Chapter 3

Soon came the day of Andrew and Lily's wedding.

For the past few days, Andrew kept pestering me nonstop about borrowing the wedding dress.

I told him I didn't do rentals. After all, I was a designer with a reputation. No way I was letting my work go for cheap.

"50 thousand? Why don't you just rob a bank instead?" Andrew blurted out.

Just then, I heard Lily's girlish, almost whining voice over the phone. "Babe, I really want this one. The dresses at those bridal shops are ugly, and none of them fit me."

Andrew hesitated for a moment and gave in. "Alright, 50 thousand it is. Plus, Lily really hopes you'll make it to our wedding."

"Sure thing. I'll be there," I replied and ended the call.

Of course I'd be there.

But I sure wasn't going there to give them my blessing.

Andrew was downright generous when it came to Lily.

Normally, he wouldn't part with a penny, but for Lily, he transferred all 50 thousand into my account that very night.

As for the wedding dress I'd poured my heart into designing and making, now it made me sick to see it. There was no way I'd ever wear it again.

At least selling it to him meant my effort wasn't completely wasted.

On the day of their wedding, I put extra effort into getting ready before making my appearance.

We'd spent so much time planning the venue, the convoy, and the reception.

But all he did was swap the bride's name on the invitations, and all my effort was in vain.

When Andrew spotted me, his eyes widened with surprise.

"Charlotte, I just knew you'd show up. Having you here today means a lot. Thank you," he said.

With gratitude written all over his face, he reached out and took my hand.

I quickly pulled my hand back.

"Really, Andrew? Holding another woman's hand at your wedding? Lily might see it," I said.

I let out a scoff, spun around, and dropped myself into an empty seat.

All eyes were fixed on the happy couple. No one even seemed to notice I was there.

The wedding kicked off soon.

I'd spent days convincing myself I was tough enough to get through this.

But seeing the guy I'd loved for ten years walking down the aisle with another woman was still hard.

No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't stop my nose from stinging.

The emcee handed the microphone to Lily.

He asked, "So, our beautiful bride, do you have anything to say?"

Lily took the mic, looking a little shy. With her radiant glow today, she was nothing like the wilting, miserable girl I'd seen before.

"See the wedding dress I'm wearing?" Lily said.

She deliberately cast a glance in my direction.

She continued, "I've always dreamed of becoming Mrs. Andrew Turner. I designed this wedding dress myself, working on every little detail, every single stitch over the years. And now, I'm wearing my creation as I stand beside the man I love."

My body went rigid. I couldn't tear my eyes away from Lily up on that stage.

Did she really claim the dress was her design?

I spent years designing that dress, revising it again and again, choosing the fabric with care, sewing every stitch by hand.

Now, my work somehow became hers.

"That wedding dress is absolutely gorgeous! I think it's the most beautiful one I've ever seen," one guest exclaimed.

"Who knew Lily had such talent? Maybe I'll have her custom-make my daughter's wedding dress when the time comes," someone else joked.

The guests couldn't stop gushing over the dress.

"So, did the groom know about all this?" the emcee teased.

Andrew shot me a guilty look. The moment our eyes met and he saw just how pissed I was, he instantly avoided my gaze, plastering on an awkward smile and nodding like nothing was wrong.

"Yeah, I've always known. This dress is Lily's way of showing how much she loves me," he said.

Thunderous applause broke out among the guests.

"Such a sweet couple!" someone called out.

"Isn't this the perfect moment for a kiss?" another guest teased.

Lily gave Andrew a shy look, and he gazed back at her with all the warmth and affection in his eyes.

The timing was just right, and everyone had their eyes glued to the couple.

Suddenly, I stood up, my three-inch heels clicking loudly as I strode confidently onto the stage.

I snatched the mic from the emcee, took a deep breath, and said, "Hi, everyone, I'm Charlotte, the groom's ex-girlfriend. I'm here to offer my blessings today, and I'd like you all to check out this video."

As soon as I finished speaking, the video I'd prepared started playing on the big screen.

There was Andrew, wearing a goofy birthday hat and a smear of cake frosting on his face, kneeling on one knee and holding out a ring.

"Today's my twenty-eighth birthday," he said. "I, Andrew Turner, want to ask Charlotte to spend the rest of my life with me."

That video was meant to be a sweet little gift, a record of our happiest moment together. Now it had become my ace.

Next came the audio clip I'd secretly recorded of Andrew sweet-talking Lily over the phone while he was in the hospital.

There he was, telling Lily she was the love of his life, and then, just seconds later, turning around and calling me "darling."

The guests kept their eyes glued to the big screen, watching the drama unfold.

"She must be kidding, right?" someone finally asked.

The emcee turned pale, stumbling over his words as he tried to regain control of the situation.

"Well, now you all see what the real Andrew is like," I said. "One minute he's putting on this big show of devotion for me, and the next, he's secretly tying the knot with someone else. If I were a man, I'd want two wives, too."

I leaned in, giving the two of them an amused look.

Lily screamed, "Why are you doing this to me? You wicked bitch! I'm sick. All I ever wanted was a family with him. Do you have to ruin that?"

She dashed at me, trying to hit me.

I snatched her frail wrist easily.

"Oh, being sick is your excuse for stealing someone's man? For slapping your own name on someone else's design?" I spat back.

I shot her a cold, mocking smile, letting my gaze linger on the wedding dress, which didn't quite.

"If you really made this dress yourself, then how do you explain that painfully tight waist?" I asked.

Lily's face turned pale, scrambling to defend herself.

"I-I just put on a few pounds, that's all," she muttered.

"Oh, you gained weight, but the bust is still loose. What's this fabric called? How many crystals did you stitch on it? Do you even have a clue? You made me sell you the wedding dress I made for myself, and now you're showing off my work as if you crafted it, basking in the glory of someone else's effort."

Every word was heavy with anger and pain, and Lily just stared at me, terrified and utterly speechless.

"That's enough!" Andrew shouted suddenly.

He came over and gave me a shove.

Still recovering and a bit unsteady from my illness, my ankle twisted, and I nearly fell.

Andrew's eyes flickered, and for a moment he seemed about to help, but he held himself back.

He glanced at me, pleading with his eyes.

"Please. Can't we deal with this somewhere private later?" Andrew pleaded.

The guests started murmuring and gasping.

There were quite a few guests here who were classmates and friends of both me and Andrew. I had no idea what kind of story he'd spun for them before today, but judging by their looks, their whole impression of him had definitely shifted.

Meanwhile, Lily's family and friends were really starting to get riled up.

"What do you mean, Andrew? Are you admitting it's true?" one of them called out.

"Boy, I watched you grow up. How could you propose to one girl and then marry Lily? What do you take our family for?" asked another.

People were swarming the stage, demanding answers.

I got what I came for. No reason to stick around.

Not sparing Andrew another glance, I gave my aching ankle a quick rub and headed out.