My Fiancé Chose Her Over Me—So I Canceled Our Wedding Chapter 04

The afternoon before the wedding, Ethan finally remembered we still had one last rehearsal.

On the phone, he sounded as if my being there went without saying.

“Why aren’t you here yet? Everyone’s waiting for you.”

I glanced at the confirmation on my phone. The wedding cancellation was already in effect.

“Okay.”

It was the last time, anyway.

When I reached the ballroom, Ethan and the other three were already on the ceremony platform.

Sophie posed beneath the floral arch while Luke crouched to straighten her skirt and Ryan held up his phone, looking for the right angle.

Ethan only tipped his chin when he saw me.

“You’re here?”

“Yeah.”

“Good. Run through your entrance.”

The music started.

I walked forward alone from the far end of the ballroom.

Halfway down the aisle, I stopped.

“Ethan, isn’t the lighting a little dim?”

No answer.

Luke was showing Sophie the photos he’d just taken.

“This one’s good.”

Ryan smiled. “You look great in this spot, Soph.”

I raised my voice.

“And can we move the arch a little to the left? It’s blocking the view from the head table.”

Ethan kept his head down, adjusting the equipment.

He still didn’t hear me.

I had no choice but to keep walking.

A little later, Sophie made an offhand comment as she scrolled through the photos.

“Isn’t the lighting a little dim?”

Ethan looked up immediately.

“You think so?”

He called over the lighting technician.

“Bring the main lights up a couple of levels.”

Sophie glanced at the floral arch.

“And isn’t the arch blocking the view a little?”

“Then we’ll move it to the left.”

Staff came over to adjust it right away.

I stood at the foot of the steps and watched the arch move, inch by inch, to the spot I’d just pointed out.

It was almost funny.

They could hear perfectly well.

It was my voice that never reached them.

When we started the run-through again, Ethan handed me a bouquet.

“Switched yours to white roses.”

I looked down at them.

“I don’t like white roses.”

He blinked.

“Haven’t white roses always been your favorite?”

Luke chimed in.

“Yeah. You said you had to have white roses at your wedding.”

Ryan nodded.

“I remember that, too.”

I said nothing.

After a moment, Sophie spoke quietly.

“I’m the one who likes white roses.”

“The year we graduated, I said I wanted white roses everywhere when I got married.”

“I thought Claire always liked lisianthus?”

Ethan paused.

“They’re just flowers. What’s the difference?”

Suddenly, Sophie’s eyes filled with tears.

“Am I the reason you all keep overlooking her?”

I thought that, at least now, they would feel guilty.

Instead, Ethan frowned.

“Why are you crying? You didn’t do anything wrong.”

Luke immediately handed her a tissue. “Exactly. She always says she’s fine with anything. How are we supposed to know what she actually likes?”

Ryan tried to soothe her, too. “Stop blaming yourself for everything. Claire can speak for herself. If she cared that much, she’d say something.”

I looked at them.

“I did.”

Nobody listened.

I said it again.

“I said it twice just now.”

Ethan cut me off impatiently.

“Enough, Claire.”

“Is this really the time?”

“Soph’s practically crying trying to stand up for you. Do you have to keep making everyone uncomfortable over something this small?”

Suddenly, I had nothing left to say.

If they forgot about me, it was because I didn’t speak up.

But I’d spoken up. They hadn’t listened.

Somehow, that was my fault, too.