Chapter 2

Eve gave me a long, hard look before pulling out another phone. The screen lit up.

The display read 9:43 AM.

She then flipped the camera around to point at the dressing room window.

The glaring sun hung high between endless blue sky and soft white clouds.

Eve’s stern voice ensued.

“It’s 9:43 AM on April 1st, 2026. My wedding starts in 17 minutes.

“Aisling, you’re my best friend. Are you seriously going to keep this up?”

With a solemn look, I approached the floor-to-ceiling window in my hotel room and pulled the curtains apart.

I aimed my phone at the night sky outside the window, letting every word sink in.

“Look. What time do you think it is here?”

…

The line went quiet.

Eve was stunned.

Beyond the window was pitch black, except for scattered lights flickering in the distance.

“T-That’s impossible.”

Eve gasped.

A cold scoff cut Eve off before she could say anything.

Hunter sneered at the camera.

“I told you so, Eve. Aisling can’t stand to see you happy.

“She even staged a fake background to stop our wedding from going ahead. What’s your game, Aisling? Are you trying to get in our heads, saying that you can’t attend the wedding because of some time warp?

“You make me sick!”

June, who was like a mother to me, pulled a scowl.

“Aisling, I’ve been nothing but nice to you. Whenever Eve brought up what you fancied having, I always had it ready for you.

“Today is Eve’s special day. She’s my only daughter. Please, can you end this nonsense for my sake? Just get down here now.”

My heart sank as June’s tender smile turned solemn on the screen.

Unlike Eve, I grew up in a single-parent household. My mother passed away when I was just a little girl.

In other words, I never experienced the love of a mother before I met Eve.

June filled the role of a mother in my life.

She was the first to call and get me my prescription when I fell sick.

When work drained me, June would always ship me a care package with my favorite things despite the distance between us.

I always had a place in her and Josh’s home.

Eve often said, “Aisling, Mom loves you like a daughter. We should be sisters forever.”

With Eve and June in mind, I knew better than to let the wedding run late.

Staring at the dark sky, I took a deep breath and clenched my fists.

“Eve, Mrs. Connell, I’ll be right there.”

On the other end of the line, the group let out a relieved smile.

“But—”

I paused before earnestly uttering, “I need one last confirmation.”

…

Hunter’s expression turned sour.

“Aisling—”

“Hunter!”

June cut him off, her voice tender but firm.

“Aisling is a good kid. Since she has doubts, I don’t see why she can’t verify the time once more. Though…”

June stared at me, dead serious.

“Aisling, this is the last time. The ceremony is starting in ten minutes. Don’t let me down.”

The call ended abruptly.

I looked at the dark screen, my heart pounding out of my chest.

This was my last chance, and the question was to whom I would call.

After thinking long and hard, I decided to call the one person who would never lie to me.

It was my father, Adam Port. He and Josh worked together, so he was on the guest list too.

Even if the Connells were lying to me, Adam never would.

With that in mind, I dialed Adam’s number.

“Hello?”

A deep, raspy voice came through the line. The person yawned, sounding like he had been dragged out of sleep.

Feeling assured, I asked eagerly, “Dad, what time is it there?”

On the other end of the line, Adam’s yawning came to an abrupt stop.

“Isn’t it midnight now? I just fell asleep when you rang. What happened?”

Adam grilled me in an anxious tone, with the rustling of sheets following after.