Chapter 2

2.

Aidan was speechless. But seeing he couldn't respond, Mia doubled down on her performance. She picked up a needle and approached the ruined gown.

"I'll fix it for you… I know I can…"

The moment the needle touched the fabric, she screamed. She had pricked her own finger. A single drop of blood welled up.

Aidan reacted like it was the end of the world. He shoved me aside and rushed to Mia, cradling her finger like a precious jewel, even gently sucking on the tiny wound.

My hip slammed into the corner of a table. The pain spread through me, but I didn't make a sound.

Mia looked at Aidan with tears in her eyes, her voice dripping with self-pity. "Aidan, am I just useless? I can't even do this one little thing right."

"No, Mia. You're not. You're not a tailor, this isn't your fault." Aidan's voice was so gentle it could have been made of honey.

Then he turned to look at me, still on the floor, with no sympathy in his eyes.

"This is all Clara's fault, anyway. If she hadn't insisted on trying on the dress today, you never would have gotten hurt. Clara, you owe Mia an apology."

I picked myself up off the floor. No one helped me.

In a tone that was neither questioning nor pleading, I said, word by word:

"You're right. It's always been my fault. I shouldn't have held on to the fantasy of our childhood friendship. I shouldn't have believed I could actually marry you. Now, I'm giving Aidan Prescott back to you. Are you satisfied?"

I called an Uber and went straight home to start packing.

I was halfway through when Aidan came back. He was holding a cake box from Lady M―my favorite, Red Velvet. But the cake inside had been messily dug into, its edges ragged. It was clearly someone's leftovers.

"Isn't this your favorite? I bought it specially for you." His tone was probing, as if this could make up for everything that had just happened.

I looked at the half-eaten cake, feeling nothing but disgust.

"Thanks, but I don't make a habit of eating other people's leftovers."

Aidan's face tightened for a second. He didn't apologize. Instead, he tried to justify his absurd gesture.

"It's just a cake, you can't finish it all by yourself anyway. Why make such a big deal out of it?"

I didn't answer. I stuffed the last few items into my suitcase, the zipper screaming as I pulled it shut.

Aidan blocked my way.

"The wedding is in three days. Where do you think you're going?"