The Ex's Regret, the Best Friend's Love

Chapter 1 Elena The wedding invitation arrived on a Tuesday morning. At first, I almost tossed it onto the pile of unopened envelopes cluttering my kitchen counter. Between modeling contracts, brand launches, and charity events, invitations arrived almost daily. But then I saw the sender's name. Sophia Whitmore. My brows furrowed. Sophia and I had never exactly gotten along. We moved in the same circles, attended the same events, and occasionally worked for the same brands, but friendship had never been part of the equation. If anything, she seemed to dislike me for reasons she'd never bothered to hide. Curiosity got the better of me. I opened the envelope. The elegant cream-colored card slid into my hand. And suddenly, the world tilted beneath my feet. Sophia Whitmore and Ethan Carter request the honor of your presence... I stared at the words. Then read them again. And again. My vision blurred. No. No, that wasn't possible. My fingers tightened around the invitation. Ethan Carter. My boyfriend. The man I'd been with for three years. The man who had kissed me goodbye just two weeks ago to go on a work trip that I couldn’t attend because I had photoshoots booked that I couldn’t cancel last minute. The man who had promised we would spend forever together. A cold feeling settled in my chest. There had to be some mistake. There had to be an explanation. I called him immediately. Straight to voicemail. I called again. Nothing. And again. Nothing. By the time evening arrived, I was standing outside the city's most luxurious wedding venue, feeling like I was about to walk into my own execution. I didn't know what I expected to find. Maybe Ethan waiting outside with an apology. Maybe some elaborate misunderstanding. Maybe anything other than the truth. The ballroom doors opened. Music drifted into the night air. My heart pounded painfully against my ribs. Then I stepped inside. The ceremony had already started. Crystal chandeliers sparkled overhead while hundreds of guests sat watching the couple at the altar. And there he was. Ethan. Real. Not a misunderstanding. Not a nightmare. Real. The breath left my lungs. I stood frozen near the back of the room as I watched him smile at Sophia. A smile I knew by heart. A smile that used to belong to me. The officiant spoke. The guests laughed. Vows were exchanged. Every word felt like another knife twisting deeper into my chest. Then came the moment I dreaded most. "You may kiss the bride." My stomach dropped. Ethan lifted Sophia's veil. And kissed her. The room erupted into applause. I heard nothing. For a moment, everything around me seemed distant and muffled. Three years. Three years of love. Three years of memories. Three years of believing I mattered to him. Gone. Just like that. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't think. I couldn't understand how I had become the fool in someone else's love story. My eyes burned. I refused to cry. Not here. Not in front of these people. Not for him. I turned away from the altar, desperate to escape before anyone noticed me. Unfortunately, someone had. Two people, actually. Across the ballroom, Sophia's eyes landed on me. For a second, surprise flashed across her face. Then came satisfaction. A slow smile spread across her lips. The kind of smile that made my skin crawl. She wrapped her arm around Ethan's and deliberately leaned against him. Possessively. Triumphantly. As if she had won some competition. As if I were standing there to congratulate her. Then she looked directly at me. The message in her eyes was unmistakable. I won. My nails dug into my palms. I wanted to leave. I wanted to disappear. I wanted this entire night to be over. But before I could move, a familiar voice spoke beside me. "Elena." I looked up. And suddenly, for the first time that night, I felt like I could breathe again. Lucas Hayes stood in front of me. Tall. Calm. Steady. The same way he had always been. We had known each other since high school. While everyone else chased popularity, Lucas had spent most of his time building the confidence and ambition that eventually made him one of the most successful CEOs in the country. His dark eyes studied my face. I hated how quickly he understood. He didn't ask questions. Didn't force me to explain. He simply looked at me, and somehow he already knew. The sympathy in his eyes nearly shattered what little composure I had left. "Come with me," he said softly. I swallowed hard. "I don't think I can." His expression softened. Then, without hesitation, he stepped closer. One arm wrapped around my shoulders. Protective. Warm. Safe. The simple gesture almost broke me. I hadn't realized how desperately I needed someone until that moment. My throat tightened. The tears I'd been fighting threatened to spill over. Lucas glanced toward the altar. His jaw tightened. Then he looked back at me. "Let's get out of here." For once, I didn't argue. I let him guide me through the crowd. Past the laughing guests. Past the dancing lights. Past the man who had destroyed my heart. And as the ballroom doors closed behind us, I finally allowed myself to stop pretending I was okay.