantly flooded the chat.

They were taken inside the wedding limo. Lily was clinging to Ethan, posing for countless intimate couple photos.

Making finger hearts, pressing their cheeks together...

My gaze lingered on the last photo for a long time.

In the photo, Ethan had his head resting in the palm of Lily's hand, smiling with pure, gentle adoration.

I had shown him this exact pose before our photoshoot, using a reference picture. At the time, he had scoffed, saying it was cheesy and childish.

The replies in the group chat started rolling in immediately.

"Honestly, you two are the ultimate soulmates. I've been shipping you guys since we were kids, and it's finally happening!"

That was Logan, Ethan's childhood best friend.

He had once told me how grateful he was that I healed Ethan's broken heart after Lily went abroad. He said we were a match made in heaven.

"If I knew it was you two getting married today, I wouldn't have skipped the reception! I couldn't stand watching that boring rebound girl take advantage of Lily being away. Is it too late to buy a plane ticket and fly back now?"

That was Tyler, Ethan's cousin.

Once, Ethan asked me to deliver some important documents he forgot at home.

It was pouring rain that day, and my car skidded and hit a light pole.

When I limped into his office to deliver them, Tyler almost cried, saying those documents were for a multi-million-dollar project and that I was his savior.

And then there were Ethan's other cousins, college roommates, old classmates...

Ethan had introduced me to every single person in this group. When we met in person, they were always polite and nice.

But behind my back, they degraded and insulted me without mercy.

Calling me a plain-jane, a desperate clinger, an opportunist...

Then, Ethan sent a message, completely unfazed.

"Don't talk about her. Just focus on how beautiful Lily looks today."

My hands shook with rage as I typed furiously.

"Are you guys serious?"

"Do you all disgust yourselves, or is it just me?"

The moment my message popped up, the group chat fell dead silent for two seconds.

The last message sent was.

"Oh shit, guys, wrong group chat."