Chapter 2

Even though I'd cried all night, my eyes still stung.

I'd always known my parents adored Bianca. She was sweet with her words—she'd wave at them from a distance and shower them with compliments the moment they met, always leaving them beaming.

Unlike me. Because of my face blindness, sometimes I'd walk right past my own parents on the street like they were strangers.

They'd gotten mad at me for it more than once, telling me that after all those years living under their roof, I still couldn't remember their faces.

But I never imagined—on something as big as my own wedding—they'd go along with swapping out my groom and letting another man marry me in Derek's place, just for Bianca.

A tear slipped onto the fake groom's neck.

His back stiffened. He tried his best to mimic Derek's voice and whispered to me.

"Hey—why are you crying? Am I holding you too tight?"

"I can put you down and walk you in if you want."

I shook my head and held on tighter.

"It's a good day. I'm happy."

Because honestly? It is good news—finding out who the man beside you really is, and realizing your parents don't love you the way you thought they did, before the wedding actually goes through.

He carried me carefully into the limo. Probably scared I'd figure out he wasn't Derek, he barely said a word the whole ride.

But when he noticed me hugging my arms, he quietly reached over and turned up the AC.

Halfway there, our limo was suddenly forced to a stop.

I'd just lowered the visor mirror to touch up my makeup when the abrupt brake sent me lurching forward.

He reacted fast—one hand shot out to cushion my forehead.

"You okay? Did you hit yourself?"

I shook my head. He explained.

"Another wedding party coming the other way. Road's too narrow here. We're stuck."

Limos can't U-turn, so neither side would budge. We just sat there, deadlocked.

I looked up—and when I saw the license plate in front of me, my pupils shrank.

Half a month before the wedding, Derek bought a new car.

He said he wanted it as the lead car on our big day.

The plate read: LUVBNC.

I thought it was a sweet, lucky plate at the time. Even told him how great it was.

Only now did it hit me: the letters were Bianca's initials.

Together, it spelled Love Bianca.

Derek had been declaring his love for her right under my nose.

So that limo across from us? It was carrying Bianca and Derek.

But Derek had told me the plates weren't ready yet—that we couldn't use that car.

My phone buzzed. Bianca's message popped up.

"Clara, looks like we're stuck in traffic."

"Maybe have Derek back up a little?"

"If we wait too long, we'll miss the ceremony time."

The "Derek" sitting next to me frowned at the road ahead.

"Let me get out and see if I can squeeze through."

He reached for his seatbelt, but I grabbed his arm and pointed to a side street.

"Turn in from here."

He frowned and refused.

"That road's all bumpy and torn up. Bad luck for a wedding car to go that way."

"Bad luck?"

I dropped my smile and looked at him.

"What could be worse luck than swapping grooms on your wedding day?"