Chapter 1

Ella's eyes reddened when she heard that. She waved both hands. "I couldn't possibly... It isn't right, and I don't deserve it."

Lucas stepped forward at once and frowned at her, his voice firm. "Don't talk about yourself that way. I made you a promise. Whatever you want, I'll do everything I can to get it for you. You don't have to earn it."

I watched the unspoken exchange between them, and my stomach turned.

I pushed the feeling down and smiled. "Sure. Let her have it."

Lucas clearly hadn't expected me to agree that fast. He blinked, and then he relaxed.

"Freya, you're being much more reasonable.

"You can watch the run-through from the side. Anything you don't like, I'll have them change it right away. A wedding is a once-in-a-lifetime thing. Everything has to be the way you want it."

Once in a lifetime.

I stared at his serious face. The absurdity of it almost made me laugh.

So he knew a wedding was a once-in-a-lifetime thing.

So he knew the bride was the one who had to be happy with it.

And he still put someone else in my dress and stood beside her to receive the blessing.

Ella had already changed into the dress that should have been mine. She twirled beside us and clapped. "Thank you for making my dream come true, Freya! I'm so happy!"

The dress fit her perfectly, like it had been cut for her from the start.

Suddenly, none of it meant anything to me anymore.

I looked away, took out my phone, and quietly canceled the honeymoon flights to the Maldives. Then I booked a one-way ticket to France.

I'd never wanted to go to the Maldives.

Ella had mentioned it once, saying it was a place everyone had to see at least once.

Lucas had remembered that. When he booked the trip, he chose the place she wanted without ever asking me.

Ella's Instagram post went up not long after everyone left.

A grid of nine photos, all taken at the rehearsal. A shot of her from behind in the dress. Her profile as she exchanged rings with Lucas. The two of them at the end of the aisle, looking at each other and laughing.

The caption was a single white heart.

Lucas liked it and left a comment: "This is the best gift I could give you."

I looked at that line for three seconds and closed the app.

My best friend's messages arrived almost immediately: a string of angry stickers followed by a voice note that lasted nearly a minute.

"Fuck, Freya, are you blind? Those two are shitting all over you and you're just standing there! Are you still coming tonight or not? Say no and I will come to your apartment right now!"

The party had been my idea, a celebration of our upcoming wedding. I'd also invited some of my business contacts to open a few doors for Lucas.

There was nothing to celebrate now, but I still owed everyone an explanation.

I smiled a little and sent back one word: "Coming."

Maybe he felt guilty about that afternoon, because that night Lucas actually drove over to pick me up for the party himself.

It was only when I got downstairs that I saw Ella in the passenger seat.

He noticed my expression change and rushed to explain. "Ella said she wanted to come celebrate too, and it was on the way, so I brought her... You don't mind, do you?"

I didn't answer. I shut the passenger door and got into the back.

Ella and Lucas talked the whole way there, laughing together. They touched each other's arms now and then, just like a couple in the first rush of romance.

I leaned back against the seat and closed my eyes so I wouldn't have to watch.

By the time we got to the party, everyone had already had a round of drinks.

Someone whistled as we came in and called out, "The bride and groom finally made it! You're late, so you owe us a kiss first. Tonight's your last chance to kiss before you become husband and wife!"