Her Stolen Wedding Chapter 2

A massive screen played a montage of Julian and Chloe over and over again.

On the beach, they chased each other barefoot through the surf, Chloe laughing as she splashed water at him.

At an amusement park, they held hands and laughed together on a roller coaster.

When the Ferris wheel reached its highest point, Julian lowered his head and gently smoothed the windblown hair from her face.

In the corner of every scene, there I was, taking their pictures and carrying their bags.

"You don't enjoy this stuff anyway. Just wait out here for us," Julian had always said.

For the first time, I realized that sometime over the past few years, I had become the unwanted third person.

Onstage, Julian slipped the ring onto Chloe's finger.

"One day I'll put this ring on your finger in front of everyone," he'd once promised me. "I'll tell the whole world you're my wife."

My throat burned. I said, my voice hoarse. "Julian, I spent two whole months picking out those wedding bands. I even flew overseas to buy them."

The ballroom fell silent.

Every head turned toward me. A collective gasp swept through the guests.

Julian's expression changed instantly. He stepped in front of Chloe without thinking, shielding her with his body.

"What are you doing here?" His voice was guarded. "This was my idea. If you're angry, take it out on me. I'm the one who threw you into the river last night. Don't drag anyone innocent into this."

Dad hurried over and positioned himself in front of Chloe, as though terrified I might so much as touch her. "Audrey, today is supposed to be a happy occasion. Don't cause a scene.

"This wedding is for Chloe's late parents who gave their lives to save us. Looking after their daughter is the least we can do."

Mom glanced at me. "Chloe is beautiful, and she has a wonderful personality. Have you looked at your face lately? If you stood on the lead bridal ship, who would ever buy another ship from our family?"

Beneath my mask, the face that had once been torn apart by piranhas began to throb again.

Eight years ago, one of our ships had lost control and capsized. I had jumped into the water to save them, only to be mauled so badly that my face was left permanently disfigured.

Even after everything I'd suffered, I had never regretted saving them.

What I regretted was keeping quiet when Chloe begged me not to reveal that her parents' mistake had caused the accident.

She'd sobbed that she had already lost both her parents. If the Holloways cast her out too, she truly wouldn't be able to survive.

I'd felt sorry for her, so I'd kept her secret.

Instead, she built her place in this family on the gratitude that should have been mine, taking my parents, my brother, my friends, and finally my future husband from me, one by one.

No matter how many times I tried to tell the truth, no one believed me anymore.

Ethan frowned. "Chloe's parents gave their lives to save us. All you have to do is give her a ring. Do you really have to be this cruel?"

It felt as though a hand had closed around my heart, squeezing until I could barely breathe.

Hadn't I already given her enough?

Even during the Holloways' most important annual maritime ceremonies, Chloe now stood in the place of honor.

Everyone in the city knew Chloe as the treasured daughter of the Holloway shipping dynasty. But did anyone remember that the Holloways had a biological daughter named Audrey?

The emotions I'd buried for years finally broke free. My eyes burned as I stared at Ethan.

"My birthdays. My room in this house. Even the guaranteed university placement I earned. What haven't I given up for her?

"If all of you wanted to repay a debt, why did you have to use my life to do it?"

My hands trembled as violently as my voice.

"I told you years ago that I was the one who jumped into the ocean and saved you! My face was destroyed because I saved your lives. Did a single one of you ever believe me?"