Chapter 1

The big screens were supposed to show our love story.

Instead, I saw my fiancé, Liam, hooking up with my cousin, Savannah.

The video was grainy, shot on a phone in a dark hotel suite. But it was them. No doubt. The audio was muffled, but their laughter was clear. It was from last night, his bachelor party.

The music stopped. A thousand guests, all the big names in Nashville, went silent. The reporters from People and Rolling Stone looked up from their notepads, their faces a mix of shock and excitement. This was a better story than a wedding.

Liam, standing next to me at the altar, went pale. He grabbed my arm, his fingers digging into the lace of my dress.

"Chloe, it's not what it looks like. It's fake. It has to be."

I didn't look at him. I looked at Savannah, in the front row, her bridesmaid dress a soft lilac. Her face was a mess of tears and smudged mascara. She looked pathetic.

I pulled my arm away from Liam. I walked to the microphone, my dress rustling against the stone floor of the vineyard chapel. I felt strangely calm.

"Thank you all for coming," I said, my voice steady. "It seems there's been a change of plans. The wedding is off."

I turned to Liam and Savannah.

"But I wouldn't want to ruin your special day. You two are clearly made for each other."

Gasps rippled through the crowd. Liam started toward me, his face turning red with anger.

"Chloe, don't do this. Don't be so dramatic."

"Dramatic?" I pointed to his neck, where a dark hickey peeked out from under his collar. Then I pointed to Savannah's neck. A matching mark was visible just above her dress. "You both have matching souvenirs from your 'drunken mistake'. I'm setting you free. Go. Be together."

I didn't wait for a response. I turned my back on him, on her, on the whole circus. I walked down the aisle, alone, leaving them to face the storm they created.