Chapter 1

The second before I died, Willa leaned into my ear.

"Your house, your savings... it's all going to be my husband's soon. Oh, wait. I mean your husband's," she whispered.

I opened my eyes. I was back in the dressing room on my wedding day. My gown wasn't even fully buttoned yet.

In the mirror, my bridesmaid was adjusting my veil with a gentle smile.

I picked up my phone. I opened a livestream app.

I typed a title with only two words: Wedding Live.

1

When I died, the back of my head hit the floor first.

I tumbled down seventeen steps.

The first thing I hit was the ceramic planter on the landing.

Everything after that was just shards and pain.

Blood started leaking from my ears.

I could hear my own breathing―a ragged, wet rattle, like a crushed garden hose.

Willa's high heels stopped right next to my cheek.

They had red soles.

Gavin had bought them for her last month.

"Oh, Sasha. You really were so naive," she said.

Her voice wasn't harsh.

It was soft and airy, the kind of tone you'd use to soothe a child.

"Your house and your bank accounts... they'll belong to my husband in a few minutes."

She let out a small, sharp giggle.

"Oh, that's right. I mean your husband."

I tried to reach out and grab her ankle.

My fingers wouldn't move.

The light in front of me shrank to a tiny pinhole before vanishing into nothing.

When I opened my eyes again, I saw a face in the mirror without any makeup.

My veil was draped over a chair nearby. A row of makeup brushes sat neatly on the vanity.

Outside the window was the hotel garden. Balloons were twisted into a massive arch.

A red carpet stretched from the lobby out to the curb.

The air smelled like fresh lilies and the bitter tang of hairspray.

The clock in the dressing room pointed to nine o'clock.

The ceremony was at eleven.

I looked down at my nails. They were bare.

My fingers felt light and empty.

In my past life, that wedding ring was currently sitting in Gavin's pocket.

"Sasha?"

A face appeared behind mine in the mirror.

Willa was standing there, helping me adjust the veil.

"What are you thinking about? You've been staring into space forever."

Her fingertips brushed against my shoulder.

My stomach did a violent somersault.

I stared at her reflection for three long seconds.

"Nothing," I said.

I picked up my phone from the vanity.

I unlocked it.

I opened a streaming app and started a new room.

I typed in the title: Wedding Live.

Then, I hit the record button.

I leaned the phone against the mirror at an angle.

The lens caught my profile and the door of the dressing room in the background.

Zero viewers. No promotion. No shares yet.

The screen only showed me.

Willa didn't notice what I was doing.

She was busy touching up her lipstick in a small compact.

She pressed her lips together and tilted her head to check the edges.

I didn't remember her fixing her lipstick at this hour in my past life.

Back then, I thought she was just nervous. She was the bridesmaid, after all. My best friend.

Now I knew exactly why she was so tense.

She was wearing the exact shade of crimson that Gavin loved.

"Willa."

She looked at me through the mirror.

"I have a surprise for Gavin during the ceremony," I said, picking up the phone. "You'll help me, right?"

"Of course," she smiled. "What kind of surprise?"

I curved my lips at the camera.

"You'll find out when the time comes."

A comment flashed across the screen: "What a beautiful bride!"

Don't be so quick to compliment me yet.

Wait a moment, and I'll show you something even more beautiful.

I sent the livestream link to three friends.

Then I sent it to a junior from college who worked in digital media, telling him to track the traffic.

Once that was done, I put the phone back down, screen facing the table.

At nine-thirty, there was a knock on the door. It was Gavin.

"Sasha? Can I come in?"

I glanced at Willa.

Her back straightened instantly.

"Come in."

Gavin was wearing a deep navy suit.

His hair was slicked back perfectly.

His tie was the one my father had gifted him.

The first thing he did when he walked in was glance at Willa. It lasted half a second, but I caught it.

Then he walked over to me.

He leaned down.

"Are you nervous?"

In my past life, I said, "A little."

He had kissed my forehead then, while Willa clapped beside us.

This time, I didn't say a word.

I just stared at him for about five seconds.

It was long enough to make him feel visibly uneasy.

"I'm not nervous."

He blinked, surprised, but quickly forced a smile.

"That's good."

"Gavin."

He turned back.

"I changed the ceremony program a bit. I already told the officiant," I said, watching him. "Just follow my lead."

He nodded and walked out the door.

Willa followed right behind him.

"I'm going to go check on the flowers," she chirped.

The door clicked shut.

I flipped my phone over.

The viewer count was at 37.

A few comments scrolled by:

"What is this? A wedding stream?"

"The bride is stunning."

"The groom is a snack."

I whispered to the camera, "Don't leave yet. The good stuff is coming."