Chapter 2

The line went silent for two seconds before a deep, steady voice replied, “Give me ten minutes.”

After hanging up, I looked at myself in the mirror, still wearing the white gown. What a joke.

All my dreams of a perfect marriage had crumbled into a farce today.

Pulling myself together, I stripped off the heavy wedding dress and walked back out. As I approached the banquet hall, I could hear loud laughter echoing from inside.

Ashley had already changed into a tight red dress. She was surrounded by Tyler's friends, acting like she was the hostess of the night.

She raised her glass, her voice dripping with artificial sweetness. “Come on, guys! Let’s toast to Tyler! Cheers to his marriage!”

Amid the rowdy cheers, someone shouted, “Honestly, Tyler and Ashley look way better together. For a second, I thought you two were the ones getting married!”

Tyler stood next to her, a helpless, indulgent smile on his face. He didn't even try to stop them.

Watching this, I felt nothing but disgust. I walked up to the stage, took the microphone from the host, and spoke. “Everyone, thank you for coming to witness my wedding today.”

The room gradually fell silent, and all eyes turned to me.

“A few unexpected things happened earlier, which made me realize a lot of things.”

I smiled faintly, turning my gaze to Tyler. “Tyler, you’re right. It’s just a joke between best friends. I shouldn't be so sensitive.”

Tyler looked relieved, thinking I was backing down.

But then I continued, “So, I’ve decided to let you two be together. I'm stepping down as the bride.”

The moment the words left my mouth, the giant screen behind me switched from our wedding photos to a slideshow of intimate pictures of Tyler and Ashley together, playing on a loop.

By the time I walked off the stage, Tyler had rushed over to block my path. He looked furious. “Are you crazy? Do you know how many of my family members and friends are out there? You're ruining everything! Get back up there and apologize right now!”

He reached out to grab my arm, but I slapped his hand away.

I looked at Ashley standing behind him. “A joke is the only way you two will ever have a wedding, right?”

I laughed, but their faces instantly turned pale.

One of Tyler's friends nudged Ashley, whispering, “Did you forget to block her from your Snapchat story?”

Ashley trembled, unable to answer.

Tyler finally realized how bad things were. His tone softened. “Chloe, it was just a joke. Don't take it seriously. Guys mess around like that all the time.”

“What you do from now on has nothing to do with me because we are over. But we still have financial matters to settle. My lawyer will be in touch.”

With that, I turned to leave.

Behind me, Tyler roared in anger, “Chloe, if you walk out that door, don’t you dare come back! Your grandpa is literally on his deathbed! If he finds out you called off the wedding, you'll kill him! You'll be begging me to take you back!”

My grandpa wanted to see me married, yes, but more than anything, he wanted me to be happy.

Before I even reached the lobby, I saw someone waiting for me. Liam stood there in a sharp black tuxedo, holding a bouquet of fresh roses. “Let's go, bride. Our wedding is about to start.”