Chapter 3

Elena, who was standing beside us, took a deep breath, almost as if she had made a difficult decision. "Miles, let me take Jasmine's place and go through the wedding with you. She needs time to calm down. I can't bear to watch you and your family struggle like this."

He took one long look at me, and his eyes were filled with disappointment.

In the end, he turned to Elena and nodded. "Alright."

Before he left, he spat out, "You should reflect on your actions and thank Elena."

…

He slammed the door shut, causing my ears to ring for several seconds. Silence settled back over the house. Even my phone stopped buzzing.

I felt as though my heart had a gaping hollow. It was as if the day had strapped me into a roller coaster and hurled me down the steepest fall.

In the span of a few hours, we went from standing at the edge of marriage to breaking up. However, those few hours allowed me to see their true colors.

It was impossible not to grieve after losing my boyfriend, whom I've dated for many years, and my best friend. Still, I believed I had made the right choice. The wounds in my heart could only be healed by time.

When I grabbed my luggage and stepped outside, the local news had already been completely taken over by the Lawsons' wedding. Elena wore a thick veil that covered her face in the photos. The groomsmen flanked her, subtly blocking the cameras so not a single reporter could capture her face.

Elena sent me countless pictures—shots of the venue, the decorations, and even every dish that was served.

She even wrote, "Too bad you couldn't experience your own wedding. I took a lot of pictures, so you won't regret it for the rest of your life."

The last few photos were of her and Miles on stage, kissing in front of all the guests. It seemed she had completely immersed herself in the role she was playing.

Elena commented in the text, "Wow, no wonder this wedding costs a million dollars. The groom is ridiculously handsome, too. I'm having the time of my life!" She even added two grinning emojis after that.

She must have thought I was a joke. I planned and paid for everything, yet she was the one who walked down the aisle with my fiancé.

I calmly powered off my phone and started the engine.

It was fine.

I didn't mind losing my fiancé, but my money would come back to me—and it would come back multiplied.

…

The following day, Miles and Elena were spotted by reporters at the airport, heading off for their honeymoon. If they were going to put on a show, they might as well commit to it.

Elene was active on social media every day after that—beaches, fine dining, hot springs, private pools. She looked like she was living her best life. Ironically, these honeymoon spots were all places she had originally recommended to me and Miles.

Miles was wearing the ring he and I had picked out together while he held Elena in his arms, and he looked radiant in the photos. His friends liked the post, and the comments were full of subtle jabs.

"Why do I get the feeling Ellie and Miles look way better together?"

"Someone threw a huge tantrum, and look how that ended. I can't stop laughing!"

Ignoring the dull ache in my chest, I took screenshots and saved every single post.

Their honeymoon lasted half a month.

Miles called me once during that period. His voice dripped with arrogance. "I allowed Elena to post those pictures. If you had done as you were told back then, you would've been the one enjoying all this."

Looking at the massive lobster on my table, which was twice the size of the one in Elena's photo, I let out a soft chuckle. "I'm not that cheap. I wouldn't let a man order me around just to go on a vacation."

His breathing turned ragged on the other end. "When I get back, we'll see how long that attitude of yours lasts!"

"We shall see." I hung up on him and added his number to my blacklist.