Chapter 1

I'm standing here, wearing a flashy light blue dress that almost looks white from a distance. I'm holding a glass, smiling at everyone as if what I'm doing here is perfectly fine.

Everything around me is moving in slow motion.

I take a deep breath and sigh away all my worries, trying to focus on the present and what's in front of me. It's the day of my wedding rehearsal dinner. In this elegant room are my closest family members, business associates, friends...

My friends. Where are they?

I started searching the room, looking everywhere for my friends. Finally, I found them. Sasha, Mia, Camille, and Kathe were standing together at a high table, just chatting.

An elegant man approached me, trying to discuss a business deal that was supposed to officially begin in a few months. She smiled kindly as we elaborated on the topic, ending the conversation with a handshake that seemed like a common occurrence in my life recently.

As soon as he left, I turned my attention back to my friends. Kathe and Mia had made faces of disgust and walked away from the table where the others were sitting. They were walking quickly toward another room, and I immediately followed them.

I walked past the people who tried to greet me until I finally went through the door. I attempted to keep my voice down, but seeing them so calm, I couldn't help but shout.

"What the hell is wrong with you?"

They turned to me, somewhat surprised but trying to hide what they were thinking. The same thing I already knew.

"Sofia," Kathe said, "do you really have to ask us what's wrong? I think you know perfectly well."

"You know better than we do that you shouldn't even be here," Mia continued.

I sighed, starting to hyperventilate, trying my best not to cry. I took a step back, then began pacing in circles, trying to figure out what to do.

"Kathe, Mia, I'm here, and I'm running out of time," I said, taking their hands. "I have to do everything possible to save my company."

"Sofia, this isn't what you want. This isn't worth it. You can start over; you can do it all over again" Kathe told me.

"I..." I was interrupted by the door bursting open.

I looked behind me, still holding the girls' hands. Sebastian was there, standing, with an expression I couldn't decipher on his perfect face. His blue eyes darted frantically between the girls and me, still gripping the doorknob. He released the door and stepped inside.

"What's going on, Sofia?" he said, his tone nervous but still formal.

I kept hyperventilating until I finally admitted it.

"I can't."

Sebastian looked at me with a confused expression, while the girls squeezed my hands, silently supporting me. Sebastian gently took my arm, and I let go of Kathe and Mia. We walked away and stood behind a wall in the room, which was like a dressing room. Sebastian waited until I could breathe properly.

"What do you mean you can't, Sofia?" he said, looking me in the eyes, his hand on my arm.

"Sebastian, I can't get married."

"Sofia, what do you mean you can't get married?" Sebastian asked, a desperate tone in his voice.

"No, I can't marry him."

Sebastian let go of me and took a step back as I began to sob, fighting to keep my tears from falling and ruining my makeup. Sebastian ran a hand through his hair, as if trying to figure out what to do or say, but he just looked at me with an expression I couldn't decipher.

"Sofia, you can't do this. This place costs over $7,000... If you don't get married, what are we going to do?"

"I—" I hesitated. "I'm not sure about anything. My mind is a mess, and my heart is still beating, but not for him."

"What...?"

Before Sebastian could finish his question, I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him. As soon as I felt his lips, it felt like my whole world was shifting. I pulled away for a second, looking into his eyes, knowing guilt was washing over me, but he tightened his grip on my lower back and kissed me again. The way he kissed me was a sensation I'd never experienced before. I didn't feel butterflies; instead, it felt like my entire being was whole for the first time ever.

We separated only because it seemed we were running out of air.

"I..." Sebastian began, but the door opened.

"Sofia?" came Carlos's voice from the doorway.

I left the alcove where we had been, and the girls were still there, looking at Carlos with a prudent expression of disdain. He was there, wearing smart dress pants, a short-sleeved, buttonless collared shirt, and the most casual shoes I'd ever seen. He yawned and had his pinky finger poking in his ear while looking at me with nonchalance.

"It's all about to begin, Sofia, hurry up," he said, turning to go back to the door.

I clenched my fists so tightly my nails dug in and my hands were trembling. He's supposed to be her boyfriend, and he dares to show up looking like that? I didn't move. Sebastian came out from behind the stall and walked over to where the girls were, his expression having returned to his seriousness. The image of my dad flashed through my mind at that moment; he never approved of Carlos, he would be completely disappointed in me... Although not as much as I was when they read his will.

Carlos turned around again. "Sofia, hurry up."

"No."

Carlos looked at me, his expression hesitant for a second. "Come on, this isn't the time for jokes; they're waiting for us."

"I told you no, I'm not going to marry you."

My voice came out more serious than I expected. Kathe, Mia, and Sebastian looked at me in disbelief, Kathe's mouth agape at this point. At that moment, Carlos realized I was serious and moved away from the door.

"No, no. Sofia, wait," he said, approaching and trying to take my hand. "Come on, you can't do this. We're here and... and..."

"I can do whatever I want, and I don't want to keep up this charade," I said, as I pulled away from him.

He threw himself to the floor. "Sofia, no, think about it. I know I didn't come dressed to the nines, but I can change. I'll behave better; I'll be worthy of you." He said desperately, "Forgive me, forgive me. Don't cancel the wedding; you can't."

I moved away from him, but he was still chasing me. Between Kathe, Mia, Sebastian, and me, we ended up pushing him through the glass door, which led to a small balcony overlooking the courtyard. We stood in the room in silence, still hearing Carlos's pleas in the background.

"God... how did I get to this point...?" I said, mostly to myself, as I recalled the exact moment everything had fallen apart.