Chapter 1
On my wedding day, my fiancé, Alex Rivers, who was supposed to pick me up at 8:30 AM, didn't show up.
At 9:00 AM, he video called me and said, "Emily, I just picked up Sophie. You know she's totally against marriage, right? I'm letting her try out the whole wedding thing first."
He was dressed in a groom's suit, with a silly antler headband on his head.
He said, "You can leave the hotel around 10 AM. By then, Sophie will have had her fun, and we'll do the ceremony again."
I gripped my phone tightly, but it felt like a lump was stuck in my chest, making it hard for me to breathe.
My bestie, Chloe Lane's excited voice came through the phone. "Alex, I found the shoes. They are under Sophie's dress.
"Put the shoes on Sophie. Time to go to the venue."
I was stunned.
Chloe was the one who went with me to pick out my wedding dress.
She worked with me on the hotel decorations and even the emcee again and again.
Now, she was over at Alex's side, helping them prepare things.
A wave of bitterness washed over me.
Tears finally began to fall, landing on my hand.
Since the wedding that was meant for me had been given to someone else, I'd let her have it.
*****
Messages kept popping up in the group chat.
That was when I noticed Alex had even changed the group name to A Wedding for Sophie.
Chloe was hyping everyone up in the group chat.
Chloe: [I'm freaking out! They finally left for the venue.]
Chloe: [I must show you guys the pic of Alex kissing Sophie's shoes. See the love in his eyes.]
Ryan Stone sent a thumbs-up emoji.
Ryan: [Man, Alex and Sophie are damn perfect together. Seriously, just standing side by side, they totally look like a real couple.]
Ryan: [Honestly, I wasn't gonna show up today, but when Alex said the bride would be Sophie, I got so pumped I floored it all the way here.]
Ryan: [Emily is a latecomer. No way she can beat the childhood bond Alex and Sophie have. When it comes to weddings, a guy only gives it to the one he truly loves.]
I stared at my reflection in the mirror, wearing a wedding dress and full bridal makeup.
My heart throbbed with pain, and tears spilled from my eyes.
The makeup girl hurried over with a powder puff and said, "Crying on your wedding day is bad luck, Emily. Hold it in, okay?"
How could I hold it in?
Ever since Sophie declared that she was celibate three years ago, Alex seemed to have an excuse to spoil her endlessly.
When Sophie casually mentioned wanting to do a big road trip in the west, Alex took her for seven days straight.
When Sophie complained about being the only celibate at the company party, Alex skipped out on our third anniversary, so I ended up sitting alone with cold food until midnight.
Even on my own birthday, Alex chose to stay with Sophie because she was having period cramps.
And now, the wedding I'd been dreaming of for eight years was given to Sophie, too.
"Forget it," I said. "Just help me remove it. Don't bother fixing it."
I stared at my disheveled reflection in the mirror, a bitter smile tugging at my lips.
I said to her, "It's fine. Let's pretend I already had my wedding today. I'll send you the money."
After eight years with Alex, I needed to close this chapter of my life.
It was unfinished, but this was for me.
The girl doing my makeup stood there, looking like she wanted to say something, but couldn't bring herself to.
In the end, she wrapped her arms around me for a gentle hug.
Just then, Alex called.
I could hear people joking and shouting in the background, with all the noise and laughter going on around him.
He said, "Emily, I'm at the hotel now. The wedding of Sophie and me is about to start.
"Make sure you catch a cab and head out from the hotel at 10 AM. Once Sophie and I finish the vows, we'll run through the ceremony again before everyone heads out.
"Oh, and when you come over, don't use the main entrance. Sophie really hates being the center of attention. If people see you and start talking, she'll get super awkward. Slip in through the kitchen and keep it low-key, alright?"
"Alex," I said.
My chest felt tight, like I couldn't breathe.
When she took over the wedding that was meant for me, didn't she feel awkward?
She hated being the center of attention, but she'd been the one coming between Alex and me for eight years.
I took off the bridal headpiece from my hair, then removed the tassels hanging on each side, and finally pulled out all the tiny hairpins woven through my hair.
"I'm not coming, Alex," I said.