The Morning After.

Chapter 2.

Bryan’s POV

I woke up to the kind of headache that made the room tilt for a second. I buried my hands into the soft sheets as my brain tried recalling how I ended up in this unfamiliar room and for a moment, I just lay there, staring up, trying to piece together how the night had ended.

It was supposed to be simple. A break away from the endless meetings and the weight of my father’s expectations. I had gone out, had a few drinks, let myself look at someone without calculating the consequences. The guy was cute and blonde. I didn’t know his name though but he was the kind of company that did not ask for anything heavy. We had ended up here, and I had let it happen. Nothing more than that. Or at least that was what I told myself while the rest of the night stayed blurry.

I stretched and turned to look at him. He was still asleep beside me, one arm thrown across the pillow, hair messy against the white sheets, snoring peacefully. Completely unaware. I watched him for a few seconds longer than I needed to, then the wrong feeling settled in my chest. Something was off. You know that feeling when the air is too still and life’s functioning in a completely odd but normal way. That was how I felt now.

I picked up my phone and saw it was on silent. Normally, I should have been buzzing by now with the usual morning reminders.

The screen lit up and the breath left my lungs in one short push. There were dozens of missed calls and messages stacked on top of each other. My father’s name repeated so many times it looked aggressive. My alarm had been turned off completely and I never, ever turn it off.

The date at the top of the screen made my stomach drop.

Today was the wedding. And this was… I checked the time on my phone. 2:30PM??

I sat up so fast the room spun. The blonde stirred in his sleep, blinking against the light, then smiled when he saw me.

“Morning Pappy,” he said, voice still rough with sleep. “Come back to bed. We still have the whole day.”

“I don’t have time for this shit.” I was already on my feet, searching for my clothes. Shirt on the floor. Trousers half under the bed. Everything smelled like alcohol and the horrible mistake I’d made last night.

He pushed himself up on one elbow, his smile fading. “What’s the rush? Stay. Just for a while longer.”

“I said I don’t have time.” I pulled the shirt over my head and started on the buttons, fingers moving too fast. “Where the hell are my shoes?”

He watched me for a second, then his voice went quieter, almost sulky. “You were not supposed to wake up early. I made sure of that. I just wanted you here with me for the day. No work. No interruptions. Is that so bad?”

I froze with one button still open. The words landed slowly, then all at once.

“You what?”

He realized what he had said a second too late. His eyes widened.

“You motherfucker.” The words came out low and sharp. I stepped back from the bed and raised my voice just enough for the door. “Get in here.”

The guard who had been stationed outside stepped into the room without question. I pointed at the blonde.

“Hold him. Do not let him leave until I say so.”

The blonde guy scrambled up, sheets falling, protest already forming on his lips. “Bryan, wait. It was not like that. I just—”

I did not stay to listen. I finished the last buttons on the way out, shoved my feet into my shoes, and kept moving. The hallway smelled clean and expensive while I still smelled like the night I should never have had. None of it mattered. I needed to get to the hall.

My phone started ringing again before I even reached the elevator. Mark, my best friend’s name lit up the screen. I answered while the doors closed.

“On a scale of one to ten, how bad is it?”

Mark did not waste time. “You’re seriously asking that? Bro, you didn’t even show up at your freaking wedding. Your dad looks like he’s about to erupt while your siblings are just smiling through it like nothing is going on.”

I closed my eyes for a second and pressed my forehead against the cool metal wall of the elevator. “I’m on my way.”

“You better be. I flew back in just for this wedding that never held. The whole place is a mess. People are still standing around like they can’t believe what they saw. You need to get here now.”

The call stayed open while I got into the car. The driver already knew the route. I did not look at the mirror. I did not want to see whatever version of myself was staring back. The city moved past the windows in a blur of ordinary traffic while my phone kept vibrating with new messages I refused to open.

By the time we pulled up, the grand entrance looked almost empty. A few cars remained. Staff moved in and out with the careful faces of people who had witnessed something they would talk about for years. Mark was waiting near the steps, jacket open, expression tight.

“You look like shit,” he said as soon as I stepped out.

“I feel worse. Where is everyone?”

“Most of the guests left. Your father is still inside with the family. Alice ran out a while ago. I tried to stop her but she was not hearing anyone.”

I pushed past him and into the hall. The air still held the faint scent of flowers and perfume, but the energy was gone. Rows of empty chairs faced an altar that no longer meant anything. My father stood near the front with his back to me. Darson and Carly were a few seats away. Darson’s face was carefully arranged into concern, but I knew that look. He had been waiting for something like this.

My father turned when he heard my steps. The disappointment on his face was worse than anger. He did not raise his voice. He did not need to.

“You missed your own wedding,” he said. “Do you have any idea what you have done?”

I opened my mouth and nothing useful came out. Darson stood then, walking toward me with that same calm smile he used when he thought he had already won.

“Look who finally decided to show up,” he said, voice light enough for the remaining staff to hear. “Tell me, brother, did you just crawl out of another guy’s bed or was this morning’s performance enough for you?”

Mark stepped between us before I could answer. “Not now.”

I did not have the energy to fight Darson. Not here. Not when the only person I needed to find was already gone. I turned away from all of them and headed back toward the doors.

“Where are you going?” my father called after me.

“To find Alice.”

Outside, the afternoon light felt too bright. I asked one of the remaining drivers which way she had gone. He pointed toward the side street that ran along the building. I started walking, then walking faster, the taste of last night was still in my mouth and the weight of every wrong choices were pressing down at once.

I found her in the narrow alley behind the hall, back against the wall, arms wrapped around herself. Her dress was dirty at the hem. Her makeup had run down both cheeks in dark streaks. She looked nothing like the woman who had stood at the altar waiting for me. She looked wrecked.

“Alice.”

She lifted her head. The second she saw me, whatever was left of her composure snapped. She pushed off the wall and closed the distance in three quick steps.

“You bastard.” The first slap landed hard across my cheek. “You absolute bastard. Do you know what you did to me in front of everyone? Do you know how it felt standing there while they all watched that video?”

I did not raise a hand to stop her. She hit me again, then shoved at my chest with both palms.

“I waited for you. I wore this dress for you. And you were somewhere else with some man, too busy to even show up. You humiliated me. You destroyed everything.” Her voice cracked on the last words. “Never look for me again. Do you hear me? Never.”

She stepped back, breathing hard, eyes still wet and furious. Then she turned and walked away down the alley without looking back.

I stayed where I was. My hand came up slowly and pressed against the cheek she had struck. The skin stung, but the rest of me felt numb. Mark’s voice reached me from the mouth of the alley, calling my name, but I did not answer yet.

I just stood there holding my face, staring at the empty space where Alice had been. Not only had I missed my wedding, I’d cheated and most certainly, destroyed everything I’d spent months building and the worst part, I couldn’t even remember how I ended up here.