perfect dress, giving myself the wedding of my
dreams. I wasn’t alone anymore. I had a home,
a family.
But at the wedding, Olivia told me about Ethan’s frantic flight back. I didn’t really believe it. He and Olivia were finally together; he wouldn’t leave her to come back for me. I was
wrong.
The Ethan I remembered was confident and impeccably dressed. The Ethan standing at my wedding was pale and haggard, clutching a jewelry box, staring at Daniel and me. Or rather, mostly at Daniel. I was startled. He looked from Daniel to me, beckoning me with a crooked finger. Daniel was busy with his colleagues, so I went to Ethan, afraid he would make a scene.
“Please don’t cause any trouble. This wedding
is really important to me,” I pleaded.
His face darkened. My plea seemed to enrage
him. He gestured towards Daniel. “Avery, which
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one of us looks like him?”
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I was confused. He repeated the question.
“Babe, me or him? Which one of us is the
replacement?”
He called me “babe,” as if we were still
together. He only used that endearment when he was happy. And his happiness usually revolved around Olivia. I’d rather he call me
Avery.
My face hardened. “I’m not your babe, Ethan.” I gestured towards Daniel. “I’m his wife. Legally.”
Ethan stared at me, his face grim. I instantly
regretted my words. He was a spoiled rich kid. There was no telling what he might do. I stood
frozen, wondering how to get rid of him, when I
heard Daniel calling my name. I was anxious,
but I tried not to show it, my mind filled with
Ethan’s cold expression and the fear of my
wedding being ruined.
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Daniel didn’t seem to notice anything. He pulled
me close, his voice soothing my anxiety. “Don’t
wander off. I’ll lose you.” He squeezed my
shoulder. “Don’t worry. I’m here.”
I leaned against his chest, listening to his
steady heartbeat. My anxiety melted away. I
smiled and nodded. “Okay.” He kissed me
softly, and I pulled him closer, deepening the
kiss. As long as Daniel was there, nothing else
mattered. I kissed him with everything I had.
When the kiss ended, Ethan was gone. No
scene, no drama. He’d just left. Olivia said he
practically ran, like he was being chased. Then I
got a text from an unknown number: You never
smiled at me like that.
Olivia was still beside me, gesturing wildly.
“Ethan looked like he’d seen a ghost. I’ve never
seen him so rattled, he even stumbled. What’s with him?”
