Chapter 3

The air inside Sabrina's apartment felt suffocating.

Sabrina sat on the carpet. She was surrounded by boxes of Daniel's old clothes. Tears streamed down her pale face as she clutched a framed photograph.

Grant stood by the window. He had already been here for twenty minutes.

Just then, his phone vibrated sharply in his pocket. It was Owen.

"Grant, where the hell are you?" Owen's voice was frantic. He was practically shouting through the speaker. "Nathan Vale just showed up!"

Grant frowned. His fingers tightened around the phone. "Nathan? Why is he there?"

"He's putting on a suit, Grant! Claire isn't just taking off the bracelet—she's actually replacing you!"

For a split second, the room was dead silent.

Then, a low, tired chuckle escaped Grant's lips.

Nathan Vale. The childhood friend who always hovered around Claire.

Grant shook his head. He was completely unfazed. His confidence didn't waver for a single second. He knew Claire better than anyone. He knew exactly how much she loved him.

"Relax, Owen," Grant said smoothly. His voice dripped with absolute certainty. "She is just trying to make me angry so I will come back."

"Grant, I'm telling you, this looks real—"

"I will go back," Grant interrupted calmly. "Tell her I am on my way."

He hung up the phone. He didn't rush. He didn't panic.

He gave Sabrina one last comforting pat on the shoulder. He was completely confident that when he pushed open those chapel doors, Claire would still be waiting for him.

---

Across the city, the bridal suite was painfully quiet.

I stood face-to-face with Nathan.

I looked straight into his dark, unreadable eyes.

"Three years ago, you made me an offer," I said softly. My voice was perfectly steady. "Was it real?"

Nathan didn't answer immediately.

He stepped closer and lowered his gaze. He studied my face with intense focus. He searched my eyes for any trace of a breakdown. He needed to be absolutely sure. He wanted to know this wasn't just a temporary fit of anger.

He saw nothing but cold, dead clarity.

The tension in his broad shoulders finally relaxed. He gave me a single, solemn nod.

"Okay," I said.

I turned to my wedding planner. She was standing in the corner, looking like she might faint.

"Remove Grant's name from everything," I ordered. "Void the marriage license. We will deal with the legal papers later."

The planner's face went completely white.

"But Ms. Bennett..." she stammered nervously. "Mr. Whitmore is on his way. He will be here—"

I cut her off with a dead, cold stare.

The planner swallowed hard. She glanced nervously at Nathan. Everyone in this city knew the Vale family's power. Nobody dared to offend him.

She nodded quickly and ran out the door.

The machinery of the wedding began to shift.

The welcome signs at the entrance were quietly swapped out.

Nathan walked into the back dressing room. When he emerged, he was wearing a perfectly tailored dark formal suit.

The florist stepped forward with trembling hands. A fresh boutonniere was pinned to a different man's chest.

But I didn't change my wedding dress.

Everything about the wedding remained exactly the same.

Only Grant was replaced.

The heavy, majestic notes of the wedding march finally began to echo through the venue. I took a deep breath.

I walked slowly down the aisle. The guests were completely silent. Their faces were a mixture of shock and confusion. They watched me walk toward a man who wasn't my fiancé.

Nathan was already standing at the altar. He stood in the exact spot where Grant was supposed to be.

His eyes never left mine. When I reached the front, he held out his large, warm hand.

I placed my cold fingers into his grip.

The priest cleared his throat nervously. He opened his leather-bound book. His voice echoed in the dead-silent room.

My heart beat a steady, calm rhythm.

The priest looked up. He turned his attention to me.

"Claire," the priest began, his voice ringing out clearly. "Do you take Nathan—"

Bang.

The heavy double doors at the back of the hall were suddenly pushed open.

Grant walked in with a confident smile.