The Bride Saw Red Threads of Desire, Then Fled the Wedding Chapter 08

The Bride Saw Red Threads of Desire, Then Fled the Wedding Chapter 08

Graham swallowed hard.

His mouth opened. Closed.

Camille started toward him. One look from Audrey pinned her where she stood.

Five seconds of nothing.

Everyone was watching.

His boss. His colleagues. Distant relatives. College friends he’d invited himself.

Every pair of eyes in that room was peeling him apart. Thirty years of playing the devoted, faithful man was

coming off him like dead skin.

He stopped fighting.

“I’m sorry.”

His shoulders dropped.

“I lost my head. I shouldn’t have gone to see her. I definitely shouldn’t have brought her to our place.” He

paused. “But I was never going to leave you.”

“Tessa, I love you.” I looked at him.

“You love me.” I let the words sit. “That’s why you were so sure I’d never walk away. You love me, so you crossed every line I had and then expected me to understand.”

“Last night, I gave you a chance.”

I pulled up the message on my phone and held the screen where only he could see it.

[It’s over. Cancel the wedding tomorrow. Let both families walk away with whatever dignity is left.)

“What did you say back?”

He didn’t answer.

“You didn’t even reply. You just ripped the camera out of the wall and told Camille you’d handle it.”

He closed his eyes.

“I gave you the exit, Graham. You wouldn’t take it.”

“You went ahead with the wedding this morning. Your mother cornered me, threatened to destroy my

reputation, and demanded double the money back. And you stood behind that door and let her.” I steadied my

voice. “You chose the Calder name over me.”

“So don’t stand here and ask why I’m not protecting yours.”

Graham reached for me. “Tessa, let’s go somewhere and talk.”

“There’s nothing left to say in private.”

I reached into my purse and pulled out a small velvet box.

Inside was the wedding ring. The one that never made it onto my finger.

Light caught the clean platinum band. It looked like it had never belonged to anyone.

I set the box in Graham’s hand.

His fingers curled around it but wouldn’t close, like he was holding something that burned.

“We’re done, Graham.”

He said nothing.

Three steps away, Camille’s eyes kept flicking between Graham and the nearest exit. Her body was already

angled toward the door.

I didn’t look at her.

She wasn’t worth it anymore.

The officers waved the relevant parties forward.

Audrey looped her arm through mine.

My mother came up on the other side. She didn’t say a word. She just took my purse and tucked a strand of

hair behind my ear.

The precinct hallway was a different kind of quiet than the ballroom.

Graham’s mother sat on a bench, both hands on her knees. Her mouth kept twitching like she wanted to say

something, but the table–slamming energy was gone.

Settlement talks started at two. The Calders‘ lawyer came in swinging. Elliot Vance, the attorney Audrey had hired, took less than three minutes to shred every one of his arguments with the contract language.

“We’ll return the fifty thousand as the law requires.” Elliot slid a document across the table.

“The bride put seventy–two thousand toward the down payment and another thirty thousand into

renovations. We have every receipt. The groom can either reimburse her share or sign the condo over.”

Graham stared at the numbers, clicking his pen over and over.

“That place is ruined. I don’t want it. Just give me my money back.” I tapped the agreement. “Sign.”

By the time I walked out of the precinct, it was dark.

I put my mother in a cab and was about to call one for myself.

Audrey’s car pulled up to the curb. The window came down.

“Girl, get in.”