Chapter 2

I changed out of the gown and went back to the wedding home alone.

John Donaldson had a real gift for business, but he couldn't draw to save his life.

Even so, he'd insisted on designing our wedding home himself, down to the custom-made furniture in every room.

I'd ached seeing the dark circles under his eyes from all the work, but John had looked at me, serious:

"Kayla, this is our home. I want to build our future with my own hands."

He said our home was the one place he could go to weather any storm.

And now I pushed the door open.

Streamers and balloons all over the floor, bottles knocked on their sides, spilled liquor soaking into the wood until the boards had swelled at the edges.

On a banner half torn from the wall, a few words were scrawled crooked.

【Congrats, John, welcome to the grave that is marriage】

The whole place was trashed.

While I stood there dazed, one of John's buddies posted to his feed.

In the picture, Lois Morton was wearing the backup wedding dress, arm looped through John's, the two of them toasting the guests together.

【Somebody threw a fit and bailed, good thing Lois stepped up. Women are like clothes, brothers are your own flesh and blood.】

【If you ask me, they should just make it real. Same background, perfect match!】

My head swam, and without thinking I grabbed the arm of the sofa beside me.

A scrap of black fabric dropped by my foot.

A three-piece set of lingerie, the straps torn clean through.

Something in my mind snapped, and a wave of nausea rolled over my whole body.

I bent over, retching hard, the bitter bile coming up until it felt like it would come up bloody.

John walked in, saw the scene, and his face changed:

"I'm sorry, Kayla. Lois said the wedding home would be easier, a good spot for the bachelor party—"

He reached out to pat my back and settle me, and I shoved him off, breaking down, my voice raw:

"What did I ever do to make you treat me like this!"

His eyes landed on the black fabric on the floor, and his face went a shade paler.

He opened his mouth to explain, but when he saw my face streaked with tears, his expression suddenly went cold.

"Kayla Sullivan, do you really have to make a thing of this?"

"One party and you lose it like some shrew. What happens after we're married? You can't take a single joke. Do you have to live so exhausted?"

The accusations came down on me all at once, and I froze where I stood.

John held the lingerie up in his hand and looked at me, disappointed.

"Yes, it's Lois's, but she only took it as a forfeit after she lost a game. All the guys turned around and shut their eyes. Nobody crossed a line."

"Lois was worried you'd mind, so she even booked a cleaner to come. I told you a long time ago she doesn't mean any harm, and you wouldn't believe me."

"It was like this before, it's like this now. Everyone can roll with it. Everyone but you."

He paused, a trace of regret in his face.

"Maybe they're right. We're not from the same world."

The color drained from my face, and the pain spread through my chest.

Back then, to be with me, John had had every one of his cards cut off by the family.

I hadn't wanted him at war with his own people, so I'd worked to make myself worthy of him.

The etiquette I didn't know, I drilled myself in. They liked their games, so I forced myself to be the bigger person.

John said he loved me, the person, and nothing else mattered.

So it turned out he'd never once thought I was worth anything.

My voice came out hoarse:

"Let's break up—"

John suddenly reached out and pulled me into his arms.

"But I love you. Kayla, I've been patient with you, but you can't keep testing that patience over and over."

I fought to push him off, and he only held me locked against him.

"I already had the trending posts taken down. Kayla, I told you I'd handle it. I won't let you be wronged."

I don't know how long it was before John let me go.

Before he left, he pressed a soft kiss to my forehead.

"There are still a few last things to wrap up from the wedding. Tomorrow, I'll bring Lois over to apologize to you."