Chapter 2

2

Ashley's car was our "getaway car" that we picked out together for the wedding.

When we bought it, Ashley had said, "I'm going to ride you on our wedding day."

The car was delivered yesterday, and I hadn't even had a chance to sit in it.

Now, Chad was riding as her co-pilot on our getaway car.

Ashley leaned over and sweetly buckled Chad's seatbelt for him.

They were close enough to share the same breath.

As Ashley straightened up, Chad gave her a kiss on the cheek.

Ashley glanced at me for a split second.

Chad followed her gaze, saw me, and scoffed. "Sorry, Jake, this car is Ashley's gift to me. It's just for me. I don't want other guys riding in it."

Ashley gazed at him adoringly. "Of course! What's mine is yours, and vice versa."

With that, Ashley and Chad took off, leaving me in a cloud of exhaust.

My throat felt raw, and the stabbing in my chest made it hard to breathe.

I called a ride and rushed to the house, but the gates were shut tight.

My belongings were dumped on the lawn, mixed with the mud from last night's rain.

After banging on the gate, I found our maid, Mary, who reluctantly opened the door.

She looked embarrassed. "Chad told me to throw everything out."

Chad's voice echoed from inside the house. "Are these your things, Jake? Sorry, I thought it was just trash someone left out here. Didn't mean to offend. No hard feelings, right?"

Chad sauntered out in his pajamas, conspicuously displaying a hickey on his neck.

I pretended not to see it and just gave a weak smile. "Your upbringing is certainly… concerning."

Ashley came to Chad's defense, her voice cold. "Jake, don't push it. Chad apologized. What more do you want?"

She walked up to Chad and glared back at me, taking in the few scattered items on the ground, and laughed. "That's it? You treated this junk like it was precious!"

I felt my breath hitch. My heart clenched, and I couldn't find any words.

Ashley snapped, "Hurry up and get your stuff out of here before I call the garbage collectors!"

I swallowed hard and nodded. "Fine."

"And I don't want to see you here again, either. Chad gets jealous. I can't upset my guy." She wrapped her arm around Chad, and they started making out, like I wasn't even there.

My fists clenched, trembling.

I ignored the bitterness and silently started gathering my things.

I hadn't lived here long, but I still had a lot of stuff.

It filled two suitcases.

This was supposed to be our home, the house Ashley and I were going to share, to start our family.

Every detail in here was my planning and careful placement of furniture.

It was my vision for our life together, because Ashley told me it was her dream house for us.

Now, the house was the same, but I wouldn't be living in it.

It felt like an alternate universe.

I picked up the suitcases and dragged them to the gate.

Chad took a deep breath. "Ah, much better. The air is cleaner without all that trash around."

Ashley turned to Mary. "Have the whole house cleaned top to bottom. If you find anything of his, throw it in the dumpster."

I stopped in my tracks.

The wind brushed my face, leaving me empty inside.

I turned to Chad, managing a smile. "You can have my trash."

I rented a cheap apartment near my office.

I used to think the rent was too high. I saved every penny I could, focusing on my career.

Being with Ashley, I was always worried about not being good enough for her.

And I was just a regular guy, and she was upper class, so I always felt like she was out of my league.

Now I'd fallen from the clouds back to the ground.

But somehow, it felt…okay.

I spent the next 24 hours passed out in bed.

Then my business partner called. "Jake, we have a big wedding tomorrow."

I'm a wedding planner. My friend and I own a wedding planning business.

The wedding that was supposed to be tomorrow �C mine and Ashley's �C was something I'd spent three months designing.

Now, it was just a fading memory.

When I heard those familiar words, my heart skipped a beat.

I asked, my voice trembling, "Who's getting married?"

Ashley and Chad's names rang in my ears.

My head started spinning.