Chapter 2
"Today is our wedding," I reminded Jacob softly.
He looked at me like I'd just told the world's biggest joke, a mocking smile tugging at his lips.
"Eugenia, you still care about that?" he scoffed. "I thought we both knew how things stood. From the day you posted Eugenia's photos online, there was no going back for us.
"She's got a strong sense of pride and values her innocence above all else. But you? You ruined her in front of everyone.
"Sometimes I really wonder if you even have a heart."
Each word was like a dagger dipped in poison, stabbing right through my heart.
When I first met him, he was the Davis family's neglected illegitimate son, brooding and withdrawn, always keeping everyone at a distance.
Once, I stumbled upon him in the garage, surrounded and mocked by a group of spoiled rich kids.
Seeing his clenched fists and that stubborn profile, I rushed forward before I knew it and stood between him and them.
Back then, he said I was the best person he'd ever met.
But now, he was the one questioning if I had a heart.
Suddenly, my eyes stung with unshed tears as I looked at him over the sea of empty bottles scattered across the floor.
"What if I begged you to stay?" I asked.
The cemetery closed at 6 PM.
The wedding venue was out in the middle of nowhere. If he took the car, there'd be no way for me to call a cab or get a ride.
If I was late by a day, my parents would have to wait another day before they could be laid to rest.
Jacob turned away, the last bit of warmth in his eyes gone.
"Lauren, remember your place.
"The White family isn't what it used to be. Your future is in my hands now. I can do what I want with you.
"How could you ever convince me to stay?" he sneered.
With that, he left without a backward glance.
The doors to the venue slammed shut with a deafening bang.
All that was left for me was a room full of streamers and chaos everywhere.
It looked much like our eight-year relationship, already fallen apart long ago.
*****
That day, I walked barefoot for twenty miles.
My shoes got stuck in the mud and were lost, so I had to walk over sharp rocks and dead branches with nothing but my bare feet.
Every step was like stepping on blades, blood and grit clinging to my skin.
But somehow, that pain made me feel alive.
By the time I finally reached the cemetery, clutching the urns, the place was already shrouded in darkness.
The staff was about to pull down the gate when he caught sight of my disheveled hair and the trail of bloody footprints behind me. His hand froze.
"Hi there." He hesitated, concern flickering in his eyes, then moved aside to let me in. "We're out of available plots right now. But we're adding a new section. The earliest it'll be ready is next week."
"Next week?" I repeated.
"Yes, Wednesday afternoon at the earliest. Would you like to consider another cemetery?" he offered.
I shook my head.
My parents always loved open, sunny places. They used to say they wanted to be buried somewhere where, every time one looked up, one could see the oak trees.
This was the only spot in the whole city that met their wishes. I wasn't about to compromise.
"Then Wednesday it is," I said.
I could wait.
When I finally left the cemetery, the sky was already growing light.
I walked back the way I came, the scabs on my feet splitting open again, painting the ground with bloody footprints.
A kind stranger, unable to just walk by, practically dragged me to a cheap motel and used their own ID to check me in.
Wrapped up in the motel blanket, I swallowed a whole handful of sleeping pills.
Maybe if I just slept, everything would be fine. Maybe when I woke up, I'd realize this was all a bad dream, and my parents would still be at home waiting for me.
But when I woke up, my phone was buzzing nonstop.
The screen was filled with calls from unknown numbers and a mountain of unread messages.
A video of Jacob making out with Eugenia backstage at the wedding was going viral online.
Jacob called right after, his voice still thick with sleep.
"Lauren, get a couple of our go-to media outlets to buy exclusive rights to the photos. Eugenia's sensitive, so don't freak her out.
"If you're not sure how to handle the process, just ask Mrs. Juliet Walker. She's got plenty of experience with this kind of mess. You'll probably have to deal with stuff like this a lot from now on," he said.
I gripped my phone so hard my nails dug into my palm.
I knew Jacob absolutely hated those shady media outlets who were always snooping around in his business.
The only time he ever called a press conference himself was when the paparazzi caught us fighting and turned it into a huge scandal, painting me as a "spoiled princess with a wild streak."
That night, he pulled together every reporter in the city, grabbed my hand, and smiled at me, looking deeply affectionate, but with a hint of resignation.
"Yeah, my wife's got a fiery temper, but she's the only one on earth who dares to boss me around. Honestly, being under her thumb is the luckiest thing that's ever happened to me," he said then.
He even threw the whole company at that media outlet, not caring if it cost him a fortune in penalties.
By the next morning, all of Andocester knew that when it came to me, Jacob had zero tolerance. I was his untouchable.
Barely a month had passed, and now those same cameras were waiting to watch me crash and burn.