Chapter 2

2

I quickly glanced at the paper on the ground and then back at him.

"I'm fine. The doctor said I'm just burnt out and need rest."

"Thank God. You scared the life out of me."

He let out a long breath and squeezed my hand.

"The wedding planners called. The chapel is almost ready. Want to go see it?"

I nodded slowly, unable to look him in the eye.

He chose a chapel because he knew I was terrified of commitment.

He wanted our vows to feel sacred and solemn.

When we arrived, the bitterness in my chest intensified.

We had designed every detail of this place together. Now, it felt like a hollow stage.

Jude's phone buzzed with a text just as we were about to watch our wedding montage video.

He checked it and kissed the top of my head.

"I have to record a video for the fans explaining why I left the concert early. Go upstairs and check the video, I'll be right there."

I didn't call him out on his lie.

Upstairs in the studio, there was a small window that overlooked the entire chapel floor.

As soon as Jude thought I was gone, Celia ran inside and threw herself into his arms.

He pushed her back, looking nervously toward the stairs.

Once he realized I wasn't there, his face went cold. "What are you doing here?"

Celia's eyes turned red as if she were about to cry.

She looked down like a scolded child and slowly unbuttoned her coat.

Underneath, she was wearing nothing but a sheer, provocative piece of lingerie.

"I just bought this. I wanted to see if you liked it."

The fire in Jude's eyes was instantaneous.

Celia stepped forward, leaning over the very altar where we were supposed to say our vows.

She looked up at him with teary eyes, a sharp contrast to her suggestive pose.

Jude couldn't help himself. He grabbed her and began to move with raw, animalistic intent.

I gripped the windowsill, my engagement ring digging painfully into my palm.

They were trying to stay quiet, terrified I might hear them from above.

I remembered Jude saying this was a sacred place.

I pulled out my phone and recorded the entire thing.

Then, I sat at the computer and swapped our romantic wedding video for this file.

I wanted to see his face when this played in front of everyone.

I laughed quietly, but the tears wouldn't stop falling.

Suddenly, a sharp, stabbing pain erupted in my abdomen.

I curled into a ball on the sofa, gasping for air as the cancer clawed at my insides.

I eventually passed out from the exhaustion of the pain.

When I opened my eyes, Jude was kneeling beside me, rubbing my hand gently.

He had draped his jacket over me.

"Why are you working yourself so hard, Summer? You have no idea how much it hurts me to see you like this."

His voice was thick with emotion, and his hands were actually shaking.

I looked at him and wondered what he was really afraid of.

As we walked downstairs, I stopped right next to the altar.

"Jude, do you think vows actually mean anything?"

A flash of panic crossed his face, but it was gone in a second.

He took my hand and looked at me with terrifying intensity.

"I don't know about other people, but mine are real."

He took a deep breath, his voice steady.

"I, Jude Sterling, will only ever love Summer Lindley."