All Chapters of The Night Before My sisters Wedding : Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

Adelaide's POV:The city blurred past the car window in streaks of gray and neon as I drove back toward the Hale estate. My hands gripped the wheel so tightly my knuckles ached. Every mile felt heavier, like the car itself was dragging me toward whatever fresh hell waited at home. Dad’s text still burned in my mind — “Well done… Tyler’s family are asking this scandal to be fix by arranging a marriage.” And I kept replaying it on loop, wondering how my life had gone from a rooftop proposal to a business transaction in less than twenty-four hours.My phone connected to the car’s Bluetooth and Andrea’s voicemail started playing automatically. Her voice filled the silence, soft and worried:“Addie… it’s me. I’ve been trying to reach you all day. I saw the video. I’m not mad, I just… I’m worried. Dad called. He wants us all at family dinner tonight. Tyler’s parents are coming too. They’re talking about arranging a marriage to ‘fix’ this. Please call me back. We need to talk. I’m here, o

Adelaide's PoV:The dining room felt like a cage with crystal chandeliers. I excused myself the second the last plate was cleared, mumbling something about needing air. No one stopped me. They were too busy congratulating themselves on “fixing” my mess.I slipped out the back doors and walked straight into the garden behind the estate. The night air was cool against my skin, carrying the faint scent of night-blooming jasmine and damp earth. I stopped in the middle of the stone path, tipped my head back, and stared up at the sky.The stars were shining brighter tonight than they ever had when I used to come out here as a kid. Or maybe I was just noticing them more because everything else in my life had gone dark. I wrapped my arms around myself, the silk of my dress suddenly feeling too thin and too fragile.“This is it, I told myself, under shaky breath. “I’m not fighting anymore.”No more begging Jax to answ

Tyler's PoV:The car ride home was quiet except for the low hum of the engine and the occasional click of my father’s phone. I sat in the back seat, legs stretched out, staring at the city lights sliding past the tinted windows. My tie was already loosened, jacket tossed on the seat beside me. The garden scene kept replaying in my head like a private movie I couldn’t turn off.Adélaïde standing there under the stars, eyes red but trying so hard to look untouched. Victor hovering too close, tucking her hair behind her ear like it was the most natural thing in the world, and Andrea walking in at exactly the wrong second. The whole thing was deliciously messy. I smiled to myself in the dark. Bet they didn't know I was watching them right from the very beginning. Looking at them act so pathetically as if marrying me was the worst thing possible.I mean look at me, Tyler, handsome in a good way, the guy all girls wanna hang out wit

Adelaide's POV:The dressing room in my old bedroom had been turned into a temporary boutique. Racks of white dresses, veils, and jewelry lined the walls like silent judges. I stood in front of the full-length mirror in yet another gown — this one sleek and satin, hugging my body in all the places Tyler’s people had apparently decided looked best. The stylist lady — some perky woman named Claire with a measuring tape around her neck — stepped back and clapped her hands.“Oh, Adelaide, you look *stunning*. Tyler is going to lose his mind when he sees these photos. He specifically asked us to send him everything so he can pick the final one himself. He even chose a few of these pieces personally.”I forced the fake smile I’d been practicing since they arrived. The corners of my mouth lifted, but my eyes stayed dead. “Great,” I said, voice light and hollow. “Send them over.”Inside, I wanted to grab the scissors from the table and slash every inch of fabric until it was nothing but rib

Tyler's PoV:The bass thumped through the entire west wing of the Harrington estate like it was trying to shake the walls down. Today is the last day for my bachelor years, even though it really isn't. We were celebrating my fucking victory lap.I stood in the middle of the living room with a glass of whiskey in one hand and a smug grin I couldn’t wipe off my face. Tomorrow. In less than twenty-four hours I’d sign that marriage certificate and finally get my slice of the company. The real slice. The one my father had been dangling over my head for years. Adelaide Hale — or whatever the hell her name was — was the golden ticket. One ring, one “I do,” and the old man had no choice but to hand over what was mine.My friends were everywhere, laughing too loud, already half-drunk. Bottles clinked. Someone had turned the pool into a makeshift beer-pong arena. Clifford was in the corner telling the same story about the time we almost got arrested in Monaco, and everyone was eating it u