They wanted to know why I had suddenly canceled my wedding and whether something had gone wrong between Justin and me.
The family group chat was packed with messages urging me not to be impulsive.
They reminded me, again and again, that the Harlow Family’s background was far beyond my reach.
Every word meant as comfort only pressed deeper into my wound and I couldn’t bring myself to reply.
The vast villa was silent, only the maid and I remained. Rhea had given everyone else the day off before the wedding "to avoid distractions."
For six hours straight, I ran from room to room, making sure every last decoration was in place.
I had thought that after these grueling days, I might be able to watch this wedding, the one that wasn’t mine, with a kind of detached calm.
But the moment I saw Rhea wearing the wedding dress I had spent half a year choosing, my vision blurred.
Her lips curved in a smile.
"Am I really that beautiful, Starlene? Why are you crying?"
"They decided at the last minute to switch to a conventional wedding style. The makeup artist didn’t know how to adjust for it, so she quit."
"By the way, you’re so good at makeup. Why don’t you do mine today?"
She was about the same size as me, so the gown fit her perfectly and no alterations were needed.
Dizziness hit me and the staircase seemed to tilt beneath my feet.
Suddenly, a figure appeared behind me and I stumbled into a broad chest.
Rhea tilted her head, pouting in mock grievance.
"If you don’t want to, just say so, Starlene. No need to make a show of refusing me, okay?"
Turning around, I met Justin’s eyes—cold, sharp and threatening.
"She wouldn’t dare, would you, Starlene?"
In that instant, the dam inside me finally burst.
I almost asked Justin if, from the very beginning, he had never intended for me to wear this dress.
If, from the start, I had never been the real bride in his version of the story.
If my presence had only ever been a bargaining chip, a lure to bring Rhea Winslet back to this country.
But all those questions tangled in my throat and his sharp, warning gaze snuffed out any courage I had.
In the end, I could only force out one word. "Okay."
When the makeup was finished and the wedding began, Rhea wasted no time in taking me away again.
Under the watchful eyes of every guest, she stood on stage hand in hand with Justin, the picture of a perfect couple.