Every bridal boutique in New York prays I’ll walk through their door, because I pay in full and never use the service. That’s because on every single shoot day, my fiancé finds a brand-new excuse not to show up. This is the 33rd time Ethan Caldwell has left me standing alone in a bridal shop because of Tiffany Sinclair. I call him. His voice is flat, distracted. “Tiff just wanted some fresh coconut water, babe. Go easy on her.” “I already flew down to Malibu with her. I really can’t get back. Let’s reschedule the shoot in a week.” Then Tiffany snatches the phone. “Oh my God, you’re really calling about this? You should be used to canceling these shoots by now.” In the background, Ethan laughs — soft, doting. A tone I’ve never heard him use with me. I hang up. The boutique attendant gives me that practiced, sympathetic smile. “Miss Lawson, you can cancel the shoot, but the deposit is non-refundable.” This time, I don’t take off the dress and walk out. I smile, and dial a number. Within minutes, Ethan’s best friend, Hunter Brooks, is standing in the boutique doorway. Under a dozen stunned stares, I slip my arm through his—his hand is shaking with excitement—and turn to the attendant. “Okay. We can start now.” … It’s evening by the time we finish. I change out of the gown, sink into the lounge sofa, and casually leave a five-star review for the boutique on my phone. The review goes live. Ten seconds later, Ethan’s name flashes on my screen. But it’s Tiffany’s syrupy voice that comes through. “Chloe, you’re really shooting wedding photos alone and writing reviews about it? Doesn’t it feel a little pathetic?” I lean back into the sofa. “Not as pathetic as you.” “My review went live ten seconds ago and you’re already calling. Watching my every post like some creepy little stalker — who’s the pathetic one here?” She loses it. “I wasn’t stalking you! It just showed up on my screen, okay?!” I’m not done with her. “Malibu is across the country. Do I look three years old to you?” She scrambles. “I — I just forgot to turn off my location! What’s it to you?!” I hang up. Seconds later, Ethan’s text lights up my screen, dripping with blame. [Chloe, do you have ANY idea how hard it is to calm Tiff down?] [She called you because she cares. Why would you snap at her? Now I have to fix what you broke. Happy?] I don’t reply. Instead, I open Instagram and post the digital wedding invite the boutique sent me. Caption short and sweet: Friends — see you all this weekend at the wedding. The comments explode. [OMG CHLOE!! You and Ethan are FINALLY tying the knot?? Congrats babe!!] [Wait — I thought you two broke up?? You’re really getting married?? I’ll be there!!] I’m about to start replying when Ethan’s comment shoots straight to the top — colder than his text, in front of everyone. [Chloe, are you out of your mind? I’m in Malibu with Tiff. I’m NOT flying back this weekend. Stop being so delusional.] [For the record—clear this up. Tell everyone you made the wedding up.] The thread goes silent for a beat. Then more notifications flood in. I just repost the invite. Same caption. Friends — see you all this weekend at the wedding
What I didn’t expect, Ethan booked the next red-eye home. What I really didn’t expect, Tiffany flew back with him. It’s two in the morning when he slams the front door open. Tiffany’s eyes are puffy and red. The second she sees me, she breaks. “Chloe, you must be loving this. E and I just took a little trip together and you had to fake a wedding to drag us back in the middle of the night.” “You ruined my entire island trip!” I glance at Ethan. Then at her. “Nobody told you to fly back.” Ethan’s voice is sharp. “Chloe. Take down that post.” “No.” He inhales hard. “Chloe, how long are you going to keep this up?” “Family, friends — everyone is watching. You’re literally trying to force me into marriage!” Tiffany sniffs. “She’s just jealous because we are close. E, she wants you to crawl back to her.” “E and I are just friends, Chloe. Take it down already!” I ignore her. Eyes back on Ethan. Same word. “No.” He laughs with bitter and furious. “Fine. Send out a thousand invites. Without a groom on the day, you’re the joke. Not me.” I smile. “You can show up or not. It doesn’t matter. You’ve already been missing from my life for a long time. Haven’t you?” His face goes cold. Tiffany feels the silence and grabs his arm, shaking it like a child. “E, don’t listen to her, she’s guilt-tripping you!” “Nobody dies