Chapter 3

3

It was exactly eleven.

The officiant stepped up, and the music started playing.

A classic wedding march echoed through the hall.

The moment the first note hit, my mother started crying.

She was in the front row, right in the center. My father was beside her, and next to him was Gavin's mother.

Gavin's father was in the back row, sneaking a cigarette under the table.

I stood outside the double doors, clutching a bouquet of white roses.

Willa stood to my right in a pale lavender bridesmaid dress.

She rested her hand on my arm―the exact same gesture as before.

"Nervous?" she whispered.

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

"Not at all," I replied.

She didn't realize I had given her the same answer as before.

She leaned in closer.

"Gavin looks so handsome today."

She wasn't looking at the groom when she said it; she was watching my reaction.

I hadn't noticed that the first time.

Now, I saw it clearly.

She was waiting.

She was waiting for me to gush over him so she could hide her own jealousy behind a fake smile.

"He does. He looks incredible," I said, switching the flowers to my other hand. "You should take a good look. You might not see him again for a while."

She froze. "What does that mean?"

I didn't answer.

I just looked up at the security camera in the corner of the ceiling.

My livestream camera wouldn't catch that angle.

That was fine.

I had a much better angle coming up.

The doors swung open.

The scent of roses and the warm glow of the chandeliers flooded the air.

Two hundred heads turned at once.

The moment I took my first step, my mother sobbed out loud.

Then came the sounds of shutters clicking and people clapping.

The officiant's voice boomed over the speakers.

"Please welcome our beautiful bride!"

My heels clicked against the red carpet, one step at a time.

Gavin stood at the altar.

He had the most perfect, practiced smile on his face.

I had spent three months staring at that same curve of his lips in my past life.

I could still see it when I closed my eyes in the dark.

I reached him.

"You look breathtaking," he whispered.

In my past life, those words made my heart melt.

Now, seeing the hidden arrogance beneath his lashes, I felt nothing but disgust.

This man had shared over three hundred dinners with me.

I had gone to the hospital with him fourteen times―always by his side.

We had paid off fifty thousand dollars of his family's debt together.

I had picked out every suit he owned, including the one he was wearing right now.

And then he had pushed me down those stairs.

I gave him a small smile.

"Thank you."

The officiant raised the microphone.

"Before we exchange vows, the groom would like to say a few words."

Gavin pulled a ring box from his pocket.

It was a classic Cartier band, slightly too small for my finger.

He dropped to one knee.

"Sasha."

His voice was low and steady.

"Did you know the first time I saw you was at the campus gym back in college?"

"You were wearing a white t-shirt, your hair was in a high ponytail, and you were carrying three books."

"You were waiting for someone, and I was playing basketball. Every time I went for a shot, I looked over at you."

"I didn't have the guts to say a word to you for four years."

"Then, the year we graduated, I went for a job interview. You were sitting across from me as the interviewer."

"When it was over, I waited for you outside for four hours."

"When you finally came out, do you remember what you said? You laughed and asked why I was still there."

"I knew from that moment on that there would never be anyone else but you."

He held up the ring.

"Sasha, will you marry me?"

Amidst the roar of applause, I took the microphone.

"Are you finished?"

Gavin blinked, looking confused.

"Yes, I'm finished."

I turned around to face the two hundred guests.

I raised my right hand.

I wasn't holding a ring.

I was holding my phone.

"Thank you all for coming. Before we exchange rings, I'd like everyone to watch a short clip."

I looked up at the giant screen behind the altar.

"Every frame I'm about to play is a record of our journey together."

I tapped the screen of my phone.

The big screen flickered to life. %%%