CHAPTER THREE

ARIANNA

“Smile, princess, smile. You’re marrying the love of your life,” my mom teased, fluffing the skirt of my gown with too much excitement.

I forced a smile, wobbling at the corners, stiff and lifeless.

“There you are,” Landon’s mom gushed as she stepped into the dressing room. “Absolutely stunning. Landon made the perfect choice.”

“And just imagine the beautiful kids they’ll make,” she added with a dreamy sigh.

Each word slammed into me like a punch to the gut. My chest was hollow. My stomach twisted. If only they knew. If only they had a single clue that the bride standing here in white was seconds away from lighting the entire wedding on fire.

“I mean, let’s get through the wedding before planning the nursery, Mom,” I said, trying to keep the sarcasm hidden behind a hollow laugh.

Landon must’ve pulled serious strings to get Evan to blackmail me into this. There was no other explanation.

“The bride procession is about to begin,” the priest’s voice echoed over the speaker system, and both of our mothers began giggling while I braced myself for what I was about to do. I will hate myself after, but I have to save myself from a marriage that I had been trapped in by both Evan and Landon.

With that, my mother squealed and shoved the bouquet into my hands. I stared at it like it was a loaded gun. But this was it. The walk of doom.

I pasted a wide, fake smile on my face, braced myself, and stepped forward as my bridal train filed in behind me. The crowd rose, cameras flashed, the music swelled, but I was suffocating inside the most expensive coffin I'd ever worn.

Then I saw Landon smile like he hadn’t destroyed me. My dad took my hand, pride in his eyes, and walked me up to the altar. I tried not to shake.

Tears burned behind the veil, but I kept smiling, being numb yet robotic. Then the priest began the vows.

Landon said all his “I do's” without hesitation, smug as hell.

Then the priest turned to me.

“Do you, Arianna Rane, take Landon Davis as your lawfully wedded husband—”

I didn’t answer. I just stared.

First at Landon. Then, at Ruby, my ex-best friend. My stomach churned as images of their bodies intertwined replayed in my head like a cursed loop.

“Arianna,” the priest prodded gently. “Do you—”

“I heard you the first time,” I said calmly.

Landon leaned closer. “Babe? You okay? Just say it.”

I looked up, finally meeting his eyes. “The answer to your vow is—”

BANG.

The double doors flew open with a thunderous slam.

Gasps rippled through the room as rows of elite security officers marched in, forming lines along the aisle. And then he appeared.

Evan Gates.

Dressed in a tailored black suit, sunglasses in one hand, and pure chaos in his eyes.

“What the hell?” someone whispered.

“Sorry I’m late,” Evan called out, voice smooth and sharp as steel. “I know brides are supposed to be late, but I guess today the groom gets to be fashionably dramatic.”

He strode down the aisle like he owned it. Like he was in the aisle.

Landon’s face twisted in fury. “Dude, if you’re crashing weddings now, I think you forgot yours isn’t today.”

He motioned for the venue security, but they didn’t move. Evan’s personal guards blocked them effortlessly.

“I’m pretty sure this is my wedding,” Evan said, glancing between Landon and me. He stopped beside the altar, looking me over with something unreadable in his eyes.

Landon marched forward. “What the hell is this, Evan?”

Evan blinked. “Wait… Grand Ville, right? Room 101? That night with...”

Landon’s eyes widened. “Shut the hell up.”

He laughed nervously, yet forced. “He’s my friend, everyone! This is just how we joke!”

He moved to throw an arm over Evan’s shoulder, while he shoved him back with a deadly calmness.

“Don’t call me your friend. I don’t associate with men who screw their fiancée’s best friend a few days before the wedding.”

Instantly, there were gasps as people stood, and murmurs turned to chaos.

Then the projector flared to life as the footage played.

That footage. The one I’d seen in the control room. The one that wrecked me.

Ruby. Landon. Tangled sheets. Whispered moans. Filthy betrayal.

The room erupted in gasps and disbelief.

My mother faintly whispered, “Dear God.”

I couldn’t stop the tears. But for the first time in days, they weren’t from pain, but from relief, thanks to Evan, who had given me the perfect revenge.

“Bit too erotic for a church, I’ll admit,” Evan said dryly as he clicked off the footage. He twirled the projector remote and tucked it into his jacket pocket.

“Now,” he continued, “get the hell away from the altar before you’re struck dead. I’m fairly certain God isn’t fond of liars.”

Landon stood frozen. Then Evan’s guards stepped forward and restrained him.

“No—no—no-this is insane! Dad, do something!” Landon’s voice cracked as he was dragged down the aisle.

Evan turned to the congregation. “He and Blondie can still hook up in parking lots. No cameras this time, though.”

With that, the doors slammed behind them, while silence and shatters were what was left..

Then Evan straightened his cuffs and looked at the priest.

“You can continue. I’m the groom now.”

The priest blinked, confused, while the crowd was stunned.

“When did Arianna agree to be your bride?” someone shouted. And before I could speak, Evan stepped closer.

“Does she look at me like she doesn’t know me? Like I’m a stranger?”

Cameras began clicking as phones flashed.

“Arianna, you’re not marrying this man,” my father growled, stepping forward.

Then I  turned slowly. “This will be the first time I’ve ever gone against you, Daddy. But I will marry him.”

With that, gasps echoed again as I reached out my hand, and Evan slipped the ring onto my finger, calmly and unapologetically.

Though my life may have just imploded. But at least, for once, I chose the wreckage.