Chapter 2

After the call ended, the room fell silent.

I checked out Grace's profile. Her profile picture was a shot of her baby bump, and her username was "Grace and Little Moon."

Her latest post was still up. I refreshed the page, and dozens more comments had popped up.

One person commented, [Her brother-in-law must really care about his elder brother to look after her like this.]

Another said, [If the bride-to-be is bothered by this, she's making a fuss for nothing.]

Someone else asked, [Is the brother-in-law married? Is his wife okay with it?]

Grace replied to that comment. [She's a good person, very kind. I'm staying here temporarily. I won't get in the way of their happiness.]

I stared at the words "their happiness," and felt a tightness slowly building in my chest.

She reduced my happiness to a throwaway line, then slipped herself right into it, acting like she was some careful passerby.

But it was my clothes she was wearing. My bridal suite showed up in her photos. And my fiancé was the one standing by her side.

*****

When my mom knocked on the door and walked in, I was still sitting on the edge of the bed.

She smiled as she held a red jewelry box. "Your dad double-checked tomorrow's schedule. He's even more nervous than you are."

I placed my phone face down on my knee. "Mom."

She caught the look on my face, and her smile slowly faded. "What's wrong?"

I opened my mouth, but the words wouldn't come out.

My mom's heart had never been strong. She'd had a stent put in two years ago, and her latest checkup showed her condition was still unstable.

The doctor said we should get her into treatment as soon as the wedding was over. Edward and I had already set aside money in a joint account, so we could get her admitted right after the ceremony.

She'd been looking forward to this wedding for so long. This afternoon, she'd quietly asked me, "Edward won't get so nervous tomorrow that he forgets his vows, will he?"

I teased her about it earlier. But at this moment, the words wouldn't come out.

"It's nothing," I said, setting my phone aside. "I'm a little tired."

My mom sat down next to me and tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear. "It's normal to feel tired when you're getting married tomorrow."

She opened the jewelry box. Inside was a gold bracelet. "This was your grandma's. I wore it on my wedding day. Before the ceremony tomorrow, put it on. It'll help you hold your own."

I stared at the bracelet, and my eyes prickled with tears.

My mom kept talking. "Getting married isn't about how big the wedding is. It's about whether he really has you in his heart. I've known Edward for seven years. He's reliable, and he cares about you."

She laughed, "Your dad always acts like he's hard to please, but honestly, he's already treated Edward like family."

I lowered my head, clutching the bracelet in my palm.

The cold metal warmed up in my hand. I didn't tell her that the man she treated like family was, at this very moment, in our bridal suite, watching over another woman.

*****

At midnight, Edward sent another message. [Grace is asleep. You should get some rest too. I won't be late tomorrow.]

I stared at the message and replied with one word. [Okay.]

After sending it, I set my phone down by my pillow and lay back.

The wedding dress hung at the foot of the bed, its white so bright it hurt my eyes.

I closed my eyes, but all I could think about was Grace's post.

Grace said the baby finally had a home to wait for William to come back to. But William would never return.

It was Edward and I who were getting married.

I kept telling myself that maybe I was being overly sensitive. Grace was nervous because she was pregnant. Edward couldn't shake off the guilt he owed William.

It was only one night. Once the wedding's over, everything would fall back into place.

But around two in the morning, I was woken up by a notification sound.

Grace had posted another update: [Little Moon's been restless all night. Maybe she knows her uncle's getting married tomorrow and can't bear to be apart from him.]

The photo was of Edward's suit jacket, left on the coffee table.

That jacket was supposed to go with his wedding suit tomorrow. At the cuff, I could see the cufflink I'd chosen for him, half-hidden but unmistakably there.

Someone in the comments joked, [Looks like the baby's jealous.]

Grace replied, [He's about to start his own family. We shouldn't hold on too tight.]

I stared at those words, then suddenly shot upright in bed.

City lights still burned outside my window.

The wedding itinerary for tomorrow sat on my nightstand, and the first page read: [Bride and groom enter together.]

I reached out and flipped the page over. The back was empty, like some bad sign.

*****

On the day of the wedding, Edward was twenty-seven minutes late.

I sat in the dressing room, my veil already in place, the pearl earrings at my ears swaying gently.

Sophie Grant, my bridesmaid, checked her phone for the fourth time, her face growing more and more worried. "Should I call him again?"

I looked at myself in the mirror. My makeup was flawless, my lipstick perfect, and I seemed to be bathed in soft light.

If one looked at my face, no one would ever guess I'd barely slept last night.

"No need," I said. "He'll be here."

Sophie frowned. "He'd better be."

My dad's voice came from outside the door. "Olivia, are you ready?"

I stood up right away and called out, "I'm ready."

When my dad pushed the door open, his suit collar was still a little crooked.

He hardly ever wore a suit, but on that day, he'd been making sure he looked perfect since six in the morning.

When he saw me, he paused for half a second, his eyes going misty. "My daughter looks so beautiful."

The tears I'd been holding back nearly spilled over. I went over and straightened his tie for him. "Dad, your tie's crooked."

He looked down at me with a sheepish smile. "Your mom tied it for me. She was so nervous her hands were shaking."

After he finished, he glanced toward the door. "Where's Edward?"

I hesitated for a second, my fingers hovering in place.

Sophie jumped in right away. "He's stuck in traffic, but he said he'll be here any minute."

My dad nodded and didn't ask any more questions.

His heart wasn't strong either, and the doctor had warned him not to get too emotional.

For this wedding, he started eating healthier two weeks ago and even quit smoking.

I didn't want him to know that Edward's lateness might not have anything to do with traffic.