Chapter 1
On my wedding day, the host's voice echoed through the hall, but I was stopped backstage by my fiancé, Drake Finch.
He held his childhood friend, Meredith Robertson's hand, looking torn. "Let her walk in with me. It's a promise we made when we were kids."
Meredith, dressed in a white gown, gave me a pleading look. "Lexie, just let us have this dream, okay?"
I laughed, pulled off my veil, and tossed it to the floor.
Then I grabbed the stunned best man next to me. "Come on, let's get married. Let them chase their dream here."
*****
I pressed my nails into my palm, trying to force out a crooked smile through the pain.
But the smile never touched my eyes. It felt like I was just wearing a mask.
"Lexie, don't do this," Drake said, frowning, his voice full of that familiar mix of awkwardness and impatience.
"We promised each other when we were kids. Whoever gets married, the other would walk them down the aisle," he added.
Standing next to him was Meredith, dressed in a white gown that looked almost identical to my wedding dress, her eyes red as she gazed at me.
Her face was so pure and innocent, like I was the one being unreasonable.
Meredith said, her voice trembling. "Lexie, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to.
"I just... I just can't bear to let Drake go.
"Please, just let us have this last dream, okay?"
I found it laughable that they were using my wedding to fulfill their dream.
What noble selflessness it was. What a moving bond it was.
My stomach churned with disgust.
The air in the cramped backstage area was so thick that it felt like I could barely breathe.
In the mirror, I saw myself in that expensive wedding dress, makeup perfect, but I looked just like someone about to be sacrificed.
And my fiancé, the man I'd loved for three years, was holding the knife for them.
I pulled off my veil, the white fabric adorned with sparkling crystals, drifting down like a lifeless cloud onto the dirty carpet.
I surprised myself with how quickly I moved.
Drake just stood there, stunned.
Meredith's tears finally fell, as if she were the victim of some huge injustice.
I didn't bother looking at them. My eyes went straight past, landing on the odd one out in the corner.
That was Braden, Drake's best man and his sworn enemy in the business world.
Braden was leaning against the wall in a perfectly tailored black suit, his face cold and detached, like he was watching an absurd spectacle that had nothing to do with him.
But his eyes were bottomless, like a deep lake, mirroring all my embarrassment and mess.
In that instant, a crazy idea burst into my mind.
I lifted my dress, heels clicking, and strode straight toward him.
The sound of my heels echoed through the dead-silent backstage, each step like a hammer striking an anvil.
I came to a halt right in front of him.
"Mr. Conner," I said.
He arched an eyebrow, just a hint of surprise.
"Will you help me out?" I asked.
I didn't wait for his answer. I just took his hand.
His hand was cold, his fingers long and defined, radiating a strength that couldn't be ignored.
"Let's get married, right now," I said, grabbing Braden's hand.
Without a glance at Drake or Meredith, I pulled Braden with me and walked out.
"Lexie, are you crazy?" Drake's angry shout rang out behind me.
I didn't look back. I just held onto Braden's hand tighter.
The moment we burst out of the backstage, the buzz of the crowd in the banquet hall hit us like a wave.
The melodious wedding march came to a sudden halt.
Every guest's eyes locked onto us, like a volley of arrows all aimed our way.
The host stood there, mouth hanging open, the microphone in his hand nearly slipping to the floor.
My parents, Dustin and Giana Garrett, rushed over from the main table, their faces as white as sheets.
"Lexie! Stop right there!" My dad's voice shook with rage.
He barked, "What are you doing? You're embarrassing the Garrett family in front of everyone!"
My mom grabbed my arm, her nails digging so hard that it felt like they might break my skin.
She shouted, "Have you lost your mind? Go back and apologize to Drake. This wedding is happening, whether you like it or not!"
I didn't see why I should apologize to them.
I stared at them, and it felt like my heart was turning to ice.
Ever since I chose Drake, all they ever cared about was the Finch family's reputation and Drake's prospects.
They never noticed my pain or cared about what I wanted.
"I won't," I said, my voice steely and defiant for the first time.
I snapped, "If you want a wedding so badly, suit yourself. I'm not getting married."
"You ungrateful daughter!" My dad shouted, his hand flying up in anger.
But the slap never landed.
Before I realized it, Braden had stepped in front of me, his tall frame blocking me from harm.
He said nothing and just fixed my dad with a cold, piercing stare from those pitch-black eyes.
My dad's hand froze in mid-air, stunned by the icy glare in Braden's eyes, and he let it fall.
Braden ignored the chaos, just turning his head to give his assistant a brief look.
With that glance, his assistant instantly caught on and began clearing people out, organizing the scene without missing a beat.