The Wedding Ring That Never Made It to My Finger Chapter 01

The Wedding Ring That Never Made It to My Finger Chapter 01

The officiant called for the rings. That’s when Ethan Vance, standing right across from me at the altar, opened his

mouth.

“I’ve been sleeping with your best friend.”

He watched me crumble and didn’t so much as blink. He could have been reading off a grocery list.

“Remember your dress fitting? We were in the room right next to yours.”

“She got a little loud, so you knocked, thinking she was hurt.” A pause. “You stayed out there for a while, asking if she was okay.”

“When she came out and stood next to you, her legs were still shaking,”

Every nerve in my body went numb.

I turned, slowly, mechanically, toward the crowd. My best friend stood in the front row, beaming up at me.

She lifted her bouquet and called out my name, her voice carrying across the quiet room.

One hour ago, she’d been smoothing out my train, blinking back tears. “You deserve all of it, Clara. Every bit of

happiness.”

“And just now, while you were getting your makeup done? She was on top of me.”

“So nervous she scratched my back up.”

He glanced at the ring in his hand the one that was supposed to be on my finger by now

“So there it is, Clara. That’s everything.”

“Whether we go through with this is up to you.”

and shrugged.

***

The room went so quiet I could hear my own heartbeat.

Every person in that audience had shown up expecting something beautiful. My mother stood among them, one hand

pressed to her mouth, still holding back happy tears.

But I couldn’t move. My body had locked up, every ounce of strength drained from me.

“Why…” My voice cracked. “Why today?”

My hands had gone cold. The ring between my fingers weighed a thousand pounds, pressing the air right out of my lungs.

Ethan looked at me wrecked, shaking, barely standing

–

I can’t keep sneaking around

-and something in his shoulders loosened. Relief.

“Every time I see her. I have to come home and make up an excuse for you. I’m done with that.”

“And I’m done watching Nina hate herself every time we’re together.”

His voice changed when he said her name – soft. Tender. Full of the kind of ache you only reserve for someone you

actually want.

Like I was the sentence he’d been forced to serve, and she was the life waiting on the other side.

But just last night, he’d been giddy. Wide awake under the covers, unable to stop smiling, whispering into the darkness.

‘Clara. I’m finally marrying you. It doesn’t even feel real.”

Now he stood there, impatient, waiting for me to decide.

“You’re a piece of shit, Ethan.”

I hurled the ring at his chest, tears streaming down so fast I could barely see.

I ran. Past the gasps, past the whispers past every wide–eyed face in every row. The ceremony shattered behind me like

glass

Nina Thorne caught up to me in the hallway, fingers locking around my wrist.

“Clara! What happened?”

“What did he do to you?”

She looked panicked Furious on my behalf. As if she had no idea.

But the hickey on her neck told a different story – dark and damning against her skin.

It hit me then – when she’d first told me she was seeing someone, I’d been thrilled for her. I’d practically squealed.

She’d talked to him on the phone right in front of me, whispering things that made her blush, and I’d teased her about

it. She’d even bragged about him keeping her up all night.
The whole time. I never once suspected Ethan.

My eyes burned. A laugh tore out of me, raw and ugly.

“So tell me. Nina. Was fucking my fiancé everything you hoped it would be?”

The color drained out of her face in an instant.

That was all the confirmation I needed.

My throat tightened, and the question I really wanted to ask was just one word long. Why.

She’d made my bouquet by hand. Spent three sleepless nights on it, showed up with dark circles under her eyes and a

grin she couldn’t contain.

“My best friend’s bouquet has to be one of a kind.”

“Clara, I’m going to make you the happiest bride alive.”

I had believed I had it all

–

the love people write songs about, the friendship meant to last a lifetime.

I’d believed today was the day everything finally came together for me.

Now all of it just felt like a sick joke, and I was the punchline.

Nina stood frozen, eyes darting to Ethan, who had followed us out.

“You told her?”