Chapter one

Prologue

I scanned as the makeup artist applied a nice shade of lipstick on my lips making them look so sumptuous. Though I've been used to applying makeup on my own, well, what can I say, it's my wedding today! So I want to look perfect for my man.

Hmmm! I've fantasized about this day for such a long time, Connor and I had come far enough and we were ready to tie the knot, to be together and inseparable for eternity. I couldn't help the smile that had sped up across my face. At this point, I knew the makeup artist would have been so frustrated by all my grins.

Through the reflection on the mirror, I notice the doorknob twist as the door opens ajar, revealing my perspiring best friend as she galloped into the room. I whirled my eyes at her, she invariably has to be late for everything. I was glad she made it at least an hour early before my wedding.

" Sorry, I had to run a few errands for granny. What's up? Michelle babbled nattily, running her hand through her damp dirty blonde hair.

" First of all, you need to take a shower. I can't have you looking like a frustrated old lady living with lots of felines in my wedding girl, no, you need to look good. Don't ruin my wedding, Mich."I said thwarted by her appearance. I was already scared that something or someone might ruin the wedding but I was told that it's every bride to be nightmares on the day of their wedding. I have dreamt of this day for what seems to be forever and having someone ruin it will haunt me forever.

" Chill, girl! We still have an hour." She mumbles throwing her purse on the sofa as she sits beside it.

I slightly nudge the make-up artist to the side and swerve the chair facing Michelle, obviously angry.

" An hour is too short to take a shower, get dressed up, have your makeover and your hairdo! " I spat at her.

She raised her hands above her head, surrendering. " you still have chilled out, besides, I am not the only one late" she mutters and quickly took off to the bathroom for a shower without waiting for my befitting reply.

The door opened again, revealing my mom, already decked up in her night sky blue gown, she looked so young and gorgeous. Flashing a lovely smile evidently on her countenance, I couldn't be happier seeing so much glow on her face.

Ever since dad left, mom hasn't had such a glimmer on her face, she was perpetually moody. Most times she faked laughter just so I wouldn't have to worry about her. I had always reminded her that dad chose to leave because he didn't know the prestige of a good woman. I heard he's out with some bitch about my age, the fucking bastard!

" Mom! I stood up to hug her. I gave the makeup artist an apologetic glimpse and she only smiled and took a seat. You look so beautiful in your dress mom."

Mom smiled cheerily and gave me a quick kiss on my cheeks. You look stunning sweetie." Mom complimented.

I chuckled softly. " I'm not even swathed yet."

" I know my baby will look so dashing in her dress. Connor will be blown away." She flashed.

He has always been blown away by my elegance each time we went on a date.

" Yeah, I have to get my makeup done quickly so we don't have to be late for church." I gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and went back to my chair for the makeup artist to continue performing her magic on my face.

" Where is Michelle?" Mom asks.

" in the bathroom. She late." She had always been. It's become an insignia of hers... Always be late.

Once Michelle had a date, but she ended up getting there two hours late and the guy had already left before she got there. Up till days he never called her again. How she does it is still a mystery to me.

" There is still a little time left. I saw the other girls getting dressed up in the other rooms. They looked ready." Mom lets out taking a seat on the sofa Michelle had plunged her bag on.

" Michelle invariably had to be late to everything."

Michelle walked out of the bathroom, water dripping from her body down to the floor, she had a towel wrapped around her chest. I can't help but admit that she is a gorgeous lady. Her wet short blonde hair rested on the skin of her face and neck, draping it partly. She ran her fingers through her wet her like she was in the movies. Dramatic.

" Hey, Mrs. Foster! " Michelle kissed my mom's cheeks. She had always been fond of my mother, they hung out and talked regularly. Mom and I share her attention.

" you are late." Mom said in an alarming tone.

" Had to run few errands for granny, And My car broke down on the way so I had to run as fast as I could to this place since I could get a lift. Gabby is so ungrateful and carefree to see what I've been through for her to have a perfect wedding. She splurged her towel to the ground and reached for a robe. I rolled my eyes at her. She did incredibly this past few months, however, being almost tardy on my wedding day is a big No. No.

" she is lying!" I said quickly standing up from my chair and moving over to get my wedding dress.

" I am not lying!" She countered.

" let's get dressed up now, shall we?" Mom interfered.

I was getting nervous as I got ready to walk down the aisle to finally get married to the man of my dreams.

Mom smiled behind me, as she squeezed my right hand softly and placed a kiss on the back of my palm.

" Ready? " I heard a masculine voice announce behind us I turned around to see who it was. It better not be who I think it is...

" Dad?"

