Chapter 1
During the holiday weekend, I had three bridal makeup appointments back to back.
The third bride was super chatty and kept talking to me while I did her makeup.
"Miss Clarke, how long have you been doing this?" she asked.
"Over eight years," I replied.
"That's a long time. No wonder you're so good at it. So are you married?"
"Not yet, but I have a boyfriend."
Seeing the soft expression on my face, Bianca Bennett, the third bride, smiled knowingly. "Sounds like you've got a great boyfriend, Miss Clarke. I wish you both all the happiness in the world."
I smiled and accepted her well-wishes. "Thanks. He really is great. We've already set a date to get married this year."
I had just finished applying her foundation when Bianca's phone suddenly rang.
She glanced at the screen, then turned to me.
"My fiancé will be here any minute. He's really picky, but with your skills, I'm sure he'll be impressed."
I smiled and kept working.
"Honey, I'm here," a man's voice called out.
The moment I heard that voice, my hand nearly slipped as I was applying her eyeshadow.
That voice was all too familiar.
I slowly looked up, and the man walking toward me was Jason Young, my boyfriend, the one who said he was going back to his hometown.
"Honey," Bianca beamed, linking her arm with his. "This is Stella Clarke, our makeup artist for today. Miss Clarke, this is my husband, Jason Young."
"Hello," he greeted me, his gaze calm, his voice cold as if we were strangers.
"Hello." I forced a smile, but I was cursing him like crazy inside.
Today was Jason's birthday, and I'd planned to celebrate with him.
But he'd told me he had to go back to his hometown for something urgent.
I never, ever imagined he would lie to me.
If I hadn't had years of professional self-control, I would've snapped my makeup brush in half.
Bianca didn't seem to notice anything strange between us. She took Jason's hand and sat him down.
"Honey, you look stunning," Jason said.
Bianca pouted at him playfully. "I haven't even finished my makeup yet. How can I look pretty?"
"You're beautiful without any makeup at all," Jason said, gently tapping her nose. "You always are."
He pulled a small velvet box from his pocket and opened it. Inside was a diamond necklace.
He took out the necklace and gently put it around Bianca's neck.
Bianca looked down at the necklace and gasped. "It's beautiful! When did you get this?"
"I bought it last month. Do you like it?" Jason asked.
"I love it!" Bianca leaned in and kissed him on the cheek.
My eyes lingered on the delicate chain around her neck. The diamond wasn't big, but under the lights, it glinted so sharply it almost hurt to look at.
Almost instinctively, I glanced at my left wrist, where I wore an old bracelet.
Jason had given it to me two years ago.
Back then, he was a junior in college, no job, completely broke.
One day, while we were wandering through a dollar store, he picked out a simple bracelet and tied it around my wrist.
"Stella, I can't afford anything expensive right now, but trust me—someday I'll get you the finest diamond necklace," he said, tying it carefully, his voice more sincere than ever. "Promise me you'll never take it off, okay?"
I kept that promise. I wore that bracelet every day for two years, never taking it off, not even once.
But now, that diamond necklace was around another woman's neck.
And I was still wearing my old bracelet.