The Wedding Where I Was The Witness, Not The Bride Chapter 04

The Wedding Where I Was The Witness, Not The Bride Chapter 04

Mom wiped her eyes, sobbing into her hands. “All you’ve ever cared about is your dead grandmother. I don’t know what kind of spell she put on you.”

Dad sighed, his face stern. “Clementine, you were wrong. Kneel down and apologize to your sister and brother. Promise you’ll never take their things again. Or don’t ever come back.”

Mom looked at the bruises on Wren’s wrist. “You owe her a gold bracelet—look how scared she was. Otherwise, I won’t consider you my daughter.”

I looked at them, and the final shred of hope I’d been clinging to died for good.

“Fine.” I said.

Mom didn’t hear. Marcus frowned. “Louder.”

I looked at them, the taste of blood in my mouth, and whispered, “Fine. I’m cutting you off.”

Dad’s face twisted. “You’re still being stubborn?”

Mom sighed. “Clementine, don’t say things you don’t mean.”

Marcus sneered. “Everyone knows you love playing the devoted daughter. Stop pretending.”

Before I could speak, Wren went pale, clutching Grayson’s sleeve. “Grayson, my chest hurts.”

Everyone scrambled—driving, packing, rushing. No one saw my injuries. Grayson pressed a band-aid into my palm and whispered, “Don’t be mad till I get back.”

The house fell empty and cold.

I pulled myself up and packed my things. Then I called to cancel the wedding venue and dress reservation.

The clerk paused. “Ma’am, the dress you’ve been waiting for has arrived. Are you sure?”

“No.”

“You’ve been waiting half a year. What a shame—” She caught herself, then added quickly, “But I hope you’ll be happy even without the wedding.”

“Thank you,” I said, and I meant it.

I left the band-aid on the corner of the table, the cheap plastic ring he’d given me weighing it down. That scrap of love he’d doled out to me—I didn’t want it anymore.

At the airport, my phone buzzed with news alerts. Wren, fragile and pale, wearing my dress, curled in Grayson’s arms like a porcelain doll. Headline: “Tech CEO Grayson Ward Marries His Beautiful Bride.”

The comments flooded in: “Ahhhhh I can’t. They say she’s intellectually disabled, but the way she looks at him—so tender. Is this what they mean by love makes you grow flesh and blood?”

Then a text from Grayson.

Grayson: [Wren’s upset—nothing works. I had to give her your wedding instead.]

Mom: [This is your sister’s only wish. As her older sister, you should make it happen.]

Dad and Marcus didn’t say anything—they just changed their profile pictures to Wren’s wedding photos.

I laughed—short and hollow—and typed back a single word.

Clementine: [Fine.]

Then I blocked them all and boarded the plane without looking back.