Chapter 4 His New Bride Walked In

Truth be told, I was already back to a perfectly normal weight of 110 pounds. I wasn't fat at all.

However, I could do no right in Damian's eyes. He'd always find some new excuse to humiliate me no matter what I looked like.

His parents weren't any better. They were standing to the side as they looked me over with open disgust and started taking their shots at me, too.

"I used to brag to the neighbors that Damian found himself a pretty girl from the city," his mother spoke with a curled lip. "But just look at her now. Her waist is as thick as a bucket."

His father clicked his tongue. "Look at her size! How much does she eat in a day? And with a body like that, who knows if she'll even be able to have children?"

None of this was new to me.

When I first met Damian's parents, he had taken me back to the rundown little town where he grew up. Their house was old, shabby, and cramped, and his parents started picking me apart from the moment I stepped inside.

The gift I brought wasn't expensive enough. The liquor wasn't the right brand.

To them, nothing I gave them was good enough.

During dinner, they put on that fake act and told me, "These days, respectable people don't treat marriage like a business deal. Nobody expects the families to bankroll the whole wedding anymore."

Then, they gave me a pointed look and added, "In your case, you have no parents to put anything together, and no one in your corner. It'd be pretty shameless of you to expect us to spend a fortune on an event like that."

When I left, they pressed a cheap little card with 200 dollars into my hand like it was some grand gesture and I should weep in gratitude.

Back then, Damian was always going on about how hard his parents had worked to raise him, how much they'd sacrificed, and how I needed to be more understanding.

At the time, I genuinely thought love would conquer all, so I let it all go.

I swallowed every insult, gave in every time, and never once asked him or his family to contribute a dime toward the wedding.

Now that I think about it, my brain cells had clearly rotted away by lovesickness.

Thank God I never actually married him.

My life would've been a living nightmare if I had.

I just shrugged and drawled, "If you think I'm that fat, then call off the wedding. There's still time."

I had always been the one to step back around Damian. I had always been demure and patient, so I wasn't surprised that he would lose it the second I stopped playing nice.

"Elise, what the hell is that supposed to mean?" he shouted. "You think that this wedding has to happen just because the invitations are out and the venue's booked? You think that gives you the right to start acting up?"

His face twisted with anger. "Don't flatter yourself. Plenty of women would die for a chance to marry me. Yet, you think I'd marry a fat pig like you? I'm done."

Then, Damian snatched the microphone and turned to the guests. "Sorry, everyone. It looks like I'll be changing brides today."

He sounded almost proud of himself.

"My maid of honor, Talia Cross, surpasses Elise in every aspect. She's prettier, hotter, and better overall. You're all my witnesses. Elise and I are over. And let me be clear—I'll never take her back even if she begs me to forgive her."

I said nothing as I looked at his smug face, my smile deepening with each ridiculous word pouring out of his mouth.

Whispers immediately erupted through the crowd.

"The maid of honor? He's swapping out the bride for her friend? That's wild."

"Honestly, the bride doesn't even look bad. She's not fat at all. If he's really replacing her on the spot… Well, the maid of honor must be quite the looker."

Damian shot me a smug glance before raising his voice. "Talia, come out. It's our turn now."

Talia gradually entered from outside amid everyone's curious gaze.

As soon as the guests caught sight of her, the entire room came to a halt.

Their eyes widened in surprise as Damian's smug smile froze on his face before cracking into a look of genuine shock.