Chapter 3
The next morning, I didn't go to the bridal suite at the venue.
Ethan's assistant called more than a dozen times, but I ignored every single ring. It wasn't until close to noon, minutes before the ceremony was scheduled to begin, that I caught an Uber and headed to the venue.
The moment I reached the entrance of the ballroom, I froze in my tracks.
The large welcome board at the door—which was supposed to be our beachside engagement portrait—had been replaced with a solo portrait of Chloe.
She was wearing my custom designer gown, smiling sweetly. The elegant lettering on the sign still read: [Celebrating the Wedding of Ethan and Aster].
Yet the face on display was Chloe’s.
Whispers broke out among the arriving guests.
"Wait, isn't this Ethan's wedding? Why isn't the woman on the sign the bride?"
"Don't you know? That's his childhood best friend. Word is Aster threw a massive fit and brought her to tears yesterday. Ethan's clearly putting her in her place."
"She took someone else's spot, and now that his real love is back, she obviously has to step aside."
I had been turned into the laughingstock of the room, my dignity completely shredded.
Straightening my spine, I pushed open the heavy ballroom doors.
The hall was ablaze with crystal chandeliers, packed with hundreds of guests. Up on the stage stood Ethan in his tailored tuxedo. Next to him was Chloe, wearing my wedding dress, with the "Heart of Eternity" glistening around her neck.
The entire hall fell dead silent the second I stepped inside.
Ethan’s brows knitted tight, annoyance flashing in his eyes.
"What are you doing here? Didn't I tell you to stay home and reflect on your behavior?"
One step at a time, I walked up toward the stage, looking at the man I had loved for three years.
"It’s my wedding. Why shouldn't I be here?"
Chloe shrank back behind Ethan as if terrified.
"Aster, please don't be mad. I was just standing in for the rehearsal walk-through. Now that you're here, I'll give it back right away."
She reached up to unfasten the necklace, but the delicate chain snapped. The necklace hit the hardwood stage, its diamond throwing off blinding glints under the spotlights.
Chloe let out a startled gasp. Stumbling backward, she crashed directly into the towering champagne tower beside her.
Dozens of crystal glasses wobbled and crashed down in an explosive, deafening roar, spraying champagne everywhere.
Ethan’s immediate instinct was to pull Chloe against his chest, shielding her with his entire back.
I was standing on the other side of the falling tower.
Heavy glass and the jagged metal tier smashed violently against my shins, razor-sharp shards slicing deep into my flesh. Blood welled up instantly, pooling down my legs and soaking into the pale carpet.
A sharp gasp tore from my throat as the searing pain buckled my knees. I collapsed onto the floor.
Ethan didn't even cast a single glance in my direction.
Frantic with worry, he checked Chloe from head to toe, his voice trembling with panic.
"Chloe, are you hurt? Did any glass cut you?"
Chloe shook her head tearfully, pointing at the broken chain on the floor.
"Ethan, the necklace... it broke..."
Only then did Ethan turn to look down at me, his eyes freezing over with pure disgust.
"Are you satisfied now, Aster?"
He towered over me, his gaze dripping with resentment.
"Do you really have to ruin everything for everyone just to feel happy?"
Clutching my bleeding shin, my fingers slick with crimson, I looked up at the man who had once sworn he’d protect me with his life.
"Ethan, I’m the one bleeding."
He swept a careless glance over my mangled leg, without a flicker of pity.
"You brought this on yourself. If you hadn't come here to make a scene, none of this would have happened."
One of Chloe's friends immediately chimed in.
"Exactly! Aster, how calculating can you be? You're actually hurting yourself just to play the victim!"
"Ethan told you to stay home, but you just had to barge in and sabotage the wedding. If Chloe has a cardiac episode from this shock, can you even take responsibility?!"