Chapter 1

On the eve of my wedding, my fiancée let her male bestie cut up the bridal gown my late mother spent months sewing.

She allowed him to turn it into a micro-mini dress.

I rushed over with the ruins of the dress, ready to demand an explanation.

But then, I heard her laughing with him through the door.

"He actually wants me to wear something touched by a dead person. It's so cursed!"

Through the crack in the door, I saw my cold, distant fiancée sitting on his lap.

Her face was flushed with a heat she never showed me.

"The bridal shop wasn't enough today. Imagine the thrill of wearing this tiny dress at the altar tomorrow!"

Then they started kissing passionately.

My hand on the door froze as something inside me shattered.

If she wanted a thrill, I'd give her one she'd never forget.

01

The sound of their wet, rhythmic moans echoed through the crack.

I looked down at the dress my mother spent her final month crafting, now butchered into a skimpy rag.

I felt like I was suffocating.

Just a month ago, as my mother lay dying, Chloe Lindberg held her hand with tears in her eyes.

"Mom, Silas and I will be together forever," she swore.

"Please, stay a little longer. I want you to see us get married!"

At the funeral, Chloe cried so hard she almost fainted while clutching that very dress.

Was the woman who treated that gown like a sacred relic the same one trashing it now?

The sounds inside began to fade.

I turned and left, immediately texting a private investigator.

"Investigate Chloe Lindberg. I want everything."

I went home, feeling numb.

The massive engagement photo in the living room felt like a slap in the face.

Chloe's radiant smile was blindingly fake.

I sat on the sofa in the dark, smoking one cigarette after another.

At midnight, Chloe stumbled in, her steps unsteady.

She flicked the light on and frowned at me.

"Are you crazy? Sitting in the dark like a ghost! You scared the hell out of me."

"I'm hungry. Make me some steak and eggs, now!"

I crushed my last cigarette, my voice hoarse.

"How was the dress fitting today?"

Chloe leaned in, trying to hug me like she usually did when she wanted something.

"Silas, honey, I'm so sorry! I ruined your mom's gift."

"I tripped during the fitting and tore it beyond repair."

She started sobbing, her eyes turning red on cue.

She gave me a sweet kiss on the cheek―her standard move after she messed up.

I closed my eyes, fighting the urge to shove her away.

"The wedding is tomorrow. It's too late to buy a new one."

Chloe's expression shifted instantly into a smug grin.

"Don't worry! I already had Axel redesign it. He's a pro."

"It's going to be stunning and trendy. Just wait for your surprise tomorrow!"

She skipped off to the shower, treating the destruction of my mother's legacy like a minor inconvenience.

A cold, bitter smile touched my lips.

I walked into the bedroom and saw a condom wrapper fall out of her coat pocket.

Chloe saw it and immediately dove into my arms, babbling to distract me.

"Silas, time flies so fast... I can't believe we're finally getting married..."

As she prattled on about her love for me, I looked down.

I could see the fresh hickeys on her neck and the faint finger marks on her chest.

She was so arrogant that she didn't even bother to hide the evidence of her cheating.

I watched her spin her lies about our future and cut her off.

"Why haven't you invited any of your friends? It feels unfair to you."

"Let's send out the invites tonight. They should witness your happiest moment."

"No!"