Chapter 4

Adrian barely hesitated before he went to her.

He nodded at Sophie.

"Would you take a few pictures of us? It's her first time in a wedding dress. I'm sure she'll want something to remember it by."

My sister tipped her head back and smiled at him.

"You always get me."

The photo slowly developed.

The two of them stood shoulder to shoulder, smiling easily at the camera.

Like they were the ones getting married.

My sister waved me over.

"Ivy, come get in it too. It's not every day we both look this pretty."

We?

But it had always been the two of them together, with me on the outside.

Tears welled up, and I blinked hard.

"I still have to try on the other dresses. You two go ahead."

In the fitting room, Sophie went to get the other three dresses for me to try.

"Don't bother."

There's not going to be a wedding. What's the point?

She asked in a panic,

"Is something wrong? Mr. Vitale made it very clear the bride had to be happy with everything."

So to Adrian, I was only ever "the bride." Never someone he loved.

I folded the veil I'd taken off. "Everything's great. I'm very happy with it."

Sophie let out a breath. "So we'll deliver the dresses to your home tomorrow as planned?"

I nodded. "That's fine."

Adrian didn't love me, but he never held back on spending money for the wedding.

I sat in the fitting room until evening. When I came out, the lounge was empty.

The manager looked surprised. "Mr. Vitale and your sister left five minutes ago. Didn't they tell you?"

Someone had been taking pictures outside, so he'd hurried my sister out through the VIP exit with his bodyguards.

Once again, he'd forgotten me. He hadn't even sent me a text.

I could feel everyone staring as I walked out of the shop alone.

The shop was far from home, and it was rush hour. I couldn't get a ride.

I walked down the street for a long time before the clouds that had been gathering all day finally opened up.

The rain came down so hard I could barely keep my eyes open. I was looking for somewhere to get out of it when I spotted Adrian's car.

It was parked outside a secluded, members-only French restaurant.

I'd asked him to take me there a few times. He'd always said he didn't have time.

The glass doors opened, and Adrian walked out with his arm around my sister.

She seemed drunk. Her legs gave out, and she fell right into his arms.

Adrian hurried to steady her, holding the umbrella entirely over her.

The rain soaked one of his shoulders, but all he cared about was checking the hem of my sister's dress.

I stood a dozen steps away, rain running down my hair and into my collar.

He looked up toward the street. His eyes passed right over me and didn't stop.

That was when I finally admitted it. He had never really seen me.

Three days until the wedding.

My sister picked up a last-minute job in Los Angeles. Adrian skipped a regular Vitale family meeting to fly out there with her.

He didn't think to tell me until noon the next day.

I was crouched in front of my suitcase, folding the last of my clothes. "Okay."

The line went quiet. "You're not upset?"

I zipped up the suitcase. "No. Why?"

Adrian laughed.

"You threw a fit over the necklace, so I figured you'd be mad again. You're being so reasonable all of a sudden that it's kind of weird."

He paused, and finally a hint of apology crept into his voice.

"I'll have a necklace ready for you to wear at the wedding. Just be good and stay home. I'll come pick you up on the day."

I said okay and hung up.

I didn't have much that was truly mine. It all fit in one suitcase.

I left the jewelry and the credit card my father had given me in a drawer.

They'd never even flipped through the picture books I'd published under a pen name, so they had no idea I could support myself.

I spent the next two days visiting our old school alone, drinking black coffee without sugar and buying sea salt bagels.

This time, I didn't have to wait for the rest of my family to order, only to hear that we already had enough.

And I didn't have to watch my sister swap out the food I wanted.

The night before the wedding, the house should have been buzzing.

Instead, it was so quiet the only sound was the ticking of the clock.

My phone lit up again and again.

Mom texted,

"It's Vivian's first award. Your father and I have to be there to see it."

Adrian texted,

"I won't make it back in time to pick you up tomorrow morning. The driver will take you to the hotel."

I turned off the screen without answering, picked up my suitcase, and walked out the door.

The bodyguard at the door put my bag in the trunk and asked whether he should let Don Vitale know.

I said, "No need. He knows."

It wasn't even a lie. I'd told him to his face I was leaving.

The car rolled out through the iron gates of the Moretti house, and I didn't look back.