Chapter 1

Yara's POV

I tossed my wedding ring into the trash, where it landed with a sharp metallic clatter.

Both women stared at me. Yvette Lane frowned, but before she could say anything, Nora Sinclair's face lit up.

"Yara! You're finally here! Look at me. Don't I look beautiful?"

She gathered up her skirt and twirled in front of me, too excited to wait for an answer.

"Julian and I passed a bridal shop once, and I just happened to mention that I liked this dress. I can't believe he remembered." She held up her hand, admiring the ring on her finger.

"And this ring is exactly my favorite style. Julian told me you've been helping him get everything ready for the wedding, too. Yara, I'm so lucky to have a best friend like you."

For a moment, I couldn't speak.

Now I understood why Julian Pierce had changed the wedding dress at the last minute after I'd spent so long choosing one, and why the diamond in the backup ring was twice the size of the original.

The wedding I'd put so much time and effort into planning had never been meant for me at all.

A bitter laugh escaped me.

Panic flashed across Yvette's face, and she jumped in before I could respond. "Of course you're beautiful. Nora's the most beautiful bride here. We have to get pictures!"

Yale Lawson immediately caught on and grabbed the camera. "Right. Come on, everyone, let's get a group photo!"

The guests crowded over with confetti poppers in hand while Yvette and Yale slipped into place beside Julian and Nora. The four of them fit neatly across the front row.

Then Yale tossed me the camera.

"Yara, you take the best pictures. Be sure to snap plenty of pictures for us."

The spotlight settled over them.

Nora leaned her head against Julian's shoulder in my wedding dress, and he looked down at her with such tenderness that anyone watching would have thought they were exactly what they appeared to be: a perfect newlywed couple. Their friends and family gathered around them, smiling and offering congratulations.

It was everything I'd ever imagined my wedding would be.

Then someone called out, "Kiss! Kiss!"

Julian's ears turned red. He hesitated, but Nora was already on her toes, pressing her lips to his.

My mind went blank as the room erupted in screams and cheers.

"Yara!" Yale shouted over the noise. "What are you waiting for? Take the picture! You have to capture the most important moment!"

My hands moved before the rest of me could catch up.

A confetti popper cracked nearby, streamers raining through the air as I pressed the shutter. Once, twice, then again and again until I'd taken more than a dozen pictures.

The cheering never stopped. Neither did the kissing. Julian went along with Nora as she pulled him into one pose after another for the camera, while everyone around them laughed and celebrated.

I was the only one fighting back tears.

I had no idea how long I stood there after they left before a staff member approached me cautiously.

"Miss, dinner has already started. Would you like us to add a seat for you?"

Only then did I look around and realize the area in front of me was empty. Everyone had already gone into the reception hall.

All three hundred seats were occupied.

There hadn't even been one left for me.

I gave a bitter little smile. "No, thank you."

I wasn't going to force myself into a place where no one had thought to make room for me.

And I was done with this friendship between the five of us, too.