Chapter 2

I had known Leon for as long as I had been putting up with Allison.

Not long after I agreed to date him, I walked into his place and found her there, fresh out of the shower with a towel wrapped around her. When I asked what was going on, Leon didn't even pause.

"Allison's one of my closest friends. She just used my place to shower. Don't make it into something dirty."

The rumors I had been trying to forget rushed back all at once, and whatever I wanted to say died in my throat.

I forced a smile, trying to smooth things over, but Allison just stared at me, eyes wide.

"You look familiar…" she said. "I swear I've seen your nudes online!"

Then she glanced at Leon and laughed. "Seriously? You're going for someone like that?"

I broke down right there.

Leon didn't even look up from his game. "Come on, Allison doesn't filter herself. She saw them, so what? Why are you making such a big deal out of it?"

Back then, I convinced myself I was the problem, that I was too sensitive and read too much into everything.

Leon had been good to me in so many ways. I held on to that, telling myself to let things go again and again.

But every Valentine's Day, every Christmas, I would see Allison's messages pop up on his phone.

[Thanks for the gifts, buddy! Isn't giving them to me better than wasting them on your used-up girlfriend?]

There would always be a photo attached: a girl leaning against a man's bare arm, smiling as if she belonged there.

My vision would blur with tears.

I told Leon it bothered me, but he brushed it off.

"Allison doesn't mean anything by it. She jokes around. You can't assume the worst about her just because of your past."

I tried to break up with him.

That was the first time I saw him panic. To keep me and make me feel secure, he proposed soon after. He swore he would never let me get hurt again, and that he would never let me down.

We registered our marriage three years ago, but he never gave me a wedding. Even this ceremony only happened because I begged for it.

Standing here now, I finally accepted the truth.

When I turned to leave, the whispers around us grew louder.

"What's going on? Why did the wedding stop?"

"After those photos? Everyone probably thinks she's a porn star now. There's no way she can still marry him."

"Maybe she wanted those photos shown."

I took the microphone from the host and spoke into it. "This wedding is off. I'm not marrying Leon."

Leon froze where he stood, shock flashing across his face, followed by something like hurt. "Gemma, it wasn't easy getting here. What are you doing?"

Allison rushed forward and knocked the mic out of my hand. "It's just a few photos. Did you have to blow it out of proportion?"

Leon's mom stepped in immediately and grabbed my arm hard. "Look around! Everyone's watching. Aren't you embarrassed? You humiliated our family, and now you're the one calling off the wedding?"

Her eyes moved between me and Allison, and she let out a long, drawn-out sound.

"You're being way too petty. I've known Allison since she was a kid. If there was anything between her and my son, don't you think I'd know?"

Leon's relatives laughed even louder.

"Who knows how many men have seen her naked? That's disgusting!"

"What kind of decent woman takes pictures like that?"

"At least Allison's different. We've known her since she was a kid."

The smile on Allison's face was getting harder for her to hide.

Something in me snapped. I let out a short laugh and turned back to face them.

"Fine. I won't make a scene. Have Allison strip right now and let everyone take pictures of her, and I'll go through with the wedding."