Chapter 6

People started pointing fingers at Chloe.

"That's Éclat Bridal, right? I was going there next week!"

"Still planning to? Your husband might run off with the staff!"

"My husband wouldn't look twice at trash like that."

"Free is hard to resist. Didn't you hear Elaine? Benjamin always played the devoted boyfriend, bragged about loving her. Still couldn't keep it in his pants."

"That girl is shameless. Tattooed his initials! And she wore the bride's gown while sleeping with the groom!"

Chloe crumbled. Surrounded by three hundred hostile strangers, her innocent facade disintegrated into ugly, snot-streaked sobbing.

"Ben! Ben, help me!"

Benjamin stood between us—his exposed mistress and his humiliated bride—looking like a man who'd just realized the building was on fire and both exits were locked.

He chose wrong, as usual.

"Everyone, please calm down. This is a private matter—"

"Private?" My father stood, his voice cutting through the noise. "You made it public the moment you cheated on my daughter in the venue we booked and paid for."

Benjamin's mother grabbed his arm. "How could you do this? We raised you better—"

"Mom, I can explain—"

"Explain what?" His father yanked him around. "That you're a liar? That you humiliated this family in front of everyone we know?"

The older man turned to my parents with a deep bow. "I'm so sorry. We had no idea."

My mother couldn't speak. She just held my hand and squeezed.

I took a breath and addressed the room one final time.

"I want to thank everyone for coming today. The catering is paid for, the bar is open, and the cake is excellent. Please enjoy the party."

I paused.

"Consider it a celebration of my freedom."

The applause started slow—Lisa, then a few of my colleagues, then half the room. By the time I walked down the aisle—alone, in the gown I damn well looked beautiful in—the ovation was thunderous.

Behind me, I heard Chloe wailing and Benjamin begging.

I didn't turn around.