Chapter 1
My plane had just landed when I got added to a group chat called "The Proposal Plan".
Group Member: Janet's still away on business. Let's plan out everything. Guys, keep this a secret.
Remembering how secretive Kurt Novak had been lately, I felt a surge of surprise and joy.
Then the chat came alive.
Group Member: Our bride-to-be doesn't want Kurt wearing himself out, so she's being thoughtful and using that woman's wedding plans. LOL. If she finds out, she'll definitely threaten to make our bride pay!
I frowned at the messages, trying to work out who "that woman" could be.
Strangely, the details began to sound more and more like my own life.
Then I saw Kurt's message. My fingers clenched until my knuckles turned white.
Kurt: That witch gave Lois soup with peanuts and almost killed her!
The next instant, the chat notifications began chiming nonstop.
Kurt: Janet Russo's Private Photos.zip (pixelated)
Kurt: Who knows how many men passed her around when the Russo family went bankrupt? Who else would take that trash besides me? All Lois gets is a wedding. She's already putting up with enough.
Kurt: And Janet has the nerve to threaten her? Take a good look at what she's like in private. If I brought up her past, she'd be on her knees begging me not to call her filthy!
They chatted away, taking joy in my pain.
Fine.
If someone had added me by mistake, I'd send them a wedding gift they'd never forget.
*****
Before I discovered the group chat, I'd just pulled 4 all-nighters to wrap up my business trip early.
I'd even taken vacation time so I could propose to Kurt.
Everything was ready. All I needed was a groom.
And then this happened.
Before I could pull myself together, a text arrived from the wedding planner:
Wedding planner: Ms. Russo, when would you like to pick up your wedding photos?
I froze.
I scrolled back through the group chat and found that Kurt had already shared the wedding photos there.
The gown Lois Rogers was wearing was the very one I'd originally chosen.
I'd spent every spare moment of the past few months putting those wedding plans together.
And Kurt had handed them to someone else without telling me!
I suddenly remembered how determined he'd been to be with me.
Even when his furious parents threatened to disown him, he hadn't hesitated to take me away with him.
He'd said I was his future wife. No matter how hard things got for him, he wouldn't let me suffer.
With a self-mocking smile, I got into a taxi bound for the bridal shop.
On the way, Kurt kept sending pictures of formal dresses to the group.
Someone complimented all of them, but he found fault with each and rejected them all.
Group Member: Kurt, your standards are way too high. At this rate, there won't be a single dress good enough for your bride.
Kurt: What do you know? Lois deserves the very best.
The taxi stopped, jolting me out of my thoughts.
The first thing I saw inside the bridal shop was a large screen displaying a nine-photo grid of Kurt and Lois in their wedding attire.
A sales associate immediately came over with a smile. "Your sister and brother-in-law are so photogenic!
"You should've seen them. Your brother-in-law didn't want us displaying the photos at first, but the moment your sister sweet-talked him, he agreed. They're such a loving couple!"
So this was how obvious the difference was between being loved and not being loved.
No matter how much I'd coaxed him before, he'd never agreed to take a picture with me that I could post on social media.
He'd said he didn't like photos, that things like that were pointless.
My lips curved into a faint smile. "They certainly are."
Then I added quietly, "Too bad that's my boyfriend cheating on me with my so-called sister."
The associate's smile froze. Her eyes darted awkwardly toward the entrance.
I followed her gaze.
Kurt and Lois stood in the doorway, both looking grim.
The associate discreetly moved aside.
Panic flickered in Kurt's eyes. Then he simply stepped aside, making no attempt to hide Lois, and said calmly, "Janet, her family's been pressuring her to get married. You know they favor boys over girls. This was the fastest way to help her!
"Isn't preventing things like this exactly why you insist on sponsoring girls from underserved rural communities? Why are you making accusations about us?"
I let out a heavy sigh. "Kurt, are you short of money?"
He choked on his reply, clearly understanding what I meant.
Lois came forward, her eyes red.
"Janet, there wasn't much time, and I don't know any other men. I had to ask Kurt to help...
"Besides, he keeps your relationship private to protect you. I can be the one in the public eye and fend off all the women chasing him!"
