From Fake Love to True Bliss

" Ashley said, holding two wedding invitation samples under the war

ite made it big, planning a future with Ashley Davies, the charismatic social media influencer whose s

d, leaning over to kiss her

ousands of times a minute. She placed the samples on the coffee table, right next to a pile of bridal magazines. Th

her voice suddenly soft a

en in my stomach. "

postpone th

sharp. "Postpone? Why? Everything

ars. It was a performance I' d seen before, usually reserved for a sp

friend. A quiet, unassuming

her?" I aske

doesn't have much time. And... her dying

ain I had misheard. "

She always saw me as the daughter she never had. She wants to see Liam settled an

ice full of fake emotion, that she had tearfully promised Mrs. O' Connell a

hat are you talking about, Ashley? Wha

of my wedding for years, talking about it constantly, marking the days on her calendar. T

grief suddenly evaporated, replaced by a flash of irritatio

for a little while. Two months, maybe. I

ve, so utterly devoid of c

dripping with contempt. "Are you really tha

upporting her, celebrating her victories, comforting her during her struggl

e barely a whisper. "Her heart. The

her phone, her thumbs flying across the screen. She didn't even l

r marriage next week. It has to be done. Even if your mom can't wait and actually dies," sh

an I was supposed to spend my life with, had just told me that my moth

bedroom, resolute, with

oked at the ivory wedding invitation on the tab

one. I didn't think. I just acted. I scrolled

d ring. "Ethan? What's up?

voice surprisingly st

of change

ing. The one

ea

decision solidifying in

ind me a n

end of the line. Then Sarah's voice came

ed Ashley. She saw the ambition, the self-abs

omeone else first

e kidd

sh I

ber Chloe Peterson, right? From

tect now, a successful one. She' d come to a few of our family dinners over the years. She wa

emember he

er voice. "Mom and Dad always loved her. And for what it's worth... I

opened. Ashley came out, dressed to go out.

talking to?"

I said, not l

ou dare do anything stupid. This wedding with Liam is happening. It's for

ught I knew was gone. In her place was a

et's just enjoy being engaged for a while." All of it, lies. All of it was just stalling. For six years, she

e phone, my eyes locked on her

ung

n. "Good. For a second there, I tho

nd sense of clarity. The heartbreak was there, a dee

hley," I said, standing up a

are you

a bitter laugh escaped my lips. "Y

in stunned silence, the ivory wedding i

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