Chapter 2

"Vivian." Daisy cut me off. Still crouched on the floor, she tipped her face up to mine. "You're the Wellman heiress. You have status, a family who adores you, everything you could want. You have choices. I don't. All I want is Soren. Please, just step aside."

My vision went dark. Before I could even process what she'd said, Daisy threw herself facedown onto the floor with a thud.

I reached down to help her up, and that was when Soren walked in. I was bent over, and Daisy was sprawled on the floor.

"What the hell are you doing!" Soren shoved me aside. My head slammed into the wall, and stars burst across my vision.

He didn't spare me a glance. Instead, he rushed to Daisy and pulled her into his arms. "Are you okay, Daisy?"

I pressed a hand to my throbbing head and stared at him through a haze of pain, something inside me splintering.

Soren went still. Guilt flashed in his eyes before his expression turned cold again. "I saw you push her. I lost my head. I'm sorry."

Daisy leaned weakly against Soren, putting on a look of wounded innocence. "It's fine. Don't blame Vivian. She didn't mean it."

Soren frowned, his gaze lingering on me. Daisy tugged at his sleeve. "Soren? Let's go. We have a lot to do."

Soren followed Daisy out of the room, still glancing back at me with something unreadable in his eyes.

Before she left, Daisy flashed me a smile. "Vivian, you're my best friend. All I want is for you to be my maid of honor."

That night I didn't eat a thing. I locked myself in my room and refused to come out, no matter who called.

Then Soren called. "Vivian, please don't be angry. Just let me explain. I..."

I didn't want to hear it. I hung up.

The next day, on my way to the hospital, I passed a bridal shop. The gown in the center of the window was one I'd stared at countless times before.

I walked in and ran my fingers along its hem. I had dreamed so many times of wearing that white gown, walking arm in arm with my father down the aisle toward Soren.

But now...

"Vivian!" Soren's voice came from behind me. He looked at me with worry. "What are you doing here?"

Then his expression changed. "Are you here to pick out a wedding dress?"

I ignored him and turned to leave, but he grabbed my hand. "Vivian, will you please let me explain?"

Then I saw Daisy nearby, wearing a gown identical to the one in the display case, the very gown I had dreamed of wearing.

The cruelty of it took my breath away. The man who should have been my fiancé was marrying Daisy, and the dress I'd dreamed of wearing belonged to her now.

I suddenly remembered the pale pink gown Mom had me try on.

I'd gone from the bride to Daisy's maid of honor.

In an instant, humiliation and rage flooded my chest until I could barely breathe.

The smile drained from Daisy's face the moment she saw me and Soren together.

"Vivian, Soren, you two? Vivian, even if you have feelings for Soren, you can't throw yourself at him right before our wedding! You're supposed to be my best friend!"

Everyone in the shop turned to stare, whispering among themselves.

"Two women fighting over one man?"

"Obviously that one's the homewrecker. Her best friend is about to get married and she followed them all the way to the bridal shop."

Everyone was pointing at me, whispering. I had never been humiliated like this in my life.

"No! I'm not the homewrecker!" The words tore out of me as I looked desperately at Soren, begging him to clear my name.

I didn't even need him to acknowledge our relationship anymore. I just needed him to say I wasn't the homewrecker.

But he only looked at me with a pained, conflicted expression, pressed his lips together, glanced at Daisy, and slowly turned away.

The day Soren confessed his feelings seven years ago, he'd promised I would be the only woman he ever loved. He broke that promise. He'd sworn he would take on the whole world for me. He broke that promise too. In the end, he was the first person to betray me.

I lowered my head in defeat and turned to leave. Soren stepped forward to stop me, but I shook him off hard. "Don't touch me!"

The motion sent my bag crashing to the floor. Everything spilled out, including the doctor's letter confirming my pregnancy.

I'd shredded the lab results, but I'd forgotten about the doctor's written confirmation.

Daisy picked it up, took one look, and shrieked, "You're pregnant?"

I was sure she'd done it on purpose, making sure everyone in the shop could hear.

"The baby... is it Soren's?"

Soren looked as if he'd been struck. His eyes went wide as he stared at me, then he immediately pulled Daisy into his arms and wiped the tears from her eyes. "No, Daisy. Nothing ever happened between her and me."

I stumbled back a few steps. This Soren had become a stranger.

If nothing had ever happened between us, then had that night of passion two months ago been a lie?

That night, he'd taken me into his arms with rough, desperate urgency, telling me over and over that he loved me as we came undone together.

Now he stood holding another woman, claiming nothing had ever happened between us.

At last, I stopped swallowing the hurt and rage. I snatched up the confirmation letter and threw it in Soren's face.

Then I turned to Daisy with a cold smile. "That's right. I'm carrying Soren's baby! We've been together for seven years."

"Daisy, you're the homewrecker."