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Chapter 1

I watched Skeet rush out. The bridal boutique assistant holding my gown frowned."What's more important than the bride trying on her dress?"I gave a dry smile.That wasn't the problem.It was the person calling.Norah Cheney.Skeet's so-called mentee, who'd been there three months.Back then, he'd complained—"The new interns suck. Especially Norah. She can't do anything. I have to explain everything three or four times. She's exhausting."I'd spent forever calming him down.I never thought this girl would keep showing up in our lives.Or that something between them would shift.I shut my eyes. "I'll take this one. No need to try others."I pulled out my phone and paid.They packed it up fast.I glanced at the couples in the store. My chest tightened.My phone rang.Mom.I told her what happened."Then replace him."Her voice stayed calm, but it steadied me."This is your wedding. Skeet acts like none of it's on him. He doesn't take you seriously. Marry him, and y

Chapter 2

Skeet suddenly spoke."How about this... we postpone the wedding."I froze.He almost looked relieved, like a weight had just slipped off his shoulders."Norah's at a critical point for her promotion. I don't have the energy for wedding stuff right now."So Norah's promotion mattered more.Even the wedding we'd spent six months planning got pushed aside for her.A bitter ache spread through my chest.He reached over, brushing my hair like he could calm me down. "Postponing isn't bad. We'll have more time. And you won't get upset every day because I'm too busy. Once I get through this, I promise I'll—""Skeet." I cut him off. "Let's break up."His hand froze in my hair. Disbelief crossed his face.He rubbed his temples. "Quit playing. We're not kids throwing around breakups. I said postpone for you. I want to give you the perfect wedding. Why are you—"His phone rang.Norah.He declined it.It rang again.He glanced at me."Go ahead. What if it's important?"He exhaled

Chapter 3

"Their generation's outdated. You know how much pressure there is now to marry and have kids. Rushing it just tanks our quality of life—""Skeet." I cut in. "I'm getting married next Saturday."His face twitched."Bella Blanchett, you think this'll make me give in? It just annoys me. You look childish. Unreasonable. You haven't thought about the pressure, the responsibility. Or how marriage hits our work, our lives. Are you really that desperate to sell yourself off?"The words kept coming.Before, I would've explained. Compromised.Now, I just felt calm.Marrying me would mess with his work and life.But every time Norah called, didn't he drop everything?Didn't that mess with his work and life too?Guess it just depended on who was calling.I looked at him. "Yeah. I am."Then I turned, walked into the guest room, and locked the door.I lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling.My phone buzzed.Mom."How'd it go? Did you talk to Andrew?"I thought about that friend requ

Chapter 4

Laughter burst out inside.My fingers curled tight."Don't start," Norah cut in, soft and perfectly timed. "We're just mentor and mentee. Don't say stuff like that. What if Bella gets the wrong idea?""The wrong idea? We all see how close you are.""Yeah. Skeet, what do you think?"A beat of silence.Then Skeet, easy and lazy—"What is there to say? Drink."He didn't deny it.Which meant he accepted it.The laughter got louder. Someone teased,"Alright, alright, we'll drop it. Norah, pour your mentor a drink—"Norah laughed softly.Through the door, I could almost see it—that perfectly timed shy look.My chest tightened.Then slowly eased.I should've seen it sooner.The late-night "overtime."The sweet edge in her voice notes.The flicker in his eyes when he looked at her.And that time—The perfume on his collar.Not mine.Not his either.When I asked, he said they'd sat close in a meeting. Picked it up from some coworker.I believed him.Seven years. From a

Chapter 5

Onstage, spotlights crashed down like a waterfall, drenching the couple in light.Skeet froze.Not anger—just this sharp, almost ridiculous confusion.'Who is that bride?'White gown. Slim back. Wrapped in another man's arms.He already knew.He just wouldn't accept it.'That can't be Bella. No way she'd marry someone else. She waited seven years for me.'Seven years—putting up with his schedule, buying every excuse, watching him walk away for someone else again and again.'She never really got mad. Never really left. So how could she... marry someone else?'Then—The bride tipped her head, half her face catching the light.Skeet forgot how to breathe.He knew that face.Could've traced every line with his eyes closed.'It's Bella. It really is Bella.'The emcee shouted, "The groom may kiss the bride!"The man leaned in and kissed her.Something snapped in Skeet's head—loud, buzzing.He didn't even know how he got there.One second he was at the door. Next—he was at

