Chloe\u2019s wedding is beautiful until a stranger crashes in and says she\u2019s married to Julian. Chloe faces a terrible choice that could destroy all she believed in as secrets and loyalties are revealed. As the dust settles, she discovers that love\u2019s genuine shape isn\u2019t always apparent. Sometimes the most painful truths lead to the most beautiful beginnings.<\/p>\n
Sitting in front of the vanity mirror, I stroked my wedding dress\u2019s beautiful lace. The beautiful flower stitching caught the room\u2019s soft light, making me feel like I was in a dream.<\/p>\n
Today was it.<\/p>\n
Gardenias and peonies, which were in my bouquet on the table next me, filled the air. Getting married to Julian.<\/p>\n
The man who silently gave me chocolate milk after a nightmare at 2 a.m. The one who serviced my automobile in the rain and made it to dinner with my parents looking like a drowned cat. He listened to my crazy babbling without interrupting, nodding like every word mattered.<\/p>\n
Julian kissed my temple every morning and named me \u201cSunbeam\u201d even when I was grumpy and covered in blankets.<\/p>\n
He was constant. My safe haven. My home.<\/p>\n
I laughed at my reflection as a tear fell.<\/p>\n
\u201cHey! A humorous voice from the doorway said, \u201cDon\u2019t cry.\u201d I saw my maid of honor, Chloe, holding a champagne flute. \u201cI spent two hours on that eyeliner, and I\u2019m not fixing it twice.\u201d<\/p>\n
Glass in hand, I smiled, voice shaking. \u201cI just\u2026 This is unbelievable.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, it is,\u201d she winked. \u201cYou\u2019re becoming Mrs. Blake.\u201d<\/p>\n
My heart raced at the word.<\/p>\n
Wife.<\/p>\n
I looked at the clock\u201430 minutes left.<\/p>\n
I would soon walk down the aisle toward my world-satisfying boyfriend.<\/p>\n
The ceremony met my expectations. String instruments hummed, the stained glass let in the late afternoon sun, and friends and relatives smiled at me from every seat. Julian was handsome in his navy suit at the altar, his look sweet and warm as we locked eyes.<\/p>\n
The beginning of eternity.<\/p>\n
Then it occurred.<\/p>\n
Finaly, the huge chapel doors creaked open. Collective breath. Everyone turned.<\/p>\n
Tall, striking, confident woman entered. Under the soothing lighting, her crimson lipstick shone and her black outfit clung like silk. Nothing struck me more than her initial focus on Julian.<\/p>\n
Her expression wasn\u2019t confused or shy.<\/p>\n
She looked well at home.<\/p>\n
\u201cAren\u2019t you telling them?\u201d she said. She spoke calmly, like she was late to brunch rather than crashing a wedding.<\/p>\n
My hand tightened on my bouquet.<\/p>\n
\u201cTell us?\u201d Asking in a whisper.<\/p>\n
The woman ignored me. Her gaze remained on Julian.<\/p>\n
She answered, \u201cThat you\u2019re already married.<\/p>\n
The room gasped. Chairs moved. Air rushed out of my lungs like someone hit me in the chest.<\/p>\n
I looked to Julian for a laugh, a head shake, anything to end this nightmare.<\/p>\n
There was none.<\/p>\n
Stepped forward.<\/p>\n
Toward her.<\/p>\n
My knees wobbled.<\/p>\n
Not denying it. He didn\u2019t argue. He slowly, quietly walked to this stranger claiming to be his wife.<\/p>\n
Without hesitation, he hugged her.<\/p>\n
Paralyzing quiet filled the room.<\/p>\n
I missed the murmuring. I didn\u2019t feel watched. Ringing in my ears and jagged breathing were all I could feel.<\/p>\n
Julian murmured to her. She chuckled softly, like they were sharing a memory.<\/p>\n
His expression showed sadness as he turned to me.<\/p>\n
\u201cI can explain,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou married?\u201d My voice broke. The bouquet shook in my hands.<\/p>\n
\u201cNot exactly,\u201d he answered.<\/p>\n
She smirked, shaking her head. \u201cOne way to put it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rage and confusion filled me as I stepped forward. \u201cWho are you?\u201d<\/p>\n
She glanced at me. She temporarily lost confidence. My name is Elise.\u201d<\/p>\n
Elise.<\/p>\n
Name rang a bell. Julian mentioned her earlier. A childhood pal. \u201cSomeone who knew too much.\u201d<\/p>\n
He never mentioned marriage.<\/p>\n
\u201cElise and I\u2026 \u201cWe had a pretend wedding as kids,\u201d Julian remarked immediately. Our age was twelve. Ring pops, a pink tutu, and notebook vows were goofy. We found it funny.\u201d<\/p>\n
The crowd grumbled again.<\/p>\n
He said, \u201cBut Elise is just my best friend.\u201d<\/p>\n
My hands shook. \u201cWhy did she say that? Why hug her in that way? Why now?<\/p>\n
Julian regarded Elise. She advanced, her voice softer.<\/p>\n
