001 *Bailey*

"This charade has gone on long enough, Ford. Come on.”

“You know what? You win. I forfeit this silly bet. Now let's go before you miss my wedding, I can't get married without you there.” Sierra said and my lungs constrict at the insinuation.

I freeze outside the room.

“No, no way! You said I couldn’t make Bailey fall in love with me. I did. So I’m finishing this by marrying her.”

"Why did you put your wedding day on the same day as ours anyway?" Crawford asks lightly, his voice devoid of the shame or guilt one would expect it should carry.

After all, he just admitted that he has been playing me for a fool all this time.

“Because I never thought you'd actually go through with this.” Sierra laughs. "Plus, no way, I'm going to let Bailey get married before me. The only thing she gets to have over me is a couple of months on this earth… and maybe father's regrets"

My heart stopped.

Blinding tears of disbelief sting my eyes, but I force them back.

Raising a hand shakily, I push the door open.

I came to surprise Crawford.

He wouldn't stop begging to see me in my wedding dress before I walked down the aisle, so I thought to surprise him.

My mom was against it, but I didn't believe in superstitions or bad luck. Maybe I should have, because now I'm the surprised one.

Crawford startles, his sharp hazel eyes darkening once he sees me.

“Fuck," he cusses, rushing to me. I raise a palm.

“Don't you take another step closer to me.”

Sniffing, I force on a brave face and glance in the direction of my evil look-alike stepsister.

“What is she doing here? I don't remember inviting her."

“Please, like I'll ever want anything to do with your pathetic wedding.” She scoffs.

I glower at her.

“Besides, there's not going to be a wedding; Crawford is not going to marry you."

“He's not?" I mutter like a fool.

“No. He's coming with me. To my wedding."

"Is he now?” I turn to Crawford.

"Bailey, I.. uh… um.. It's not what it looks like, I promise."

A dark chuckle escapes me as the tears finally roll down my cheeks against my will.

“I'm sure it's not. Tell me one thing, how come I never knew you knew Sierra?”

“Maybe if you hadn't moved to this dump after high school, choosing your wretched mother over us, you would have access to what is happening in the real world, and know that Crawford has been my best friend since college." Sierra mocks.

So that was why I thought he looked familiar when we first met.

“Why?" I ask Crawford, unable to understand why he would do this to me.

Why must life always deal me with the wrong hands?

"Baby, I swear, I was going to tell you, I was just waiting for the right moment,” Crawford explains, trying to hold me. I flinch.

"When? After I've walked down the aisle and married you, or after you get me pregnant and then leave me to be with her?!” I snap.

"Bailey…"

“Or is it when you come back, declare me insane, and steal my child?!”

“No, Bailey, I would never do that. I'm not your father."

"No. You're worse! Oh my goodness. I can't believe I was so stupid to trust you blindly. How could you do this to me?!” I wail, clutching my chest.

Sierra giggles from the corner she's slithered into, like my pain is entertainment to her. Rage clenches in my belly, begging for a release.

Grabbing the closest thing my hands could find in the room, a vase. I toss it in her direction, feeling a bit better when the glass shatters around her. She jumps, squealing.

To my greatest shock, Crawford runs towards her. Picking her up, carefully he checks her body like she's some damn fragile egg.

When he's satisfied she's unscathed, he drops her, and he actually has the nerve to turn to me with a furious expression.

“That was uncalled for, Bailey; you could have hurt her seriously.”

Oh no.

I gasp, the world tilts, my chest tightens. Old memories flashes. It's happening again, my worst fear: Sierra is stealing another person who loves me.

I stumble out, Crawford follows me, his steps fast. I begin to run. He chases me. We pass through what was supposed to be our wedding hall, guests stare at us in confusion.

“Bailey, wait, let me at least explain." He catches up with me in the parking lot and blocks my path.

"I don't want to hear it," I warn him, but he doesn't listen.

“I love you." He says, staring intensely into my eyes. My heart leaps with hope at how sincere he sounds, but my brain knows, from recent experience, that he's a bald-faced liar.

I cover my ears, my head suddenly aching, but I can still read Crawford’s lips as he repeatedly says he loves me.

“Stop it!" I scream, and he finally does.

"Why? What did she promise you?” I find myself asking.

"Bailey, it's not like that. Yes, Sierra is my friend, but our love has nothing to do with her.” He sighs, pulling his hair in frustration.

“That's not what she said inside”

"You know how Sierra can be, she's your sister—”

"Stepsister.”

"Yeah, whatever. I couldn't tell you I knew her because of the hostility between the two of you. I knew you wouldn't have given me a chance.”

“So it's my fault you deceived me?”

"No. That's not what I'm saying.” He tries to hold me again, but I backstep him.

He swallows, his throat bobbing. His fists tighten, and he kicks at the ground, cussing loudly.

“Fucking hell, Bailey, I love you, alright? Shouldn't that alone be enough for you? Why must you project your insecurities about Sierra and your father on me, huh?" He spits, glaring at me.

I gape at him, feeling like a veil is lifted from my eyes and the real Crawford is finally revealed to me.

In the six months, 2 weeks, 4 days, and 12 hours since I've loved this man, not once did he raise his voice at me, until now.

He groans when he sees my expression, trying to force a smile.

“I’m sorry, Bails, I just.. I'm scared out of my mind that I'm going to lose you over this.”

“Listen, I promise, I'm going to explain everything to you, but after we get married. We'll be late if we keep this conversation going, and the guests are already looking. We also don't want to worry your mom, alright?”

I feel something shift in me.

Wiping my face, I raise my shoulders. Crawford smiles, thinking I'm giving in to his will.

His face drops as I remove my engagement ring, and I stretch it to him.

“Bailey," he tries to protest.

“I will not be marrying you, Crawford, not today, not ever. But you have my permission to marry Sierra. I'm sure she would be delighted to have you all to herself forever.” I nod in her direction as she joins us.

Hearing my words, she beams, her eyes gleaming. She got what she wanted. I won't be getting married before her.

But then again, the day has only just begun… and who's to say I can't find another groom before it ends?