Chapter 1
In the bridal suite of the hotel, Gianna Carlton lifted her eyes slightly and stared at herself in the mirror.
She wore a pure white wedding dress. Her long hair was elegantly pinned up. The veil trailed all the way down to the floor. Her delicate shoulders peeked out from under the sheer fabric.
Around her swan–like neck, a sparkling diamond necklace gleamed.
Next to her, the bridesmaids and makeup artists were gushing over how gorgeous she looked.
They said she looked like a fairy tale princess.
They said she would be the happiest bride on earth.
Gianna’s lips curved into a tiny, cold smile.
If only the rest hadn’t happened. If Arnold Walsh hadn’t gone running to his so–called one true love. If she hadn’t ended up dead.
Then maybe… maybe she really would’ve gotten what she always dreamed of. Married the man she’d loved so desperately. Maybe she would’ve felt truly happy.
But this world doesn’t run on maybes.
Creak-
The door opened.
Arnold stepped in, sharp in a perfectly tailored suit, long legs striding with effortless grace.
He carried an air of quiet power, paired with a face so handsome it almost didn’t look real—and those eyes were deep, and unreadable.
The bridesmaids and makeup artists quickly got the hint and slipped out.
“You ready?”
Arnold gave Gianna a quick glance, a flicker of impatience hidden in his eyes.
Gianna turned her head and looked at him. Her voice was calm. “Does the dress look good on me?”
Arnold gave her a half–hearted glance. Just as he was about to speak, his phone rang.
He pulled it out.
The name flashing on the screen–Delia.
“The ceremony’s about to start,” Gianna said softly, “can you not answer her call… just this once?”
“Don’t make a fuss. Delia wouldn’t call if it wasn’t serious. She knows I’m getting married today. If she still called, something must be wrong!”
Without another glance at Gianna, Arnold picked up the call.
His handsome brows tightened more and more.
Then he hung up.
“Something happened to Delia! I gotta go. Try to hold things together at the ceremony!”
He turned to leave.
Gianna grabbed his arm.
“Arnold, today’s our wedding! What matters more–this wedding, or Delia?”
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9:07 PM
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-10 me, vena matters more than my own шre. I owe ner that!
“Then what am I to you?”
“Gianna, can you stop? Please? It’s just a wedding! Even if I’m not there, you can still go through with it. But if I’m not there for Delia, something could really happen!”
Gianna let out a quiet laugh, her beautiful eyes filled with bitter disappointment.
“Arnold Walsh, have you ever seen a wedding without a groom? What am I supposed to do—hold your funeral photo and call it a ghost wedding?”
Arnold shoved her off.
“Enough, Gianna! Every time something happens with Delia, you act out! Can’t you be reasonable?”
“Reasonable? Fine. If you leave right now, I’ll go find another groom and the wedding will go on!”
Gianna let go and took a step back.
Arnold figured she was just talking mad again, like always. She always said stuff like that, then came crawling back.
So he walked out without looking back.
A few minutes later, Rosie Carlton burst in with their mom and dad.
Rosie looked right at her, with a flicker of smugness in her eyes.
Though she hid it well though–their parents didn’t notice.
She was always good at pretending. Gianna had grown used to it.
“Sis, where’s Arnold? The wedding’s about to start and I saw him drive off in a hurry!”
“Don’t tell me you piss him off again?”
“You know ever since his old flame came back, his heart’s been all on her. Could he be backing out of the wedding?”
“All the guests are here! Not just our relatives, but also Dad’s business partners! If this wedding gets canceled now, our whole Carlton family’s gonna be humiliated!”
Posie looked all worried. “Did you make him mad again? Please, go coax him back!“
