My father handed me off to Ethan, kissing my cheek. Ethan took my hands, his thumbs rubbing mine in a gesture that, an hour ago, would have made my heart flutter. Now, it made my skin crawl.
“You look perfect,” he whispered.
“So do you,” I whispered back. “A perfect actor.”
Ethan’s brow furrowed in a micro-expression of confusion, but the officiant began to speak, forcing him to turn his attention forward. The ceremony droned on—words about love, trust, honor, and building a foundation of truth. The irony was suffocating.
Finally, the officiant smiled warmly at us. “Ethan and Claire have prepared their own vows. Ethan, you may begin.”
Ethan cleared his throat, radiating rehearsed sincerity. “Claire, from the moment I met you, I knew my life would never be the same. You and our unborn child are my world. I promise to cherish you, to honor you, and to build a future that makes sense for us.”
What makes sense. He used the exact same words.
“Claire,” the officiant prompted gently. “Your vows.”
I stepped back, pulling my hands out of Ethan’s grasp. The sudden movement caused a ripple of murmurs through the first few rows. I handed my bouquet to Emily and turned to the officiant.
“Could I use the microphone, please?” I asked smoothly.
The officiant, slightly bewildered, handed it over. I turned to face the congregation. The chapel fell dead silent.
“Ethan,” I began, my voice echoing off the vaulted ceilings. “I had a beautiful speech written. It was about how much I loved you, how excited I was for our baby, and how much I trusted you. But I think, on our wedding day, we should prioritize honesty over pretty words. Don’t you agree?”
Ethan’s face went rigid. “Claire, what are you doing?” he hissed under his breath.
I ignored him, looking directly into the crowd, my eyes finding Vanessa in her red dress.
“About an hour ago,” I announced clearly, “I heard my groom talking to his best man in the hallway. I heard him say that he never loved me. That this baby changes nothing. That he is marrying me because my father paid for our condo, and that the only woman he truly wants… is Vanessa.”
Gasps erupted through the chapel. The collective shock was a physical wave. I saw my father stand up violently, his face turning red. Vanessa shrank down in her seat, horrified, as hundreds of eyes snapped toward her.
“Claire, stop!” Ethan grabbed my arm, his mask entirely gone, replaced by pure panic. “You’re having a breakdown. The pregnancy hormones—”
I yanked my arm away, glaring at him with a ferocity that made him take a step back.
“Do not gaslight me, Ethan,” I said into the mic, my voice trembling with adrenaline but devoid of doubt. I looked over at the best man. “Connor. Am I lying? Tell everyone what he said.”
Connor looked at Ethan, then at the furious crowd, and finally down at his shoes. He shook his head slightly and stepped back from the altar. His silence was the only confirmation the room needed.
Pandemonium broke out. My father was storming up the aisle, pointing a shaking finger at Ethan. Ethan’s mother burst into tears. Vanessa was frantically trying to push her way out of the pew to flee the church.
Ethan looked at me, his eyes wide with desperate rage. “You ruined everything! Do you have any idea what you’ve just done?”
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