I'm Just A Substitute Wife For Your First Love?

via and

ght, happy melody. I smiled, leaning my head against Liam Miller' s shoulder. He was the m

whispered, his voice low

," I whispered b

cert violinist. He attended every one of my performances, sitting in the front row, his eyes only on me. We built a life to

a large screen. My mother was dabbing her eyes with a tissue. "Oh, yo

feeling like it could split my

e wedding, promise!" my

e tighter. "We

perfect. It w

is phon

. Liam glanced at the screen, and his face changed. The easy smile vanis

s," he said, his vo

k to the party. I watched him, a small knot of unease forming in my stomach. He neve

. The call didn't last long, but when he turned around, he was a differen

me, grabbing my ha

I have

iam, what' s wrong? It'

. It' s an emergency. A

avoiding mine. That was the fir

my voice trembling slightl

mom. It' s...

to me. I had never hear

y, his words rushed. "She' s been in a

ere so shocking I couldn' t proces

ready moving toward the exit, pulling me with him. Then he stopped, l

' t come,

he news of a stranger waking f

he doctors said no shocks. Please, Liv. Just... wa

own engagement party. In front of all our friends and my parents on the

he didn't stop. He just di

ect world had just shattered. I stood frozen in the middle of the ro

hollow. I told everyone Liam had a sudden, urgent family matter. Th

ce beside me.

iam openly despised. I never understood why Liam invited him, but Liam had

us, his dark eyes filled with a concern that fe

fine,"

ft you like that," Eth

My defense sounded we

me, standing alone in my gown, my dreams collapsing around me.

But the thought of going there alone, of waiting in that empty space, was unbearable. I

ice barely a whisper. "Can you

econd, a flicker of something I couldn' t re

hed tears. I felt a fool. A beautiful, well-dressed fool. Ethan didn' t try to talk

ar before he could say anything else. I ran inside, my heart poundi

hloe Hayes. The nurse directed

was standing outside a room, talking to a doctor. His

he doctor left, and Liam leaned his head against the glass of the doo

ser, my shoes silent on the polished floor. The door didn'

surrounded by machines. Her eyes were open, flutter

thick with emotion. "You' re

oe, smiled we

eone else' s private, sacred moment.

d at her... it wasn' t the look of a friend. It was a lo

pushing the door open and

, and then anger. "Olivia! What are you

harsh, a str

," I said, my

hloe asked from the bed,

f panic crossed his face. He took a step toward me,

sh whisper. "You can' t be h

ered back, my heart cracking.

was watching us with wide, curious eyes. He took a deep, calming breath be

omise I' ll fix this." He reached out, his ha

e' s my childhood friend, Chloe Hayes. That' s all. I ju

But I looked at his desperate face, and a part of