Every time Gavin Northwood promised to marry me, someone we loved got hurt.
Chapter 2
When Gavin finally came home that night, I had already packed most of my things.
He didn’t notice.
He walked through the door carrying a small blue box.
“Brought you something.”
Inside was a gold bracelet.
“Thank you,” I said.
He smiled, apparently relieved that I wasn’t angry.
Then my phone lit up with Serena’s social media announcement.
Her wedding was in two days.
The photograph showed jewelry, flowers, and rows of guest favors arranged in identical blue boxes.
I looked from the screen to the box Gavin had handed me.
Apparently my gift had come from Serena’s leftover favors.
Gavin went upstairs to shower.
I opened the video attached to Serena’s post.
There he was at the airport months earlier, kneeling with a ring.
“Before you left years ago,” Gavin told her, “you said I should save my wedding for you. So I did.”
Behind them stood Margaret, my mother, Paige, and several friends.
Cheering.
The video continued with photographs of Serena and Gavin traveling together.
Maine.
California.
Alaska.
A cabin beside Lake Superior.
Every trip had happened during one of Gavin’s supposed business conferences.
Ten years, and he had never once taken me on vacation.
“After we’re married,” he always said.
When he came downstairs, I was sitting at the dining table.
“Gavin.”
“Hmm?”
“Let’s get married the day after tomorrow.”
He froze.
Then he laughed softly. “What happened to being afraid?”
“I’m not afraid anymore.”
He walked over and rested his hands on my shoulders.
“I had Vance check the dates. Four days from now is better.”
“Two.”
His hands tightened.
“Maris.”
“Yes or no?”
Annoyance flashed across his face.
“Why are you so obsessed with this?”
I said nothing.
He paced away.
“Do you know what people call you? Marriage crazy. Do you know how embarrassing that is for me? Even Paige says you need to get a grip.”
Marriage crazy.
Years earlier, Gavin had punched a man for saying nearly the same thing.
Now he said it with disgust.
Something must have shown on my face because his expression changed.
“Maris, I didn’t mean—”
His phone rang.
Serena.
His whole body shifted toward the door before he even answered.
“I have to go.”
“Of course you do.”
He hesitated, perhaps surprised that I didn’t argue.
Then he left.
I took our old wedding invitations from a drawer.
For years, I had imagined printing Gavin’s name beside mine.
Instead, I wrote Julian Sterling.
The next morning, Gavin returned with Serena, followed by my mother, Margaret, and Paige.
All of them looked furious.
“Was it you?” Gavin demanded.
“Was what me?”
“Serena’s venue had a fire last night.”
I stared at him.
“You think I burned down a wedding venue?”
“You suddenly insisted we get married the same day Serena planned her wedding.”
“So?”
“So you obviously found out.”
There it was.
Not concern that I knew he’d betrayed me.
Only anger that I had interfered with Serena.
My mother stepped forward.
“Maris, honey, Serena has already been through enough.”
I almost laughed.
“Enough?”
Margaret frowned. “We all know you wanted a wedding badly, but destroying someone else’s venue is too far.”
Paige crossed her arms. “You should be grateful Gavin stayed with you this long.”
I looked around at the five people who had built years of my life on lies.
Then I said quietly, “You betrayed me.”
Silence.
My mother’s face stiffened.
“Don’t be dramatic.”
“I saw the chat.”
The color left Gavin’s face.
Serena’s lips parted.
Paige looked away.
No one denied it.
That hurt more than any denial could have.
My mother recovered first.
“We did what we thought was necessary.”
“You pretended to be critically injured.”
“Because you wouldn’t listen.”
Margaret added, “Gavin and Serena had history. We were trying not to hurt you.”
I stared at her.
“You made me think your dog died.”
Gavin finally spoke.
“Scout was safe.”
“I thought I killed him.”
“You were never supposed to blame yourself that much.”
A laugh escaped me.
It didn’t sound like mine.
Serena stepped forward, eyes already filling with tears.
“Maris, I never wanted to hurt you. Gavin is just the only man I’ve ever loved.”
“Then why didn’t you tell me?”
“I couldn’t.”
“Why?”
She didn’t answer.
Because the truth was ugly.
They had wanted my devotion while protecting their own happiness.
They wanted me to keep cooking, caring, forgiving, sacrificing, waiting.
Scout began barking.
Serena reached for Gavin’s arm and started crying.
The dog suddenly lunged toward me.
I stumbled backward, struck a side table, and fell against the wall. A drinking glass shattered beside us.
Pain flashed through the back of my head.
When I opened my eyes, blood was running into my hair.
Serena had a shallow cut across her ankle.
Everyone rushed to her.
My mother knelt first.
“Oh, sweetheart.”
Margaret cried, “Get a towel!”
Gavin lifted Serena into his arms.
Nobody looked at me.
I sat against the wall, one hand pressed to my bleeding scalp.
Gavin reached the door, then glanced back.
“We’re taking Serena to urgent care. Stay here and think about what you’ve done.”
The door slammed.
That was the moment I stopped being heartbroken.
Heartbreak still requires hope.
I had none left.
I called a courier and shipped the rest of my belongings to an apartment Julian had arranged near St. Jude’s.
That afternoon, Gavin returned.
He noticed the bandage on my head.
“What happened?”
“Nothing.”
His gaze fell to the invitations I was finishing.
A smile appeared.
“Still planning our wedding?”
“Yes.”
“Fine. Once Serena’s ceremony is over, I’ll marry you. Pick whatever dress you want.”
He kissed my forehead.
For years, that kiss would have been enough to make me forgive him.
Now I almost felt sorry for him.
He truly believed I would always be there.
But my wedding was that evening.
An hour before I planned to leave, Serena’s name exploded across social media.
Someone had released evidence of her relationship with Gavin.
Photos.
Travel records.
Messages.
The story spread fast.
Northwood CEO’s secret fiancée accused of carrying on decade-long affair with her stepsister’s partner.
Gavin and Serena came through the door minutes later.
My mother followed.
Then Margaret.
Then Paige.
Serena’s sweetness was gone.
“You did this!”
“I didn’t.”
My mother slapped me.
The sound cracked through the room.
“How could you humiliate your own sister?”
My cheek burned.
I looked at her and finally understood something painful and freeing.
Being someone’s daughter does not guarantee that she will love you fairly.
Gavin grabbed my wrist.
“Apologize publicly, and I’ll still marry you.”
I pulled against his grip.
“I don’t want you to marry me.”
Paige laughed.
“Please. You’ve begged for ten years.”
Margaret approached me.
“Maris, just tell the reporters you were jealous.”
“What reporters?”
Paige opened the front door.
Camera flashes exploded.
Journalists crowded the walkway.
Gavin straightened his jacket and stepped toward them as if he had rehearsed this moment.
“I want to clear up a misunderstanding,” he announced. “I have never intended to marry Maris Ellington. There has only ever been Serena. Maris became obsessed with marriage, and unfortunately her jealousy caused today’s rumors.”
I stood behind him, stunned not by the lie, but by how easily he spoke it.
Then a man’s voice came from beyond the crowd.
“Mr. Northwood, are you saying my fiancée is desperate to marry you?”
The reporters turned.
Julian Sterling walked through them in a dark overcoat.
He didn’t look at Gavin.
He looked at me.
“Did you finish packing?”
My throat tightened.
“Everything’s gone.”
“Good.”
He held out his hand.
“The registrar is waiting.”