I have my mom a stabbing quizzing glance, she threw her face away. As if knowing full well I was finding answers as to why my father who abandoned me was doing it at my wedding. " what are you doing here?" I yelled, gaining the attention of everyone.

My dad smiled as he took a few steps closer to me. I trudged back almost stepping on my wedding dress. " come on, Gabby, Dad is here to walk you down the aisle."

walk me down the aisle? Who the hell does he think he is to show up at my wedding uninvited and mumbling some hogwash about walking me down the aisle? I turned to my mom.

" Mom, what is he talking about? We conversed about this, you are walking me down the aisle, not him."

She held unto my hands tightly. I could see she was trying to find back her tears. " He is here to walk you from the aisle, I invited him to," Mom mutters calmly.

"We talked about this, mom."

" Sweetie, I want you to have the best wedding like every other girl, it's rare to see an occasion where a mother walks her daughter down the aisle."

I know it was rude to say that my mom acted stupidly, but I just had to. Where in the law does it strongly affirm for only the father or man can walk a daughter down the aisle? She was the last person I expected to act in such a manner. We talked everything through, she was excited to walk me down the aisle. How pathetic I was to think that she'd buy the idea.

" I don't care mom, this man is not my father. You are walking me down the aisle or I am not getting married anymore." I folded my hands under my breasts. Michelle placed her hand on my back a stroke it gently.

" just let him do it" she whispered to me.

Before I could reply, Connors's mom jabbed the door open.

" Ready guys? We'll be down in a minute" she flashed a friendly smile at me, I smiled back, but tightly.

I lob my hand under dads awaiting arm after a brief rethink.

" it's just for some seconds. " I whispered to myself and wore a smile.

I was getting married, eventually.

The moment I saw Connor, my heart leaped with joy. He looked so hot in a white tuxedo that climbed to his huge masculine body. He wasn't smiling but I know his heart at the verge of bursting open.

I couldn't stop the smile on my face as I walked over to Connor who still isn't smiling, his face was crumpled up. He looked like he wasn't happy to see me. I ignored the way my heart suddenly began beating continuously.

My dad dropped me at the altar and walked back to his seat. I stand there looking directly at the face of the man I was about to get married to, his eyes scanned my body in antipathy.

Something was wrong with Connor, he'd never look at me that way like he was irritated by the mere glance at me.

I've blocked whatever the priest was saying out of my head. My heart was scampering, wasn't he happy that we are finally getting married?

" Are you okay?" I whispered to him, he nodded at turns to focus on the priest.

" Miss Gabrielle Foster, Do you take Mister Connor Anderson, as your lawfully wedded husband?" The priest asked.

I smiled widely gazing at Connor, " yes, I do!" I mute with so much excitement.

The priest turned to Connor. " Mister Connor Anderson, do you take Miss Gabrielle Foster, as your lawfully wedded wife?"

Connor's body stiffened. He turned his gaze to everyone in the church, they were all gaping at him, as if telling him to say yes already.

Why is he taking so long? I hated how my heart faltered. He shouldn't hesitate to say yes.

I followed his gazes to a young lady sitting amongst the congregation. She was staring back at him with black bold eyes.

Connor looks back at me and began to shake his head sideways. "No, I don't."

A loud gasp escapes from the crowd, I stood there like a statue. Unable to open my mouth, my tongue was tied and deprived of its ability to speak, my throat felt dry and I could feel tears pricking my eyes.

Did Connor just say no? It felt like a slap to my face. My heart wouldn't stop beating fast.

Before I could get myself to utter a word, I could see him walking over to the lady he was staring at earlier. He pulled her up and gave her a tight kiss on the lips. My heart sank.

He was leaving me right at the alter, to go away with some girl. What happened to being together forever? It felt like my heart crevice. It get like someone stabbed me right in the heart.

I could see some of the guests recording the entire drama. I was unable to move a muscle to talk or comprehend everything happening right in front of my eyes. Why couldn't I do anything? I was stuck in my position. I tried so hard to think it was all a dream, but no, it was happening right in front of me.

Some girls in the congregation were already smiling victoriously at the embarrassment Connor, had put me through. It was so awkward and heartbreaking, I never expected he'd do such a thing to me, ever.

A few months ago, we were so excited to get married already. How he is leaving all our plans behind to be with some unknown girl kept flustering me. He threw everything we had worked for away. He threw me away.

A hand grabbed me by my shoulder and pulled me away from the alter." Let's get out of here."

As I ran, I allowed the tears which have blurred my vision to fall down my cheeks like a waterfall.

Chapter One.

