The Homewrecker Wore My Wedding Dress Chapter 2

And just like that, the responsibility that should have been ours became mine alone.

And what was he doing during all of this?

If it had truly been for work, I would have understood. But it wasn’t, was it?

When I was trying on wedding dresses, he was helping Jenna clean up a mess she’d made with a patient’s chart.

When I was picking out party favors, he left me at the store, saying there was an emergency at the hospital. I later saw on Jenna’s TikTok that she’d had a panic attack, and he’d rushed over to calm her down.

There were so many moments. It was only now, scrolling through her social media, that I realized just how many times Mark had abandoned me for her.

I had to laugh at my own foolishness. He never had any intention of sharing this burden with me. I’d been happy to do it all, thinking I was building our future. Now I just felt like an idiot. Why should I be the only one invested in this?

A wedding is a partnership. If he didn't care, why should I?

I took a deep breath and forwarded the caterer’s email to Mark. He didn’t reply. Of course he didn’t. I hadn’t expected him to.

Four hours later, around the time his surgery should have been ending, my phone rang. I was already asleep, and the sound jolted me awake. I was still disoriented when I heard his voice.

“Audrey, about the menus. I trust your judgment. Whatever you decide is fine with me. I’m not picky.”

It took me a second to process what he was talking about.

“Okay. Got it.”

My response must have been too flat because he hesitated, about to say more. But then a voice chirped in the background, clear as day. Jenna’s voice. “Dr. Ashton, let’s go eat! I’m starving!”

“Audrey, I…”

“I’ll talk to you later,” I said, my voice cold. “I’m going back to sleep.”

I hung up before he could reply. Sleep, of course, was now impossible. All I could hear was her voice, and all I could feel was a strange, liberating sense of absurdity.

Instead of letting the anger consume me, I decided to act. I opened my email, found the thread with the wedding planner, and typed a simple message.

I didn’t expect a reply in the middle of the night, but one came back almost instantly. “Ms. Miller, is everything all right? It’s very difficult to book a venue this season.”

“Yes, we’ve decided to call it off. Please cancel the wedding. And I understand the deposit is non-refundable. My apologies for the inconvenience.”

A moment later, a reply: “I’m so very sorry to hear that. I wish you all the best in finding happiness.”

“Thank you.”

Next came a flurry of cancellations. The photographer. The florist. The band.

By the time I was done, it was two in the morning.

The only thing I couldn’t cancel was the dress. It was custom-made, already finished. All I could do was arrange to pick it up.

The next day, I met my best friend, Sophie, for coffee. When I told her I’d called off the wedding, her eyes went wide.

“Did he cheat on you?”

“Not physically, I don’t think. But he’s damn close.”

I showed her Jenna’s TikTok account. Sophie’s face twisted in disgust.

“What a classic little pick-me bitch,” she seethed. “Is Mark blind? This is the kind of girl who will ruin his entire life.” She grabbed my hand. “Don’t you worry. I’ve got your back.”

I managed a weak smile. It wasn’t sadness I felt, exactly. It was a profound sense of disappointment. Mark had always been so reserved, so coolly professional. Why was he throwing it all away for her?

“Ms. Miller? The groom’s tuxedo has also been returned with the dress.”

The boutique owner’s voice pulled me back to the present. I took the garment bag and tossed it in the trunk of my car. Seeing the dazed look on my face, Sophie dragged me to the mall.

“Out with the old, in with the new,” she declared. “So, when are you going to officially end it with him?”

“Tonight, I think.”

I sent Mark a text, asking him to meet me for dinner.

It took a while for him to respond. “Okay. You pick the place.”

I sent him the address of a quiet Italian restaurant downtown. He didn’t reply after that.

Sophie and I shopped for hours until my feet ached. We found a café to rest. As we sat down, my phone buzzed. It was Mark. The background was noisy.

“Audrey, something’s come up tonight. I’m going to be late. Wait for me.”