Chapter 1: You were convenient

Honey’s fingers trembled as she stared at the pictures on her screen without blinking.

Her boyfriend, Jimmy, stood on a stage in a white tuxedo.

He was getting married.

Her stomach twisted violently.

For a moment, Honey forgot how to breathe.

The same man who had ignored her calls for two weeks.

The same man who had left every one of her texts unanswered.

He was getting married.

And he looked happy.

Her thumb shook as she clicked on the live video beneath the post.

The wedding was already in full swing.

The hall was breathtaking, dripping in wealth and elegance. Crystal chandeliers sparkled overhead. Soft golden lights glowed against polished marble floors. An orchestra played in the background, wrapping the room in the kind of beauty that cost a fortune.

Then the bride appeared.

She walked slowly down the aisle in a stunning limited-edition gown, the fabric shimmering with hand-beaded diamonds. Every step looked like something out of a dream.

She stopped in front of Jimmy and turned.

Honey’s heart stopped.

Kimberly.

Jimmy’s cousin.

Her entire body went cold.

“No… no… this can’t be true.”

Tears blurred her vision so fast she could barely see the screen.

“Hey, bestie, what’s going on?” Jade asked, alarm instantly filling her voice.

Honey pressed a hand to her chest like she could hold herself together by force.

“Jimmy is getting married.”

Jade blinked.

“What? The same bastard we’ve been looking for these past two weeks?”

She laughed once, disbelieving.

“That can’t be true, Honey.”

“See for yourself.”

Honey thrust the phone toward her with trembling hands.

Jade snatched it and stared.

“Oh. My. God.”

Her eyes widened.

“It really is Jimmy.”

Then she squinted at the bride and frowned.

“Wait… isn’t that Kimberly? His cousin?”

Honey gave a weak nod, tears spilling over.

Jade looked back at her, stunned fury rising in her expression.

“How could they? How could they do this to you?”

“He left me…” Honey whispered.

Her big brown eyes looked shattered.

“He left with my money.”

All this time, she had thought Jimmy was missing.

Or sick.

Or in trouble.

But he wasn’t.

He was getting married.

Honey collapsed to the floor, sobbing so hard it hurt.

“I gave him everything… He left with my heart, my money, my future…”

Jade’s face crumpled with pity.

She dropped down immediately and wrapped her arms around her.

“I’m sorry, Honey,” she whispered, rubbing her back.

Then her voice hardened.

“But this is not the time to stay here crying. Let’s go confront that bastard.”

She rose to her feet and pulled Honey up with her.

“I know that hall. It’s Domino’s Event Center. Thirty minutes away.”

Honey nodded weakly, her face drained of color.

She let Jade drag her out of the house, moving like a soulless thing, seeing the world through tear-blurred eyes.

Moments later, they were in Jade’s car, speeding toward the wedding venue.

Honey felt the breath leave her body the second she stepped into the hall.

The place was packed.

Conversations faltered.

Heads turned one after another as she walked in.

She moved toward the stage like a woman in a trance.

Jimmy and Kimberly had just finished exchanging vows.

Their mouths were still locked in a kiss when they turned and saw her standing there.

Their eyes widened instantly.

“So it’s true,” Honey said softly, even though the truth was already carved into her chest.

“What is she doing here?” Kimberly demanded, panic flashing across her face.

Jimmy frowned.

“Don’t worry, baby. I’ll handle it.”

Then he turned to Honey with a face so cold it made her stomach twist.

Not guilt.

Not shame.

Not even fear.

Nothing.

“What are you doing here?” he asked.

Honey let out a broken laugh.

“I thought you told me she was your cousin.”

“Don’t do this here, Honey,” Jimmy said through clenched teeth.

“You deceived me,” she choked out. “You took my money and disappeared.”

Kimberly folded her arms and stepped forward, her expression full of mockery.

“I’m not his cousin, okay? You were just stupid enough to believe whatever Jimmy told you. You couldn’t even see the red flags.”

Honey’s hands curled into fists so tightly her nails bit into her palms.

“You both ate my food. You both drove my car. You borrowed money from me. How could you?”

“Please don’t cause a scene,” Jimmy muttered.

Honey threw her hands up and laughed — a sharp, broken sound that didn’t even sound like her own.

“I shouldn’t cause a scene?”

She turned in a slow circle, clapping wildly.

“Wow. Beautiful hall, beautiful wedding, all the talk of the town…”

Then her voice rose, cracking through the room like thunder.

“With my own money!”

A ripple of gasps swept through the guests.

“Honey, calm down. You’re embarrassing yourself,” Jimmy said.

In one swift move, Honey stepped forward and punched Jimmy hard across the nose.

He stumbled back with a scream.

“Oh, my nose! You broke my nose!”

Honey glared at him, chest rising and falling.

“You fucking broke my heart, you bastard. And the pain you’re feeling right now is nothing compared to what you did to me.”

Jimmy pressed a handkerchief to his bleeding nose, fury twisting his face.

“You know what your problem is, Honey?” he snapped. “You don’t know how to control your damn emotions.”

Honey stared at him, stunned.

He went on coldly, “I’m not the first man to do something like this. Be a big girl and suck it up.”

For a second, all she could do was blink.

“What the hell…?”

Her lips trembled violently.

“You’re not even sorry?”

“Not one bit,” Jimmy said with a sneer. “I don’t love you. And I can’t be with a woman I don’t love.”

Honey’s voice broke in half.

“B-but you’ve been with me all these years… taking and taking… my love, my money, my everything…”

Jimmy shrugged.

“You were convenient.”

That one word hit harder than the wedding.

Honey staggered back, clutching her chest as if she could physically hold herself together.

Then Jade moved.

Before anyone could react, she grabbed a flower vase from a nearby stand and smashed it straight into Jimmy’s face.

He crashed to the floor with a heavy thud.

“Somebody call security!” Kimberly screamed, dropping beside him in tears as she lifted his bloody head into her lap.

Jade didn’t flinch.

She looked down at him with pure disgust.

“You deserve worse, you jerk.”

Then she spat on him, grabbed Honey’s hand, and dragged her out of the hall.