Chapter 1

The house was so quiet I could have heard a pin hit the floor.

On the way over, Graham Hollis had said that by the end of today, all of Harbor City would know he was marrying me.

Now, because Lila was sleeping, no one was even allowed to speak above a whisper.

"Graham, cancel the wedding."

The bitterness in my voice was swallowed by a soft sound from the bedroom.

"Graham? You're already here?"

The moment he heard Lila, Graham walked past me.

"Sleep well?"

Lila rubbed her eyes and nodded shyly.

"I've never been a bridesmaid before. I was so nervous last night. Thanks for staying on the phone with me until I fell asleep."

Pain tightened across my chest.

I'd been too nervous to sleep too.

I had called Graham more than a dozen times.

He'd replied only once, telling me to get some rest because the bride and groom shouldn't talk before the ceremony.

Now I knew why.

He'd spent the entire night on the phone soothing my sister to sleep.

I stared at my unanswered calls in our chat, feeling like a complete joke.

Lila rolled over in bed and showed no sign of getting up.

"Six in the morning is cruel."

Graham smiled.

Patiently, he crouched beside the bed, picked up her slippers, and coaxed her.

"How about I put these on for you? Come on. Time to get up."

Mom's eyes lit up behind me.

She immediately told the photographer to turn the camera toward them.

The shot that was supposed to be of the bride was redirected to the groom putting slippers on the bridesmaid.

The photographer even motioned for me to move aside because I was blocking the angle.

I stood there in my wedding dress like a stranger who had wandered into somebody else's wedding.

Only after Lila finally went into the bathroom did Graham stand.

He met my eyes and said casually, "Mara, you know what she's like when she wakes up.

"If you're worried about time, we can skip the games and the little traditions."

My throat tightened.

While Lila stalled, Graham hadn't just put her slippers on for her—he'd also given her the breakfast that had been set aside for the bride and groom.

He'd already done all of it for her. He just didn't want to do it all again for me.

Mom sensed the tension and tugged at my wrist.

"We already missed the planned departure time. A little later won't make a difference."

Graham said nothing, which was as good as agreeing.

So I said it again.

"Graham, I'm done waiting. I don't want to get married."

Before I could finish, the relatives crowded around us.

"Mara, she's your sister. Why are you making such a big deal out of this?

"You always let Lila have her way when you were little. How did you get so unreasonable?"

I almost laughed.

For years, I thought being the easy child would make Mom appreciate me.

Instead, twenty-something years of giving in had simply taught everyone that my needs could always come second.

Graham frowned and sighed.

"Mara, we're doing this for you too. You're the one who always said family should be together.

"Don't you want your only sister at your wedding?"

"Not anymore."

The answer came out before I could stop it. I was tired of preserving a peaceful family image that had never been real.

At that moment, Lila rushed out of the bathroom.

She had been in there nearly an hour and was still wearing pajamas.

Her eyes filled with tears.

"I'm sorry, Mara. I've thrown off your whole schedule.

"I really tried. I drank three energy drinks this morning, but I still couldn't get up."

She pointed toward the empty cans in her room and began sobbing.

"Graham, just go. Don't wait for me anymore."