Chapter 5
The entire ballroom erupted into chaos.
The bride’s parents pointed at Jasmine and Riley, their voices sharp and accusing.
“What on earth is going on here?”
People in the crowd began whispering, “Oh my god! Not even a
scandalous movie would show something like this–and it’s playing for everyone to see!”
“I always thought Jasmine seemed so proper and innocent. Who knew she was hiding all this?”
“Look at how young that woman is–she’s either the mistress or the wife,” someone sneered. “But come on, Jasmine doesn’t look like a mistress at all! Who’d be dumb enough to pick someone her age to be the other
woman?”
Jasmine’s face grew paler by the second; she looked like she might collapse.
Riley held her steady, meeting my eyes with a furious glare.
“Alora! Are you out of your mind?
“Do you even realize what you’re doing?”
I looked at the man who once shielded me from every storm, who was now standing on the opposite side, protecting another woman from me. All I felt was bitter irony.
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Chapter 5
“Of course I do.”
I turned to the crowd as the screen behind me shifted from explicit footage to our wedding photo. “Allow me to introduce myself,” I said. “I’m Riley’s lawful wife. Standing here today wasn’t my choice, but I had no other option.
“After all, my husband decided to become a father without my
knowledge, and is now helping his precious son get married while still married to me. As his wife, I can’t just stand by and do nothing.
Alora!”
Riley completely lost it and was about to charge the stage, but Nicole’s security team–whom I’d arranged for in advance–blocked him.
I looked at Jasmine, who was barely holding herself together.
**
“Ms. Farlan, if you really have what it takes, then let your sunshine drag you out into the daylight–stand in the open, instead of hiding like a rat in the dark.”
I pulled out the divorce papers.
“Why don’t we take advantage of this beautiful day and sign, Riley?”
I tossed the divorce agreement in Riley’s face. He stared at the papers in shock, finally realizing I was serious about ending our marriage.
Not so long ago, when my plane hit turbulence, Riley had found the letter I’d written to him–my will, just in case. Even at the edge of life and
death, I’d been thinking of him.
“Riley, you have to live well.
“Riley, I love you.”
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Short, but he knew that was the deepest I could ever express my feelings.
Now, he stood there, dazed. “Alora…”
“Riley…” Jasmine’s eyes were red as she moved toward him, but the bride’s mother slapped her hard across the face. “So you are just some shameless mistress after all!
“How dare you destroy someone else’s family! You disgust me!”
Jasmine fell to the ground, sobbing, “I’m not! I’m not!”
“Not what?!”
The mother’s face was flushed with rage. “I’ve never been so humiliated in my whole life! You homewrecker! I’ll never forgive women like you!”
She raised her foot to kick Jasmine, but Riley stepped in front of her.
He warned coldly, “Touch her and see what happens.”
Nicole snapped a photo of Riley’s face. “Oh wow, look at you–so protective now.”
Riley’s expression darkened completely. The bride’s mother grabbed her daughter and declared, “Our family won’t have anything to do with people as filthy as yours!”
The bride’s father tore the big red corsage from his chest.
“What bad luck!”
The bride’s family stormed out in a huff.
Jasmine scrambled to follow, but Simon slapped her across the face.
“You’re nothing but a disgrace to me!”
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Chapter 5
Without looking back, Simon chased after his fiancée.
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I watched the whole farce unfold, watched Jasmine turn to me, crying as she demanded.
“I never meant to hurt you! Why are you doing this to me?”
“What did I do wrong?”
Her voice was broken, desperate.
“What did I do wrong?”
The remaining guests were just there for the show–some even pulled out their phones and started livestreaming. I didn’t care at all. I looked Jasmine dead in the eye and spoke, word by word.
“From the moment you swapped out my perfume and my body wash, to—‘ I pointed at her face, then at Riley, “even using my cat as your silent trophy, don’t tell me any of that was an accident.”
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