Chapter 1

In the church, the pastor gently reminded, "The bride and groom may now exchange rings."

I, Joycelyn Chilton, extended my ring finger and waited quietly, but Theodore Gunther didn't move. He stared intently at the message on his phone before he suddenly tossed the ring and rushed out.

I took out my phone and saw that Gwen Lithgow had just posted something on her social media account. The photo was of a hospital bed, and the caption read, "Came back all alone for treatment. How sad."

The guests began to whisper about the groom suddenly running away from his own wedding when my brother, Alvin Chilton, stepped forward.

"Joy, you've always been strong, so I know you can handle this alone. Gwen needs me more than you right now."

With that, he was out the door as well.

Both of them had deserted me for the same woman.

I tried calling Theodore's phone, but it remained unreachable. Soon, I noticed that Gwen had updated her social media account again.

In her photo, both Theodore and Alvin were by her side.

The necklace that had been handmade by Theodore was around Gwen's neck, and the breathtaking gown my brother had designed was now also worn by her.

These had all originally belonged to me.

I had grown up at an orphanage and was later adopted by the Chiltons. That was how I met my brother's good friend, Theodore.

The three of us grew up together, and we were always close.

Even from a young age, Theodore had always said that he would protect me, chase off anyone who bullied me, and make all my wishes come true.

Alvin was great to me, too. He would deny himself his favorite Legos and, instead, save his money to buy me dresses that I liked.

Thus, when my birth parents, the Forresters, came looking a year ago and said that they wanted to take me away, I refused them. I couldn't bear to part with Alvin, nor could I bear to be away from Theodore.

However, the two most important men in my life had chosen to abandon me on a day as important as my wedding.

The bouquet in my hands wilted, and the guests continued to murmur.

"Goodness! The groom disappeared halfway through the wedding ceremony!"

"Why did the bride's brother also leave?"

"What did the bride do for the groom to run away mid-ceremony?"

"No idea, but it clearly must be something shameful…"

All sorts of judgmental and mocking voices threatened to drown me.

My brother and my boyfriend—two people who had once promised to be my safe harbor—had disappeared. Even after the sun had set and all the guests had left, they still hadn't returned.

I hadn't eaten or drunk anything for all day. After dealing with the aftermath of the cancelled wedding, I collapsed from low blood sugar.

By the time I woke up at the hospital, a whole day and night had passed, but there was not one message of concern from either my brother or Theodore.

There was only a new post from Gwen.

In her photo, she was grinning widely while holding a bowl of mushroom soup. The caption wrote, "So thankful for Alvin and Theodore for taking care of this sick patient."

It felt as if something had pierced my heart. With trembling fingers, I placed a call to Theodore. The call was rejected, so I called again, but it was only rejected once more.

Finally, on the third try, a woman answered the call. "I'm sorry, Joy. Theodore and Alvin were too impulsive. How could they have left you alone at the altar?"

It was Gwen who answered the call.

I hadn't even gotten a chance to speak before Theodore started reassuring Gwen. "It's okay, Gwen. There's no need to apologize. No wedding is more important than your health."

Then, Theodore took the phone, and his voice turned cold.

"Joycelyn, the wedding is cancelled. We'll reschedule it. Also, you knew that Gwen was sick and went overseas for treatment, but you deliberately kept it from us. Why? Was it just because you were worried that it'd get in the way of the wedding? How did I not know that you could be such a selfish person?" he questioned before promptly hanging up the phone.

Right then, my gastritis flared, and I clutched my stomach, unable to speak.

I didn't know Gwen was ill, but Theodore wouldn't even listen to my explanation. He went so far as to block my number.

A little later, my brother called just to inform me that the dress he had specially designed for me had now been gifted to Gwen.

He said, "Joy, I've never taught you to lie. Gwen is an orphan, just like you. She's sick now and doesn't have anyone to take care of her. She needs us more than you. You have us, but she has no one.

"The wedding can be rescheduled at any time, and the dress can be remade, too. If you're truly a considerate person, you'd put your interests aside for Gwen."

Throughout the entire phone call, Alvin didn't express a single word of concern for me.

At that moment, all the grievances that had piled up throughout the day finally overwhelmed me, and I hugged myself tightly.

I wanted to leave.