without somebody else, okay? The world keeps spinning!” But Ethan softens his tone. “Chloe, I get it. You’re using this little game to lock me down.” “But I really hate seeing you like this. You used to be so easygoing, so reasonable. Why are you making everything ugly now?” He adds, like it explains everything, “You know how much friendship means to me.” I look at their fingers, laced together, tight, and let out a laugh. “Friendship? Ethan. You call that level of intimacy friendship?” He frowns. “What’s that supposed to mean?” I say it slowly, making every word clear, “I’m saying. You. Have. No. Boundaries.” Tears pour down Tiffany’s face on cue. “Chloe, ENOUGH! E and I have known each other for twenty years!” “Just because you don’t have any guy friends doesn’t mean other people can’t! Why are you so controlling?!” Ethan pulls her into his shoulder, stroking her hair. “Chloe. Apologize. Right now.” I almost laugh. “Apologize for what?” He explodes. “You made Tiff cry! You owe her an apology!” That’s when the doorbell rings. Hunter walks in. Ethan blinks. “Bro — what are you doing at my place at 2 a.m.?” Hunter’s eyes flick at me. He answers, weight in every word. “I’m here to help Chloe move out.” Ethan stares for a second — then exhales, relieved. “Thanks, man. But it’s not that serious. Chloe and I are just having a couples’ fight.” His tone turns smug, knowing. “You’re a real one, bro. One Instagram post and you saw right through her drama.” “Help me talk some sense into her, yeah? Women need to know their place. Stop embarrassing themselves.” “I gotta take Tiff to a hotel. She’s wrecked from the flight. I’m gonna rub her feet.” Hunter looks down. He smiles slowly and strangely. He pauses. Says nothing to Ethan about what’s really going on. “Sure, bro. I’ll take it from here.”
I move out that same night. When Ethan figures it out, he switches to text bombing me. [I know you’re mad, but you can’t push me like this. Marriage is a big deal. You can’t just announce a wedding this weekend. I’m not mentally ready.] [Chloe, it’s not that I don’t want to marry you. It’s just bad timing. Tiff’s been in a rough place. She needs me. Can’t you just wait?] [I’m being real with you. I’m not ready to get married. The more you push me, the less I want to marry you.] I don’t reply. Not one message. … All the way until the night before the wedding. That’s when Tiffany sends me a video. The lighting is dim—clearly a suite at that boutique hotel in Malibu. Then her call comes through. “You saw the video, right? If even that doesn’t make you cancel… Wow! You really are something.” My voice stays flat. “I saw it. I’m not canceling.” She hangs up on me. A few seconds later, a photo lands in my inbox. Soft hotel light. Ethan and Tiffany were kissing. I look at it. Type three words back. [Not. Canceling. It.] … Wedding day. I stand at the hotel lobby in my gown, greeting guests. Ethan walks wearing gym clothes. His eyes catch on me — and for half a second, I see real shock there. Real awe. “That dress you picked alone… It actually looks good.” Then Tiffany—in a full evening gown—slides her arm through his. The whole room goes silent. A groom in sweatpants, arm-locked with another woman. The bride standing alone across the room in white. Ethan ignores the stares and starts babbling. “Look, I need to be straight with you. There’s nothing going on between me and Tiff.” “That photo and video you saw? Camera angles. We staged it. We just wanted you to cancel the wedding. We didn’t think you’d take it this far.” Tiffany nods beside him, voice sugar-sweet. “It’s true, Chlo. It was all my idea. I just wanted to test how much you really care about E.” “You sat through that video and those photos without breaking. Honestly? I’m impressed by your love.” I look at the two of them. I smile. “Even if you two are sleeping together, I don’t care.” Ethan’s face shifts. He notices my tone changes right away. “I’m telling you the truth. She’s literally just a friend. You know Hunter? Same exact thing.” Tiffany jumps in. “Right, we’re just friends!” Ethan launches into the same speech again. “You know how much my friends mean to me. I’d never ditch a friend just because I’m dating someone.” I look at him standing there, righteous as ever, and I can’t help it. “Ethan. You keep preaching about how much your friends mean to you.” “So how come you haven’t noticed you’re already missing one?”
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