My Wedding Was Stolen I Left For Good

Chapter 3

The entire wedding ceremony continued around, and in the blink of an eye, I was left alone in the corner.

I couldn't stay there another second. While everyone was still gathered around Sebastian and Valerie, I quietly collected my belongings and left the hotel.

By the time I got home, the itching and burning on my face had become unbearable. I didn't waste a second. I hailed a taxi and raced straight to the hospital.

The doctor wrote me a prescription first, then came back a little later holding my test results. He said my reaction definitely wasn't caused by expired cosmetics.

They'd picked up some kind of skin-damaging chemical in the residue left on my face.

There was only a tiny amount, but it was enough to make skin redden, swell, and fester in a very short time.

I crumpled the report in my fist so tight my knuckles turned white. There was no doubt about it. Valerie had done this to me on purpose.

White-hot rage coiled in my chest, so intense my whole body trembled slightly.

Just then, my phone buzzed with a new post from Valerie.

The photo was taken inside the wedding banquet hall.

On the big poster by the entrance, the picture that was supposed to be of Sebastian and me had been swapped out for one of Sebastian and Valerie.

Even the bride's name had been changed to Valerie.

I'd spent more than half a year planning every last detail of this wedding, and they'd erased me from it completely like I never even existed.

In the photo, Valerie was clinging to Sebastian's arm, grinning like she'd won the world.

Sebastian was gazing at her with such tender warmth in his eyes that it stung.

One thought hammered over and over in my head.

'How the hell do they get to hurt everyone around them and still grin like they haven't done a thing wrong?'

I didn't have time to think about anything else. I grabbed my stuff and headed straight back to the hotel.

When I got to the venue, I spotted Sebastian and Valerie right away, standing by the entrance greeting guests.

The second Sebastian saw me, his smile froze on his face.

He leaned in, his voice low and strained. "What are you still doing here? I told you to wait for me at home, didn't I?"

I almost laughed out loud at that.

"Sebastian, I'm the one who planned this wedding. I'm supposed to be the bride today. Why the hell wouldn't I be here?" I said it loud enough for several people nearby to turn and stare.

Sebastian's face went tight with anger. He grabbed my wrist in a bruising grip, staring daggers at the only part of my face visible above my mask, my eyes.

"Cut the crap, okay? We can talk about this later when we get home. Valerie's doing you a favor by filling in today. You don't want everyone staring and making fun of your face, do you?"

I stared right back at him, unflinching.

"There were a hundred other ways to handle this. You could have postponed the wedding, for one. Not replace me with someone else. And for the record, Valerie ruined my face on purpose!"

Sebastian froze for a split second. "What are you talking about? I thought it was just expired cosmetics . . ."

A flash of panic flitted across Valerie's eyes.

She stepped forward all of a sudden, grabbing my hand, her eyes already glistening with tears. "Elena, I'm so sorry. I really was just trying to help you! I use those same cosmetics all the time. I had no idea your skin would be this sensitive . . ."

Seeing her still spouting lies, I pulled out the test report and was about to show it to Sebastian.

But before I could even hold it out, someone appeared out of nowhere and snatched it straight from my grip.

She glanced at the report and scoffed, "Elena, you actually went so far as to forge a test report just to slander Valerie? I used those same cosmetics of Valerie's this morning too. If there really was something harmful in them, why am I perfectly fine?"

I stared blankly at Mariel, the one I called my best friend, standing in front of me.

Back when anyone picked on me, she'd always be the first to jump to my defense and make things right.

But ever since she met Valerie, she'd been siding with her more and more often.

I guess this friendship was well and truly over.

And it wasn't just her. Even my own mom was blaming me for making a mountain out of a molehill.

Mom had once promised me that she'd be right by my side on my wedding day, to make sure I was the happiest bride alive.

But ever since Valerie started popping in to visit her every other day a year ago, the two of them had gotten closer and closer.

She even kept saying I wasn't half as thoughtful and sweet as Valerie.

My heart went cold, inch by inch.

After hearing what Mariel said, Sebastian bought her story hook, line, and sinker, and decided I was lying.

He frowned at me and snapped, "Elena, haven't you had enough of this little tantrum?"

My nails dug so hard into my palm I was sure I'd broken the skin.

"I didn't..."