The Bride Who Stopped Waiting

The ring hit the rim of the china plate with a bright little clink.

The smile went out of Adrian's face.

Serena hugged Coco, her golden retriever, and pretended to be shocked. "Nora, you're not actually mad, are you? It was just a joke."

The rest of the room chimed in.

"It's only a dog food cake."

"Adrian already apologized. The wedding's tomorrow. Don't make a huge scene."

I looked at my parents, my relatives, the friends we shared, and the fiancé I had loved for seven years.

Every one of them knew this was a bet.

I was the only one who didn't.

Adrian picked up the ring and tried to slide it back onto my finger.

I put my hand behind my back. "Don't touch me."

He frowned. "Things did go too far today. I'm apologizing to you for Serena."

For her. Again.

All my life, when Serena smashed my trophy, it was because she was in poor health.

When she cut up my school uniform, it was just sisters fooling around.

When she took my job offer, it was because she needed it more.

Now she had brought over the dog that bit me on my birthday just to humiliate me, and it was still nothing but a joke.

"I don't accept it."

I turned to leave.

Adrian caught my wrist. "We have to be at the hotel by six tomorrow morning. Where else do you think you're going?"

"None of your business."

"We're getting married tomorrow. How is it not my business?"

He said it like it was simply a fact.

Coco barked at me twice, and my legs went stiff.

Two years ago, Coco had lunged at me and bitten straight through my arm.

Adrian knew full well I was afraid of Coco, yet he instinctively stepped in front of Serena. "Don't set Coco off."

I watched him do it, and the last bit of warmth in my chest went cold.

"You're worried I'll set Coco off, but you're not worried it'll bite me again."

"That's not what I meant."

Serena's eyes reddened, and she spoke up. "It's all my fault. I shouldn't have moved my birthday up, and I shouldn't have brought Coco.

"But you know how much it hurts me to watch you get married. Why hold it against me?"

Adrian turned back to comfort her. "Nobody blames you."

Only after that did he look at me. "Serena couldn't sleep again last night. Let her have this one."

Serena was born at eleven at night. I was born at one in the morning.

We were twins, and our birthdays landed a day apart.

For years she said she didn't want to blow out candles alone, so my parents moved my birthday up every single year.

This year she said my wedding was taking over her day.

In the end, my name wasn't even on the cake.

I pushed Adrian away. "Tomorrow's wedding is off."

The room went quiet for a few seconds, then broke into laughter.

"How long's it going to take to talk her around this time?"

"One night, tops."

Adrian didn't take it seriously either. "All right, cool off for a while. I'll take Serena home, then come get you."

I asked him, "Do you think that no matter what you do, I'll always come back?"

He didn't answer.

The silence was already the answer.

I left the apartment that was supposed to be our marital home and went to the bridal studio.

The gown I was supposed to wear tomorrow hung at the very back. I had drafted the pattern and cut it myself, and it had taken four months to finish.

I took the dress down and cut out the two names embroidered inside the train.

My assistant, Chloe Hayes, came running, her face white. "Nora, what are you doing? You have to wear that tomorrow."

"Starting tomorrow, it won't be a wedding dress anymore."

I set the scissors back on the table. "Hang it in the window and put a price on it."

"And the wedding?"

"There isn't going to be one."