Aria's POV
The wedding planner's invoice made me want to cry.
Fifty thousand dollars. For my wedding. And I'd paid every single cent myself.
I stared at the receipt on my phone, sitting in the empty venue at eleven at night. My hands shook. Not from cold—the June evening was warm—but from exhaustion. I'd worked three eighteen-hour days in a row to finish the Montgomery Company merger deal, then rushed here to fix the flower arrangements because Julian's mother said they looked "cheap."
They weren't cheap. Nothing about this wedding was cheap. But when you're marrying into the Cross family, nothing is ever good enough.
"Just one more day," I whispered to myself, adjusting another white rose. "Tomorrow, it'll all be worth it."
My phone buzzed. Finally. Julian hadn't answered my last six texts.
Julian:Babe, can you come to the venue early tomorrow? Like 7 AM? Want to surprise you before the ceremony.
My heart jumped. A surprise? Julian never did romantic surprises anymore. Not since... well, not since college, really. Not since I'd started working myself half to death to save his failing media company.
I smiled anyway. Maybe marriage would change things. Maybe once we were officially husband and wife, he'd look at me the way he used to. Like I was his whole world, not just his free business consultant.
Me:Of course! Can't wait. I love you so much.
Three dots appeared. Disappeared. Appeared again.
Julian:Yeah. See you tomorrow.
Not "I love you too." Just "yeah."
I told myself it didn't matter. Men weren't good with words. Julian showed love through actions, right? Like... like...
I couldn't actually think of an example.
"Stop it, Aria," I said out loud. "You're just tired."
Tired was an understatement. I'd been tired for six years straight.
I remembered the day we met—Columbia University, sophomore year. I was studying literature in the library when this gorgeous guy with messy brown hair sat down across from me.
"You look smart," he'd said, flashing that perfect smile. "Can you help me with my business presentation? I'm totally lost."
I'd helped him. Then I helped him again. And again. Before I knew it, I was writing half his papers, teaching him economics concepts, holding his hand through every difficult class. But it was okay because he loved me. He told me constantly back then.
"You're my angel, Aria," he'd whisper, kissing my forehead. "I don't know what I'd do without you."
After graduation, Julian's father gave him a small media company to run—a test, to see if Julian could handle the family business. Except Julian couldn't handle it. The company was bleeding money within six months.
So I stepped in. I used my connections from my internship at Montgomery Company—my family's business that my stepmother Victoria ran. I worked for free, creating marketing strategies, securing clients, basically saving Cross Media from bankruptcy.
Julian's father was impressed. He approved our marriage. Finally.
But somewhere along the way, Julian stopped looking at me like his angel. He started looking at me like... like furniture. Something useful but not particularly special.
"Tomorrow will be different," I told myself again, packing up my bag.
My phone rang. Victoria. My stomach clenched.
"Hello?"
"Aria, darling." Victoria's voice was sugar-sweet, which meant she wanted something. "I need you to come by the house tonight. Just a small signature needed for the business transfer."
"Business transfer? What transfer?"
"Oh, just some paperwork your father forgot to mention. Celeste needs access to certain accounts for her medical bills. You know how expensive her treatments are."
Celeste. My twenty-three-year-old stepsister who'd been "dying" of some mysterious illness for three years now. An illness that somehow never stopped her from going to parties, shopping, or posting perfect Instagram photos.
I'd paid over two hundred thousand dollars toward Celeste's medical bills in the past year alone. Money I'd earned from my salary at Montgomery Company—the salary I received for saving the business that Victoria now ran like she'd built it herself.
"I can't tonight, Victoria. It's almost midnight and—"
"Aria." Her voice turned ice-cold. "You've always been so selfish. Your sister is dying, and you can't spare one hour? After everything this family has done for you?"
Everything they'd done for me? I'd worked unpaid at Montgomery Company for four years after college, rebuilding it from near-bankruptcy. My strategies, my client relationships, my sleepless nights—that's what saved the company. But Victoria took credit for all of it, giving Celeste some fake "Vice President" title while I remained a nameless consultant.
"Fine," I said, my jaw tight. "I'll come by."
"Wonderful! See you soon, darling."
She hung up before I could change my mind.
I drove to my father's house—except it didn't feel like mine anymore. I'd moved out two years ago when Victoria "needed" my bedroom for Celeste's new meditation space. Now I lived in a tiny apartment across town, saving every penny for this wedding that was draining my bank account.
Victoria waited at the door with papers.
"Just sign here, here, and here." She pointed with her manicured nail.
I started reading. My blood went cold.
"This transfers my entire share of Montgomery Company to Celeste. Everything I built—"
"Everything you helped with," Victoria corrected smoothly. "Celeste has been running the company beautifully. This just makes it official. Besides, once you marry Julian, you'll be a Cross. You won't need Montgomery anymore."
