Chapter 1

Halfway through the wedding, Ethan's best friend Zoe grabbed the microphone and proposed a game.

"Let's play 'Patchwork Gown,'" she announced, practically vibrating with excitement. "Everyone tears off a piece of the bride's dress and names their price. Ethan has to buy each piece back. Then we'll sew all those blessings into a brand-new gown."

Before anyone could react, she reached over and ripped the thin strap off my shoulder.

I nearly flashed the entire room.

Zoe held up that scrap of tulle, winked at me, and aimed her phone at the big screen. "Like this. I'll start the bidding at five thousand."

Ethan looked at her with that indulgent little smile of his, took the piece of fabric, and transferred the money on the spot. The payment confirmation flashed across the screen, and the banquet hall erupted in cheers.

"Classic Zoe!"

"True love means opening your wallet!"

His friends were falling over themselves with excitement.

I clenched my fists, about to refuse, but Ethan leaned in close and whispered, "Zoe just wants to make the wedding more fun. Don't be a buzzkill."

I froze.

Three months ago, Zoe had stuffed a balloon under her dress, pretended to be pregnant, and tricked me into listening for a heartbeat. The balloon burst right next to my ear and left me with intermittent hearing loss. Ethan said it was just a funny prank.

On our engagement night, she deliberately dumped me, blackout drunk, on a street corner at three in the morning. Ethan said the same thing. She was just being playful. It was all in good fun.

In Ethan's eyes, everything Zoe did was fun.

The next second, someone rushed up and tore at my skirt. A swatch of white fabric was ripped away, and the person waved it triumphantly, shouting, "Quick! Thirty thousand!"

I stared at Ethan and said, word by word, "You transfer that money, and this wedding is over."

Ethan frowned. "Everyone's here to celebrate. Claire, be good. Don't make a scene."

Zoe pouted beside him. "Exactly. So boring."

The next moment, the chime of a thirty-thousand-dollar transfer rang out. Screams and laughter erupted all around me, but I felt strangely calm.

Zoe was right. This really was boring.

She raised the microphone and announced, "Let the game officially begin!"

The crowd surged forward. I snatched the microphone and shouted, "Don't touch me! The wedding is off!"

But the microphone was dead silent.

My warning drowned in the frenzy around me. I stared at Ethan, stunned. He had turned off my microphone in advance. He stood below the stage as if he'd anticipated my resistance, and he even smiled.

Then he stepped back twice, shielded Zoe behind him, and let countless hands reach for me.

A ringing filled my ears.

Yesterday, my family and friends had been lured to a private island nearby under the pretense of a wedding rehearsal, all arranged by Zoe. Right now, there wasn't a single person in this room who was truly on my side.

All because she thought it would be fun.

A loud ripping sound.

Another large piece of my skirt was torn away. I finally snapped back to reality, stumbling backward, screaming, "Stop! The wedding is off! I'm calling the police!"

The crowd went quiet for a split second. The person who'd just torn my dress froze.

But Zoe threw her arms around Ethan's neck, laughing, hanging off him, waving at the crowd. "The bride's just kidding. Whoever tore that piece, come get your money!"

Ethan smirked, his eyes brimming with indulgence for her.

The person hesitated, then stepped forward. The chime of another transfer rang out, and the crowd screamed and lunged at me again.

Soon I had nowhere left to retreat. My voice was swallowed whole. Dozens of hands grabbed, pulled, shoved, and groped. The fabric covering my body grew thinner and thinner.

"Ethan!"

I screamed his name, arms wrapped around myself, curling into a ball. Through the gaps in the crowd, I saw Ethan finally glance at the pile of shredded white fabric heaped beside him. The smile vanished from his face.

"That's enough."

The crowd was a pack of animals. They wouldn't stop.

"I said that's enough!"

They reluctantly pulled back. My crinoline was more than half destroyed.

Someone snickered under his breath. "Didn't manage to grab any fabric from those women, but getting my hands on a bride this gorgeous wasn't a bad consolation prize."

Another voice chimed in. "No kidding. Must be nice being rich..."

Ethan's expression turned stone cold. "Shut your mouths!"

He pulled off his suit jacket and walked toward me. When he saw the red scratches covering my arms and legs, his eyes went dark. "I told you people to have some restraint."

Unease finally crossed their faces, and a murmur rippled through the hall.

Then Zoe sneezed. "Is the AC set to arctic or what?"

Ethan stopped mid-step. The next instant, he turned around and draped his jacket over Zoe's shoulders.

A chill ran through me. Goosebumps rose along my arms.

Zoe made a show of shrugging the jacket off. "Oh, stop. I'm not that delicate."

Ethan pressed it back onto her shoulders. "Be good."

Zoe gave a soft little hum. "Fine."

I took a deep breath, tore down the floor-length curtain from the nearest window, and wrapped it around myself as I stood. I'd barely taken a step before Ethan grabbed my arm.

"Where do you think you're going? The wedding isn't over."

I laughed bitterly. "You think this wedding can still go on?"

He studied me for a few seconds, then suddenly let go and smiled. "Fair enough. The new gown will take a little time to piece together. Go rest in the room for now."

In that moment, a thousand things surged to the tip of my tongue. In the end, I said only one.

"Ethan, we're done."