Gabby's POV

" just in, the proud, businessman's daughter, Gabrielle Foster, got ditched on her wedding day by her supposed fiancee, Mister Connor Anderson. According to our source a guest witness at the wedding, Mr. Connor picked another girl over his fiancee almost when they were about to be pronounced Man and wife. This is a thing of remorse and humiliation to Miss Gabrielle Foster and her family. Here is a clip from the wedding." The reporter announced.

I watched Connor walk up to the girl. I watched as he placed a kiss on her lips, held her tightly, and his bright smile couldn't be mistaken. He looked so happy in love.

Tears dropped from my eyes to the screen of my iPad as I watched the clip. How on earth could a thing like that happen to me? One moment I was happy to get married, and the next moment I watched my husband be, leave me at the altar and walk into some other woman's arms.

My iPad got snatched out of my hands promptly, I looked up to find Michelle looking down at me with so much pity.

" don't glare at me like that." I barked at her for absolutely no reason.

Although it had been two weeks since the incident, it still feels fresh in my heart like a blotch being reopened and I can't seem to get over the pain and trauma.

Connor dumped me for a random girl, it was so difficult to take in.

" I've always noticed how dick-ish he was." Michelle said, stomping her foot on the floor and clenching her fist. " you don't have to watch the clips over and over again, Gab."

" I can't help it," I mumbled under my breath and clutched my duvet tightly.

Nothing hurts more than being rejected on your wedding day. I thought Connor and I had things rolling perfectly. He shouldn't have proposed if he knew he'd have me embarrassed in public like this.

Every day I get to see different news headlines about my marriage fiasco. Most of them were lies while some of them said the exact truth of what happened on that ungodly day.

Despite the air-conditioning in my room which was at a low temperature, I was still sweating profusely.

" You hungry?" Michelle asked as she played beside me on the bed and gazed at the roof.

I shook my head, rejecting her meal offer. Who would eat in a situation like the one I am in? I had lost all the appetite I had in me.

" what does she have that I don't have?" I began lamenting, tears rolling down my eyes, the situation was more and more difficult for me to handle. I was broken and shattered into pieces. Every big of memories I had of me and Connor flashed through my mind. Everything felt wrong.

" you have to move on with your life. Connor had his life planned out already." Michelle encouraged.

I turned to peek at Michelle, she busy fiddling with her fingers. She does that whenever she was nervous about something. I blinked. Does Michelle know something? " are you okay?" I asked.

She flinched and gulped loudly. Her nervousness got me more curious.

" I don't think it's the right time to tell you." She mutters avoiding eye contact.

" Tell me what. Is something wrong?"

" Nothing is wrong, I just don't think it's the right time to give you my best, especially now you are hurting."

I sat up and went to sit beside her. I wrapped my arms around her shoulders and pulled her close to me. I might be hurting, but wouldn't call to celebrate my best friend's victory. she had done so much for me, going out of her way to make sure I was okay. I'd be an awful friend if I had allowed my misfortune to stop Michelle from sharing her best with me.

" tell me please, I don't mind."

She gave me a pitiful glance before she began," I got engaged." She stretched out her left hand and showed me the diamond ring on her middle finger.

I loathed how my heart broke at the mere sight of the engagement ring on her finger. I was deemed to be excited at this wonderful news but I wasn't. Perhaps it was a bad idea for her to have told me about this now.

" I'm so sorry"

I wiped the tears that had managed to escape from my eyes and mended the frown on my face with a forced smile, I was supposed to be delighted.

" I'm happy for you my friend," I said with a shrill voice. I knew she had noticed the say I sounded off. I didn't want her to feel like she was contributing to my misery.

" thank you, friend." She humble in a whisper. I could hear the discomfort in her voice. She was hurt. I didn't reciprocate the energy she gave me on the very day I showed a very engagement ring. I could remember how she screamed so excitedly as though she was the one who got engaged. She was right I'm always the ungrateful friend, I always returned her good deeds with a bad vibe.

" Hey Michelle, I'm sorry if I sounded off and unhappy. I shouldn't have. I want you to know that I am happy for you, but the sight of your ring brought hurtful memories." I clarified.

" I understand. I never planned to let you know until you are okay, but, you insisted."

I nodded in like-mindedness, she was right. I insisted she told me.

I was about to say something to her when my ringtone interrupted me. I groaned and reached for it, it was my mom, probably trying to get me to inform her where I had run off to.

" Hey, mom. I'm okay, so please stop worrying." I said sharply before she could let out a word.

" I'm worried about you sweetie. Where are you? " from her frail voice I could tell she had been crying. I felt bad but I couldn't do a thing about it. Going back home was like opening the damage that I had been trying so hard to fix. I missed my mom truly and I knew I would have been feeling better if I was with her, but staying away seemed to be the best decision I made.

" I'm fine mom. You just need some time away from everyone."