Chapter 3

I calmed Harper down, then calmed myself.

I walked to the balcony at the end of the corridor to get some air.

Just as I reached for the door, I heard the groomsmen's voices from the other side.

Hiding out here, smoking.

"So — the Boss really isn't coming back?"

"He says Sadie's glued to him. Can't peel her off. Told us to keep stalling."

"How long you think Ivy's gonna sit there and eat it? Look at her — dress on, aisle ready, groom gone. Didn't even blink."

"A wife like that." Jordan whistled low. "The Boss really doesn't know how good he's got it."

"The Boss ain't thinking straight right now. That Sadie's got him strung out. He's cooked."

The others laughed.

Then someone dialed a video call.

"Boss — finally! Ivy's still waiting out there, man. It's not a good look if you don't come back."

A woman's soft, breathy sound came through the phone.

"You can't see I'm busy?" Sean's voice came through — irritated, thick with sex.

"Not coming. Just keep the guests entertained, that's all I need."

"Alright, alright. You do you, Boss." Chase grinned. "Ivy's easy to smooth over anyway —"

Before he could finish, I pushed the balcony door open.

Every smile in the room froze.

Chase shoved the phone behind his back.

"Iv— Ivy…"

I looked at them, face flat.

"The wedding starts in three minutes."

"What are you doing out here?"

"Three hundred guests in there. You want them sitting there waiting? Or would you rather they sit and watch a joke?"

The moment I finished, someone snorted a laugh.

"Ivy, c'mon." Jordan waved his hand, still snickering. "Three minutes? Not enough. Our Boss doesn't finish that fast. He can't make it —"

"Enough."

I cut him off. Calm.

Then turned and walked away.

Chase remembered the video call was still open. He glanced at the screen.

"Boss — Ivy says the ceremony starts in three minutes. Move."

From the phone came Sean's low, lazy laugh — the sound of a man not done with what he was doing.

"Three minutes?"

"Does my wife misunderstand my stamina?"

The woman giggled through the speaker and murmured something sweet.

"Boss —" Chase asked quietly. "So… what do we —"

Silence for two seconds.

Then Sean's voice, impatient: "Cover for me. Hold the room down. I'll come when I'm done here."

When he said done, the woman on his end made another soft sound.

Chase hung up fast.

They stubbed out their cigarettes, straightened their suits, and filed out behind me.

Jordan caught up beside me. Lowered his voice.

"Ivy, look — you've been with the Boss ten years. We all know he's got you in his heart. It's just… guys are guys. Nature of the life, you know?"

I didn't look at him. Didn't answer.

The truth was — until yesterday, I hadn't wanted to believe it either.

I hadn't wanted to believe Sean Locke would fall for a new toy.

Sadie was the only daughter of an old associate — a made man whose gun-running routes had been feeding Sean's operations for years. Fresh out of college.

Ever since he met her at a Family celebration, his eyes had gone different.

Back then I told myself I was imagining it.

Ten years together — if I didn't know him, I wouldn't have lasted this long.

So the strange silences. The late-night messages he stopped answering. I let myself buy every excuse.

I refused to believe that after everything — after clawing our way back from ashes — we'd lose to a girl fresh out of school.

But he got impatient with hiding it.

He stopped covering his tracks. Started letting me catch him on purpose.

Then dressed the betrayal up like a favor:

"A man like me — you really thought I'd only have one woman? But my heart is yours. Nobody sits in Mrs. Locke's chair but you."

Expecting me to be grateful.

Harper was right. He was too good at faking it.

Faked it right up to the night before the wedding, and only then tore the mask off — using the cruelest possible way to make me see, hear, feel exactly what I meant to him.

"Ivy — walk slow on the aisle, yeah? We got your back from behind."

"Yeah. The Boss said he'll be here soon. Just walk through it up front."

They thought I'd walk the aisle alone.

They thought I'd stand at the altar in white, smile at the empty groom's spot, and say I do to no one.

That was the script Sean Locke left for me.

...

The groomsmen stood on either side of me, still wearing that same everything-under-control smile.

The cathedral doors slowly opened.

Backlit in the doorway stood a man.

And every smile in the room froze.