Chapter 6

Skeet's face drained."Promises? No. Time? No. Basic respect? Even less."Edith's voice turned ice-cold."Picking out a ring—you left after one call. Meeting the planner—one call, and you left. Meeting both families—same thing. Every time, that mentee. Always, 'She just graduated. I can't ignore her.'"Her gaze locked on him."Skeet Fadley, tell me—when did you ever put my daughter first?"His throat locked up.He wanted to say, "I care about her," but nothing came out.Because every single thing she said—he couldn't deny any of it."You think my daughter would wait forever?" Edith let out a sharp laugh, all sarcasm. "Who do you think you are? What gives you that right?""Mom." Bella tugged her arm. "That's enough.""Why should I stop?" Edith turned on her, eyes red. "You think I don't know what these seven years did to you? Every time he left you for that girl, you went home, smiled at yourself in the mirror, said it was fine. Said he was just busy. You think I didn't know

Chapter 7

Bella held no hate. No resentment. Not even disappointment.Just calm.That calm crushed the last bit of hope in Skeet's chest.Because only someone who's let go completely looks at you like that—like a stranger."Bella..." His voice came out rough, barely his. "I... I can explain.""No need.""I really can—""Skeet," she cut in, steady, "that night, I went to your staff apartment."He froze."I came to give you your share from selling our place. Half was yours. But when I knocked, I heard things."His face shifted.He remembered.That night—his staff apartment. A few coworkers drinking, talking. Norah there.Jokes about him and Norah. Comments about Bella's age—"What did you hear?" he asked, instinctive.Bella didn't answer.She just looked at him.For a split second, something dim flickered in her eyes.Then it was gone.Back to calm."It doesn't matter anymore."She turned, slipping her arm back through Andrew's."Skeet," she said softly, "we're done."We'r

Chapter 8

"Norah's way better than Bella. That face, that body..."He hadn't pushed back.Why not?Too drunk?Didn't want to kill the vibe?Or—for a split second, did he actually think Norah—young, pretty—looked better than Bella after seven years?He didn't know.He didn't want to.Skeet tossed his phone onto the passenger seat and started the car.Then froze.No clue where to go.The office?Didn't want to.The staff apartment?No way.The place he shared with Bella?Gone. Sold.Seven years, just... erased.Moving in. Fighting over furniture. That light she always left on when he got home late—All of it, gone.He pulled over and dropped forward, forehead against the wheel. Didn't move.Time passed.Finally, he lifted his head, started the engine, and drove.Not to work.To find Norah.***By the time Skeet pushed through the glass doors, it was already dark.He didn't even know why he came.To question Norah?Thank her?Or just... get an answer.How did he los

Chapter 9

Skeet stared at her. "Say it again."Norah went pale.Her phone slipped from her hand and hit the floor."Wait—let me explain... I was just joking with a friend—""Joking?" He stepped in. "You called my fiancée washed-up. That's a joke?""That's not what I meant—""You said I was dumb. Said I was asking to be played. That's a joke?"Her lips shook. Nothing came out."That smart home project," his voice turned cold, "was that your plan from the start?"She stayed silent.That was answer enough.Skeet let out a laugh.It sounded hollow. Mocking himself.Late nights flashed—him grinding through overtime.Norah showing up with coffee, smiling. "Thanks for all your hard work."Those "urgent revisions," her eyes red. "Only you can help me."His coworkers joking about it. He never shut it down. Low-key felt proud.Look at him—the young, pretty mentee clinging to him.He called it charm.It was a trap.And for that trap, he shoved away the woman who'd stood by him for seven

Chapter 10

"What are you thanking me for?" he said. "We're legally married. It's my duty to protect you."Legally married.He said it so casually, but it made me pause.Right. We were husband and wife now.Even if this was rushed. Even if we'd met less than ten times. Even if there was still that thin layer between us—Legally, he was my husband. I was his wife."Go to sleep," he said. "We're seeing my parents tomorrow. Dinner.""Okay." I shut the door.I was in bed, and Andrew's face wouldn't leave my mind.At the wedding, the lights hit him just right, tracing him in a soft gold glow...Something in my chest eased, quiet and slow.***Married life was calmer than I expected.Andrew stayed busy—out early, home late.We lived in a luxury condo in Eastbrook. Two bedrooms, a living room in between.Basically roommates.But not really.Every morning, I woke up to breakfast already waiting on the table.Sometimes cream soup with a few small sides. Sometimes a sandwich and milk. Some

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