Chapter 1

One month before the wedding, I walked in on my boyfriend, Adam Langley, and best friend, Lily Summers, coming out of a hotel together.

Lily looked at me, tears in her eyes. "I'm sorry," she said. "It was a reckless mistake."

Adam lowered his head, eyes red. "I love you," he whispered, "but she's pregnant."

I gazed at them both, and then nodded gently. "Then I wish you happiness."

Three days later, I sent out the wedding invitations, asking them to be my bridesmaid and best man.

On the big day, I stepped onto the stage, microphone in hand. "Thank you all for being here," I said. "Now, it's time for my revenge."

*****

There were still twenty-eight days left until the wedding.

I'd just stepped out of the bridal shop when my phone rang. It was my best friend, Lily.

"Grace, can you come pick me up?" she asked. "I... I drank too much and I'm not feeling well."

She sounded like she was about to cry.

I'd always been a soft touch, so I grabbed a taxi straight to the hotel she mentioned.

But as soon as I got out of the cab, I saw my fiancé, Adam, helping Lily out of the side entrance.

Lily was wearing an off-the-shoulder chiffon dress, her cheeks flushed and her hair a complete mess. The neckline had slipped way down past her collarbone, and she was carrying her high heels in her hand.

Adam, on the other hand, was dressed in a crisp shirt and slacks, though the top two buttons were undone and his sleeves were rolled up to his forearms.

He leaned down and whispered something in Lily's ear, and she rested her head on his shoulder, letting out a gentle laugh.

I stood under the streetlight, and when they looked up, they both saw me.

Lily's eyes went wide for a moment, and she instinctively pulled back. Adam's expression shifted suddenly, but he kept holding her hand and hurried over to me.

"Grace, why are you here?" he asked, his voice dropping as if he was afraid someone might overhear.

"I came to pick her up," I said, glancing at Lily, my tone calm.

Lily's cheeks flushed even deeper as she mumbled, "I had a few drinks last night and lost my phone, so I asked Adam for help. He spent the whole night helping me search."

"Looks like you found it," I said, eyeing the phone in her hand, the screen still lit up with a conversation on WhatsApp.

Lily glanced down and hurried to lock the screen. "Yeah, got it back."

I nodded, holding up my own phone for her to see. "I tried calling you just now, but Adam picked up instead."

An awkward silence hung in the air.

Adam hesitated, trying to explain. "She's drunk and not feeling well. I was just taking her home."

"I never knew the hotel was her home," I said, my voice calm but cutting through the tension. "Adam, look me in the eye and say that again."

Adam finally lost his composure. "What exactly are you trying to say?"

I gave a slight smile, took out my phone, and calmly stopped the recording.

"I'm not saying anything," I told them, holding up the screen. "But you two said quite a lot."

Lily rushed over, reaching for my phone. "Grace, please, listen to me. It's really not what you think."

"What do you think I'm thinking?" I gently moved aside, dodging her hand. "We've been friends since middle school. I even sent you a wedding invitation. Funny how things turned out today, huh?"

She broke down in tears. "I'm sorry... I drank too much. I don't know what got into me. I really didn't mean to come between you two."

Adam pulled her back, his anger finally breaking through. "Grace, don't push it. If you care about me, stop making a big deal out of this."

I turned to him, pausing for a moment before asking, "So, you're finally admitting it?"

His face darkened, but he said nothing.

I nodded slowly. "Fine, then."

"Grace, please don't be like this." Lily clung to my sleeve, her voice desperate. "It was a reckless mistake. I'll get out of your lives."

I looked down at her. "Get out of our lives? I've already sent out the invitations, booked the venue, and tried on my dress. You can't just walk away like that."

She stared at me, stunned. "Wait, you mean..."

"The wedding's still happening in a month," I said, a smile forming on my lips as I looked at her. "Make sure you both come."

Adam frowned. "You still want to go through with the wedding?"

"Of course." I straightened my sleeves and ran a hand through my hair. "Weddings cost a fortune. Why waste all that cash?"

I paused, letting my gaze linger between them. "Though the roles might need a little adjustment. I want you two to be my bridesmaid and best man."

Both of them froze, completely stunned.

I caught the look of shock on their faces, smiled lightly, and turned to walk away.

My voice was gentle as I said, "Don't be late."