Chapter 2 - Canceling the Charade
Savannah yanked the ring off and practically dropped it into my palm. I closed my fist around the cool metal.
“Claire, calm down,” Ethan snapped, stepping between us like a knight protecting his maiden. “You are being completely irrational and embarrassing yourself. Go downstairs, put on your dress, and let’s get married. We have two hundred guests waiting.”
I looked at the man I had almost tethered my life to. “No, we don’t.”
“Excuse me?” Diane gasped, clutching her phone to her chest.
“There is no wedding,” I said smoothly. I looked at Savannah, who was still wearing the ivory silk gown I had loved so much. “Keep the dress, Savannah. It looks better on you anyway. It’s exactly the kind of hollow, empty shell you both deserve.”
“Claire, stop this right now!” Ethan’s face flushed dark red. The easygoing, relaxed groom was gone, replaced by the panicked man who suddenly realized he was losing control. “You are not canceling our wedding over a stupid dress!”
“I’m not canceling it over a dress, Ethan. I’m canceling it because I finally realized I am the only adult in this relationship.”
I turned on my heel and walked out of the bridal suite. Ethan chased after me, grabbing my elbow at the top of the grand staircase. I shook him off with such sudden violence that he stumbled backward.
“If you touch me again,” I warned, “I will make sure security escorts you out of this venue in handcuffs.”
I walked down the stairs, still in my casual silk getting-ready robe, and walked directly into the grand hall where our guests were seated. The string quartet was playing softly. The murmurs died down as everyone turned to look at me, expecting to see a bride in a white gown.
I walked up to the microphone stand at the altar. “Excuse me, everyone,” I said, my voice echoing through the silent room. “I am incredibly sorry that you all traveled so far to be here. However, the wedding is canceled. I just found the groom upstairs playing dress-up with his female best friend using my wedding gown and my grandmother’s ring. Please enjoy the open bar and the catering. It’s already paid for.”
I dropped the microphone. It landed with a loud thud. I walked down the aisle, out the heavy oak doors, and into the waiting town car I had ordered for my grandparents.
May you like
“Take me to the airport,” I told the driver.
My phone vibrated violently for the next three hours. Texts from Diane calling me a monster. Texts from Ethan swinging wildly between apologies and furious accusations. But as I sat in the airport lounge, looking at my grandmother's ring safely back on my finger, my mind shifted away from the wedding. It shifted to Ethan’s tech startup, Lumina.
