CHAPTER 5

~Joanne

Monica sat beside me in her white wedding dress, looking like something straight out of a Vogue bridal magazine, makeup perfectly done like nothing had happened last night.

I probably would’ve believed I hallucinated the whole thing if she wasn’t avoiding my eyes like the plague and had been awfully quiet, as if she was afraid of what I would say if she addressed it.

The truth was, I didn’t even know how to react or what to say, even after I caught them, as the image of her underneath another man kept playing in my head in a way that was hard to ignore and even harder to talk about now.

I gripped my purse tighter on my lap, keeping my stare outside the tinted window as the driver slowly parked in the designated area outside the church.

“Joanne…” Monica’s voice came out soft, causing my hand to pause on the car lock.

I didn’t answer.

I heard her suck in a quiet breath beside me before she tried again.

“I know you’re upset.” She continued carefully. “But please… don’t make a scene today.”

That made me turn slowly toward her.

“A scene?” I scoffed in disbelief. “You’re worried about a scene after what I saw last night?”

Monica’s lips parted, but no words came out immediately. For the first time since I had known her, she looked genuinely shaken.

Good.

Because I was still shaken too.

“It’s not what you think.” She muttered, avoiding my eyes.

“Oh really?” I snapped, anger finally slipping through. “Then explain it to me, Monica. Explain why you had sex with another man last night like Enzo meant absolutely nothing to you.”

“Please lower your voice.” She whispered urgently, glancing toward the driver.

I almost laughed.

That was what she cared about?

Not Enzo. Not what she had done. But whether the driver overheard us.

I shook my head slowly. “You know what’s crazy?” My voice grew sharper with every word. “He told me to tell you that he loves you when he dropped me off last night. God, he was excited to marry you, Monica!”

Shame and guilt flashed across her face so quickly it made me even more irritated and angry.

“I didn’t mean for this to happen.” She said quietly.

“But it did happen.” I shot her a dirty look. “And you’re still going through with the wedding.”

Monica looked down at the bouquet in her lap, her fingers tightening around the flowers until I thought she might crush them.

“My parents already invited hundreds of people.” She said weakly. “Everything is already planned and paid for and—”

I stared at her in complete disbelief.

“That’s your reason?” I cut in sharply. “You’re sitting here talking about decorations and guests after cheating on Enzo?”

“It’s not just that!” Her voice rose emotionally before dropping again. “You don’t understand the pressure I’m under right now.”

“Then help me understand.” I snapped back. “Because right now all I see is someone about to ruin Enzo’s life.”

Monica’s eyes suddenly glossed over with tears.

“My parents love him.” She whispered. “They think he’s perfect for me. They think this marriage is the best thing that could ever happen to our family, and if I destroy this wedding now—”

She stopped talking abruptly, but honestly, she didn’t need to continue. Because suddenly everything started making sense in the worst possible way.

The way she initially rejected Enzo’s proposal.

Last night’s scene.

The way she looked more terrified than guilty right now.

Oh God.

“You don’t love him.” The realization coldly left my lips before I could stop it.

Monica went completely still.

And that silence said more than any explanation ever could.

My stomach churned so badly I had to look away from her for a second because suddenly I felt sick.

“Joanne…” Monica reached for my hand desperately. “Please don’t tell him about last night.”

“Seriously?” I quickly pulled my hand away. “You’re really going to walk down that aisle knowing… God, Monica…”

“Please.” Her voice broke completely. “If this wedding falls apart, my parents will never forgive me.”

Oh, so this was all about her parents? Damn it.

Before she could get out another ridiculous excuse, I shoved the door open and stepped out.

“Joanne, wait—”

I turned back briefly, anger rushing through me so fast it made my jaw clench painfully.

“I can’t promise you anything, Monica.” I shook my head and slammed the door shut behind me, walking away from the car.

By the time I reached the church entrance, I could barely contain my anger toward Monica as I saw the excited faces of guests waiting for the wedding to begin.

It was as though they were all celebrating a marriage that had already hit rock bottom before it even began.

Maybe I’d be just as oblivious as them if I hadn’t walked into the suite at that exact moment. Nobody would have known, and that was the sick part.

“Miss Lawson!”

A voice cut through my thoughts, and I looked behind me in the direction it came from.

It was Mr. Gregory Montgomery himself. Enzo’s father.

I relaxed my brows as I walked up to him midway and bowed slightly, stopping before him.

“Sorry for the disturbance.” He apologized rather anxiously. “I just wanted to know if you’ve heard from Enzo this morning. He’s yet to arrive, and we haven’t been able to reach him.”

“I haven’t.” I replied, suddenly uneasy as I quickly reached for my phone in my clutch. “I’ll call him now.”

“Papa!”

A thick Italian-accented voice interrupted me just as I was about to call Enzo.

Mr. Gregory and I looked behind us, and my brain went completely numb the moment I saw the face.

I blinked twice just to be sure I wasn’t seeing things.

That face… it was him. The man on top of Monica last night.

I saw the recognition in his green eyes as he glanced at me before shifting his gaze to Mr. Gregory, who urgently asked him,

“Any news yet?”

“Yes, Papa. I was able to reach Maxwell.” He replied, and I caught his gaze darting fleetingly to me. “They had a bit of car trouble, but they are on their way now.”

Mr. Gregory exhaled in relief and then straightened his lapels as if gathering back his composure before looking back at me.

“I appreciate your efforts, Miss Lawson.” He smiled at me and then gestured at the man. “By the way, this is Cillian.”

Cillian?

The name rang in my mind as my gaze darted to him again, and this time, I noticed the resemblance.

He was Enzo’s older brother.

Cillian Montgomery.

Cillian beamed a small smile at me like I was some old friend.

My hands itched to slap the smile off his damn perfect face as anger rose inside me like wildfire, causing my grip to tighten around my clutch.

“Nice to meet you, Miss Lawson.”

He casually stretched out his hand to me.

The nerve of him!