"But this is my inheritance from my mother—"
"Your mother is dead, Aria. I'm your father's wife now. This is what's best for the family. Sign it."
Something in her eyes made my skin crawl. But I was so tired. So, so tired of fighting.
"I'll read it properly and sign it after the wedding," I said carefully. "Right now, I need to sleep."
Victoria's smile didn't reach her eyes. "Of course, darling. After the wedding."
I left quickly, my heart pounding. Something felt wrong. Really wrong.
At home, I collapsed into bed at 2 AM. My alarm was set for 6 AM—just four hours of sleep before I had to meet Julian for his "surprise."
I dreamed of white dresses and empty churches.
My phone screaming woke me at 6 AM. I dragged myself up, showered, and put on a simple blue dress. For Julian's surprise, I wanted to look pretty but not overdone.
I arrived at the venue at 6:55 AM. The morning sun made everything glow golden. Today was my wedding day. Today, everything would finally be perfect.
I pushed open the venue door.
Julian stood at the altar.
But he wasn't alone.
Celeste stood beside him in a white wedding dress. Not sick. Not dying. Glowing and healthy and beautiful in the dress I'd picked out for myself.
My dress.
Victoria stood to the side with my father, both smiling. A priest waited with an open Bible.
"Aria!" Julian's voice was cheerful, like nothing was wrong. "Perfect timing. We need to talk."
My legs wouldn't move. My brain couldn't process what I was seeing.
"What..." My voice cracked. "What's happening?"
Julian walked toward me, hands in his pockets, casual as ever. Like this was normal. Like my entire world wasn't exploding.
"So, here's the thing," he said, and his tone was apologetic but not sorry. Not sorry at all. "Celeste's doctors say she only has six months left. Maybe less. And her dying wish—like, her actual dying wish—is to be a bride before she goes."
I couldn't breathe. Couldn't think. Couldn't—
"I'm marrying Celeste today instead," Julian continued. "Just temporarily, you know? Until she passes. Then you and I can get married properly. You understand, right? You're strong enough to wait."
The world tilted sideways.
Celeste stepped forward, tears streaming down her perfectly made-up face. "I'm so sorry, sister. I know this hurts. But I just want to feel loved once before I die. You've had everything your whole life—surely you can give me this one thing?"
"Everything?" The word ripped from my throat. "I've had EVERYTHING?"
But no one was listening.
Victoria produced papers—different papers from last night. "Since you'll be waiting anyway, Aria, you might as well sign over your Montgomery shares now. Celeste will need financial security when Julian inherits Cross Media, and you'll get everything back after she... well."
My father finally spoke. "Don't be difficult, Aria. This is what's best for everyone."
"Best for—" I choked on the words. "Today is MY wedding day! Julian, we've been together for SIX YEARS!"
Julian had the audacity to look annoyed. "And we'll have our whole lives together after Celeste is gone. Don't be selfish. She's dying."
She didn't look dying. She looked radiant. Triumphant.
"I won't sign anything," I said, my voice shaking with rage and heartbreak. "And you can't just—you can't just marry her—we're supposed to—"
"Security!" Victoria's voice rang out sharp.
Two men in black suits appeared from the back room. They grabbed my arms.
"What are you DOING?" I screamed, struggling. "Dad! DAD, STOP THEM!"
My father looked away.
"You're no longer welcome in this family," Victoria announced coldly. "And dear? We'll make sure everyone knows you abandoned your dying sister out of pure jealousy. Your reputation will be destroyed. No one will ever believe your side."
The security guards dragged me backward. I fought, screaming Julian's name, begging him to stop this.
He turned back to Celeste, taking her hand.
He didn't even watch them throw me out.
I landed hard on the concrete outside. The venue doors slammed shut. Through the windows, I could see them continuing the ceremony. My ceremony. My dress. My flowers. My groom.
All of it, stolen.
I sat there on the ground, my blue dress torn, my knees bleeding, my heart shattered into a million pieces.
My phone buzzed. A text from Victoria:
Your belongings are boxed at Sophie's apartment. Your credit cards are cancelled. Your apartment lease has been terminated. You have nothing, Aria. You ARE nothing. Remember that.
I couldn't move. Couldn't cry. Couldn't even feel anymore.
Then my stomach lurched violently.
I barely made it to the bushes before I vomited.
Again. And again.
This wasn't just heartbreak making me sick.
This was something else.
Something terrifying.
With shaking hands, I pulled out my phone and called the only person who hadn't betrayed me.
"Sophie," I whispered when she answered. "Something's wrong. I need you."
"I'm already on my way," Sophie said, and I could hear her car engine. "Aria, stay right where you are. Don't move. I'm coming."
I hung up and sat there, bleeding and broken, watching through the window as Julian married my sister.
And deep in my gut, underneath all the pain and rage and devastation, I knew:
My life would never be the same again.