Chapter 2

"Pettiness doesn't even cover it. She just accused us of being unreasonable. If you ask me, she never wanted this marriage at all!"

Christian's face darkened further.

He stepped closer, looking down at me, his voice thick with disappointment.

"How did I never notice how small-minded you are?"

"Crystal was with my brother for years, and now he's gone. Is it too much for me to look out for her a little more?"

"It's just a ceremony. Yours is the name on the marriage license. You're the one who'll spend the rest of her life with me. Why would you throw a fit today, of all days? What's the point?"

I lifted my head and stared at him, cold.

"So this is why you didn't discuss it with me? This is my wedding, and I don't even have the right to be told?"

He curled his lip like he'd heard the funniest joke in the world.

"You're Mrs. Delgado only because I let you stand up here. The moment I don't, you're nothing."

Crystal gave his sleeve a gentle tug.

"Christian, stop. It's my fault. I shouldn't have come..."

"This has nothing to do with you."

Christian patted the back of her hand. When he turned back to me, not a shred of patience was left.

"Two choices. Sit here quietly, go home with me after the ceremony, and I won't hold today against you."

"Or grab your things and leave right now, and never show your face in front of me again. Your call."

I said nothing, just held his gaze for a long time.

Three years of love I'd kept burning inside me, doused stone-cold by a single sentence.

I didn't argue anymore. I turned, walked to a seat in the corner, and sat down.

Christian thought I'd caved. The knot in his brow loosened.

He slid a hand to Crystal's waist, and the two of them walked back up to the stage.

The emcee smoothed it over with a smile.

As his voice faded, applause thundered from the floor.

My best friend rushed in, gathering her skirt, and scanned the whole stage without finding a trace of me.

Then her eyes swept to the corner, and she froze, then hurried straight over.

"Tilda, why are you sitting here? Who's that woman up on the stage?"

I gave a thin twist of my lips.

"Can't you tell? She's the star of today's wedding. I'm just a prop."

She went off like a firecracker, shoving up her sleeves to charge the stage.

"Has Christian lost his mind? No wonder he wouldn't let me be a bridesmaid, no matter what I said. I thought he was planning some big surprise. Turns out he was just scared I'd ruin his little scheme!"

"I'm tearing those two lowlifes apart today!"

I reached out and grabbed her.

"Don't."

"So you're just going to take it?"

I looked at the two of them smiling at each other up on the stage, and shook my head slowly.

"I just suddenly don't see the point anymore. Besides, watching your own fiancé marry someone else, that's a pretty rare life experience."

Her eyes reddened. She crouched down and gripped my hands.

"Tilda..."

I patted the back of her hand, letting her know I was fine.

"Let's just watch the show. Might as well, since it's free."

The ceremony wrapped up, and the newlyweds began making their toasts.

Christian went table to table with Crystal at his side.

Crystal wasn't used to heels, and she kept turning an ankle every few steps.

Each time, he reached out to steady her, his palm settling on her waist, the gesture intimate and easy.

When they reached my table, Crystal held out a glass of juice and gave me a grateful smile.

"Miss Swanson, thank you for today. If Ezra can see us from above, I'm sure he'd be so happy."

Every other word out of her mouth was her dead fiancé. She was laying the guilt on thick, plain as day.

The eyes of the whole table settled on me, all of them hungry for a show.

I didn't take the juice she offered. I picked up the water in front of me and took a sip.

"No need to thank me. I never agreed to any of this."