2. Betrayal, Marriage and Revenge

India set her mug down and turned to face him. "I’m still planning to get married this weekend. I know Marcus, he’ll show up. He’s too proud, not too. But when he does, I want revenge. I want to shock him and hurt him. After what he did behind my back, after months of lying, he deserves to feel the pain he’s caused me.”

“But India, what if he doesn’t show up to the wedding?”

“I don’t want to be left at the altar, or be the one to cancel everything at the last minute. It’s too embarrassing. I couldn’t face my family and friends; they had already made plans to be here. Denver, it’s too humiliating to tell everyone there won’t be a wedding."

“India, I get that you’re hurt, and you don't want to have to disappoint your family and friends, but it's not your fault, and most people will understand, and so what if people talk, let them talk.”

“That’s the point. People will talk, so let’s give them something to talk about. I want to make him jealous,” she said, her voice growing stronger. “Really jealous. I want him to know what it’s like to see someone he trusts with someone he never expected to see.

Denver shifted in his seat. Normally, he would be levelheaded enough to reject her words instantly, but knowing he was backstabbed too, it left him feeling some kind of way. India’s words stirred something in him. Deep down, he wanted revenge on Marcus, too. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking? Call off the wedding and tell him you and I have been together. Trust me, that would shock him and hurt his ego; it does to most men.”

“No, his ego needs something far more painful than that.”

“What are you suggesting?” Denver asked, almost afraid, watching India’s intense expression.

India’s eyes locked onto his, making his pulse race. “I’m suggesting we get married.”

“Who? You and me? To each other?” Denver’s eyes widened as he leaned back, surprised.

“Yes. Think about it. I’ve been thinking about it during my drive over here. Marcus sees you as family, like a brother. He admires you, Denver. If his best man becomes the groom, he’ll be stunned. I wouldn’t ask if Marcus didn’t deserve it. Besides, I don’t know anyone else who’d marry me on such short notice. It wouldn’t be forever, just a six-month or year-long contract—enough time for me to get back on my feet. I don’t know anyone else here, and I don’t want to go back home. I hadn't made the best choices in the past, and the way I dealt with disappointment and heartbreak. I put my family through it."

"What did you put them through?" 

"Well, I know when to take myself off, and I was perfectly capable of going for weeks, months, and even years without a drop of alcohol. My problem wasn't getting drunk, but the decisions I made when I was drunk. So I don't want to be alone. And I can’t go home crawling back on my hands and knees, having to hear I told you so from my family. They never trusted Marcus, when I did.”

India said, her voice tinged with sadness. She hesitated, her fingers curling around her sleeve. “You don’t know what it was like with him. Marcus always made things look perfect, like he was doing me a favor by loving me, but behind closed doors, I was always on edge, always worried I would say or do something wrong. When I found out about Vanessa, it felt like my whole life had been shattered overnight. I trusted him. I thought that if I kept everything together, if I planned the perfect wedding, if I forgave just one more time, maybe he wouldn’t leave. But he did. I feel stupid and angry, not just at him, but at myself for believing him for so long.” Her gaze softened. “This revenge, maybe it is petty, maybe it’s selfish, but it’s the first time I’m choosing something for me. I just don’t want to feel invisible anymore.”

Denver was so stunned he thought he’d misheard her. Marcus was his friend, and he’d never betrayed a friend like this. He looked out the window at the rain and listened to the distant thunder. Then he looked back at her, waiting for a joke, but her face was completely serious.

“You’re joking,” he said at last.

“I’m not.”

“India, this is crazy. You can’t just...”

“Think about it,” she cut in, leaning forward. “Marcus’s best friend and business partner marries his fiancée. It would humiliate him in front of everyone and crush his pride. He’d finally see what he lost.”

Denver jumped to his feet and ran his hands through his hair. This was his first time even considering getting revenge on someone. He’s never been the vengeful type. Whenever confronted with a problem or issue, he faced it head-on, in business and in life, and then moved on.

“No. Absolutely not. I’m not getting involved in this. It’s not who I am.”

“You’re already involved! You’re his best friend!”

“Exactly! That’s why I can’t, he’s a fool, and it was wrong what he did, but he’s like a brother to me.” He turned to face her. “India, I’m sorry for what Marcus did to you. Really. But I’m not going to marry you just to make him jealous. That’s not me. Marriage means something to me. When I marry, it’ll be for love and for life.”

“I thought you’d understand,” she said softly, standing up too. “I thought you, of all people, would help me.”

“Help you? This isn’t helping, India. This is just asking for disaster.” Denver’s voice was firm but gentle.

“Marcus is my best friend and my business partner. Do you know what this would do for our company? To our friendship?”

“Your friendship?” India’s voice grew louder. “What about his friendship with you? If he really cared, would he have hidden this from you? Would he have put you in this spot?”

The question stung more than Denver wanted to admit. He’d been thinking the same thing since India brought up Vanessa. Marcus was a longtime friend; he never imagined Marcus would cross the line, especially since Denver had told Marcus about his own feelings for her. Denver shook his head. He didn’t want to jump to a conclusion; maybe Vanessa came on to him first. He and Marcus had built their business on trust, but the more he thought about it, the more he realized Marcus had broken his trust more than once over the years they had been friends.

But marriage, even a fake one, was a line Denver couldn’t cross. Marriage was serious to him. His family stayed married for decades, and he wanted that too.

“India, you can stay here tonight,” he said at last. “Take the guest room. But tomorrow, you need to talk to Marcus. Work this out like adults.”

India looked at him for a long moment, then nodded. “Fine. Thanks for letting me stay.”

As she walked to the guest room, she paused in the doorway and looked back. “Denver? What if I told you I don’t think Marcus is the only one betraying me?”

Denver froze, his heart pounding. Something in her tone made his mind race. Was she talking about Marcus, or was there something else, something closer to home? He tried to recall every conversation; every glance India had given him in the past weeks. “What?”

But India had already disappeared down the hall, leaving him alone in the living room, wondering if saying no was the biggest mistake of his life, or if the real mistake was still ahead.