She responded, \u201cA few years ago, I was in a serious car accident. \u201cThey said I might never walk again.\u201d<\/p>\n
Quiet fell over the chapel.<\/p>\n
That wasn\u2019t how I wanted to be seen. Dropped off the planet. I even stopped talking to Julian.\u201d Her eyes showed emotion. \u201cBut he never abandoned me. He helped me find and pay for rehab.\u201d<\/p>\n
Julian intervened. She declined to attend today. It would be too difficult. And I respected that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Elise smiled and said, \u201cI lied.\u201d Wanted to surprise him. I\u2019ve worked for two years to walk again. Even in heels.\u201d She raised one foot, almost triumphantly. \u201cI wanted my best friend to see me walk again\u2014on his wedding day.\u201d<\/p>\n
Catching my breath.<\/p>\n
Elise looked at me. Aria, I\u2019m sorry. I wasn\u2019t trying to steal this dramatic moment. Julian is everything to me. Not that way. Not as he meant to you.\u201d<\/p>\n
I stared at her, chest tight, emotions knotted. Once threatening, her face was now raw and hopeful.<\/p>\n
\u201cI wanted him to see me take those steps,\u201d she continued, breaking. The wedding wasn\u2019t the issue. He was the focus. About showing him I returned.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tears came.<\/p>\n
Not betrayal.<\/p>\n
This was amazing.<\/p>\n
My laugh was shaky. Elise, you terrified me to death.\u201d<\/p>\n
She frowned. \u201cYeah. My fault.\u201d<\/p>\n
Julian gripped my hand softly. I was unaware she was coming. I swear.\u201d<\/p>\n
I glanced at him intently. I saw pride in his eyes, not remorse or perplexity. Relief.<\/p>\n
And love.<\/p>\n
Lots of love.<\/p>\n
\u201cCome on,\u201d I whispered. Let\u2019s marry.\u201d<\/p>\n
Guest exhaled. Someone laughed. Front-row Chloe wiped her eyes.<\/p>\n
I turned to Elise and said, \u201cPlease.\u201d Sit with my family.\u201d<\/p>\n
Her smile shook. \u201cThank you.\u201d<\/p>\n
Music grew again. The moment resumed.<\/p>\n
We vowed. Promised forever. I knew when Julian put the ring on my finger that nothing could ruin what we had achieved.<\/p>\n
The reception hall was full of laughter and music that night. Champagne gleamed in glasses, as visitors danced under dazzling lights.<\/p>\n
I inhaled while sitting. The supper smell of roasted garlic and basil persisted. My heart eventually calmed.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou look like a woman who survived a war,\u201d Elise observed, sitting next me.<\/p>\n
Raised eyebrow. \u201cYou\u2019re lucky I didn\u2019t throw my bouquet like a grenade.\u201d<\/p>\n
She chuckled. \u201cFair.\u201d<\/p>\n
I drank champagne. You\u2019re forgiven.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCompletely?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWell,\u201d I said, \u201cmaybe 90%.\u201d<\/p>\n
She grins. I\u2019ll take it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Julian moved across the room, softly whirling my grandmother. His warm, familiar laughter resonated.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou know,\u201d Elise continued, studying him, \u201cI\u2019ve known him a long time. I\u2019ve never seen him so joyful.\u201d<\/p>\n
I grinned. \u201cNeither have I.\u201d<\/p>\n
She nods. Then I\u2019m delighted I came.\u201d<\/p>\n
So was I.<\/p>\n
Julian approached me and extended a hand. \u201cWant to dance, Mrs. Blake?\u201d<\/p>\n
Standing, I put my hand on his. Let\u2019s go.\u201d<\/p>\n
As he brought me to the dance floor, I remembered the chaos, confusion, and sadness I imagined had fallen on me.<\/p>\n
Truth was what I found that day.<\/p>\n
The kind of love that strengthens with testing.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Chloe\u2019s wedding is beautiful until a stranger crashes in and says she\u2019s married to Julian. Chloe faces a terrible choice that could destroy all she believed in as secrets and loyalties are revealed. As the dust settles, she discovers that love\u2019s genuine shape isn\u2019t always apparent. Sometimes the most painful truths lead to the most […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-30984","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30984","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=30984"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30984\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":30985,"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30984\/revisions\/30985"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=30984"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=30984"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=30984"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}