Chapter 4

Then, Carlos's deep voice filled the cab, carrying a subtle but absolute promise. "From now on, whatever is mine is yours. You will never have to fight for it."

My heart skipped a beat.

He had said something similar in my old life. But back then, I was already so broken that I couldn't bring myself to believe him.

This time, Carlos, we were going to live completely differently.

And Audrey, in this lifetime, you would be the only one crying.

*****

Three days later was the double wedding.

Audrey had practically begged for it.

She claimed a shared big day would be twice the blessing, but I knew the real reason.

She just wanted a front-row seat to crush me, using my supposedly miserable life to make her own fairytale look even better.

The Holloway backyard was strung with fairy lights, but the divide was painfully obvious.

The left side belonged to Audrey and Ethan. Their tables were packed with snooty city folks and local officials.

The food was nothing special, but they were too busy quoting poetry and talking about their grand ambitions to notice.

They sipped tap water like it was expensive champagne.

Audrey flitted through the crowd in her perfectly tailored white sundress, strutting around like she owned the place. She made a beeline for the table where Carlos and I sat.

"Oh sweetie," she purred, covering her nose and fanning the air dramatically. "Carlos smells like straight grease. He is completely ruining the appetite of everyone around him.

"Not like my Ethan. He always smells like old books and sophistication."

Ethan stood right beside her, puffing out his chest with that arrogant, misunderstood genius look he always wore.

Carlos gripped his fork so hard his knuckles turned white. He started to stand up, but I placed a hand over his to stop him.

I grabbed the overflowing mason jar of moonshine in front of me and stood up, flashing Audrey a brilliant smile. "You know, Audrey, your dress is so perfectly white.

"You are right. Us blue-collar folks really do not deserve to sit at the same table as you."

"Glad you finally realize that..." Audrey started to say.

Before she could finish her sentence, I flicked my wrist.

The entire jar of cloudy homebrew hit her dead center.

It soaked right through her precious dress, dripping from her neckline and instantly turning the pristine fabric completely see-through.

"Clara, you absolute psycho!" Audrey shrieked, jumping back like a terrified cat.

"Oops. My hand slipped." I set the empty glass jar down and glared right at her. "Feeling a bit more clearheaded now?

"That liquor might be strong, but it still smells a hell of a lot better than the stench of your desperation."

Right at that moment, the local mail carrier zoomed into the yard on his dirt bike. "Ethan! Got an urgent delivery for you. Forwarded all the way from the corporate office in the city."

Ethan had been enjoying the show, but the moment he heard about the city office, the color completely drained from his face.

Ignoring Audrey's hysterical screaming, he lunged forward and snatched the bright pink envelope out of the mailman's hand.

He gripped it tightly, terrified to even look at the handwriting.

I caught his panicked gaze and gave him a knowing smirk. "Wow, Ethan. I did not know you had family up in the city.

"With a pink envelope like that, it sure looks like a letter from a special girlfriend."

"That is absolute nonsense. It is just my cousin." Ethan shoved the letter deep into his jacket pocket, his eyes darting everywhere. "Audrey, my stomach is killing me. I need to head home."

Without another word, he bolted, leaving a soaking wet Audrey standing entirely alone.

She stared at his retreating back, then caught me laughing at her. She was shaking with pure rage but could not form a single word.

The snooty crowd gathered around, pointing fingers at Carlos with eyes full of blatant superiority.

"It really is a shame about Clara," one whispered.

"I guess that is what happens when you drop out of school," another scoffed.

"She is way out of his league. Talk about beauty and the beast."

Every single comment acted like a needle piercing Carlos's pride.

His knuckles popped as he clenched his fists, and the veins in his neck bulged. He was seconds away from exploding.

I reached out and rested my palm over his hand. His skin was burning hot and shaking slightly.

I stood back up and looked Audrey right in the eye. "Are you done yet, Audrey?"

"What? Did I hit a nerve?" Audrey lifted her chin, looking incredibly smug. "I am just trying to give you a reality check. Do not think snagging some blue-collar guy makes you special. You cannot buy class, and you certainly cannot buy intellect."

She was getting completely carried away, acting like she was perched on some moral high ground. "Clara, all you have to do is admit right here and now that you regret your choices.

"Admit that you are jealous of me. If you do that, I will forgive your little stunt. I might even get Ethan to lend you some books so you are not so painfully ignorant."

The entire yard fell dead silent. Everyone was waiting for the punchline.

They wanted to see me break down in tears, admit defeat, and confess that I had married a total loser.