Chapter 22
The days leading up to the wedding were a whirlwind of lace, laughter, and sunlight.
Layla never imagined she’d feel this light again. Not after everything. But Zack had a way of grounding her, of making her feel safe, cherished, and truly seen. He didn’t just hold her hand–he held her heart gently, carefully, as if he knew it had once been shattered.
She sat at the long oak dining table in Lucas’s estate, thumbing through fabric samples. Her best friend, Tessa, was beside her, giddy with excitement. They were choosing table linens for the reception.
“Go with the ivory,” Zack chimed in, peeking over her shoulder. “It brings out your glow.”
Layla laughed, swatting him playfully. “That’s not how color theory works.”
Zack grinned and kissed the top of her head anyway. “it works for me.””
The wedding was simple, just the way she liked it. A garden ceremony surrounded by soft white roses, delicate vines draping the arches, and fairy lights strung between tall cypress trees. The dress she chose was elegant, not grand. A silk gown that hugged her figure with just the right touch of lace, the back dipping low, the sleeves brushing her arms like a whisper. No veil–she didn’t want to be hidden anymore.
Every detail felt intentional. The lavender–scented candles lining the aisle. The blush–colored peonies in her bouquet. The handwritten vows she stayed up rehearsing, over and over until the words felt as natural as breathing.
Zack had insisted on doing the seating chart himself.}
“I want your family close,” he said one night as they lay tangled in bed, her head on his chest, his fingers tracing slow lines on her spine. “Even if some of them still hate me a little.“}
“They don’t,” she murmured.”
“Okay, maybe Lucas does.“>
They both laughed, even though it was half true. But Layla knew Lucas trusted Zack now–because Zack never overstepped. He didn’t try to control her, or claim her, or prove anything. He just loved her.”
And she loved him.
The morning of the wedding, she woke up to a basket outside her door–pastries, tea, and a note in Zack’s messy handwriting: Don’t be nervous. I already feel like the luckiest man in the world.”
Her heart swelled.[
Hair, makeup, dress. The hours passed in a blur. Her friends fluttered around her like excited birds, pinning her curls and dabbing shimmer on her cheeks. Her reflection in the mirror didn’t look like the woman she used to be. She looked strong. Whole.
“Ready?” Tessa asked, eyes glistening.
Layla nodded.
She stepped outside and the soft spring air kissed her skin. The music began to play, a gentle instrumental that made her throat tighten. Her fingers curled tighter around her bouquet as she took her first step down the aisle.
Guests turned, smiling, whispering. Cameras flashed softly. And then she saw him.
Zack.
Standing at the altar in a crisp white suit, eyes locked on her like she was the only thing that existed in the world. His hand reached toward her even from a distance, his expression full of warmth, promise, and pride.
She walked slowly. Carefully. Each step was a declaration: I am not broken. I am not his. I choose this. I choose love.
But what she didn’t see… was the man standing just beyond the trees.“]
Brent. Hidden in the shadows behind the chapel hedge, he stood silently, the ache in his chest unbearable.
He had watched every second.”
The moment she emerged in that white dress, something inside him cracked open. She looked… free. Glowing. Not like the woman who once cried herself to sleep beside him. Not like the wife he ignored while clinging to someone else.
He remembered when she used to dream of a garden wedding. How she’d talk about white roses and dancing barefoot in the grass. He never listened. He never gave her any of this.”
Zack had. And as Brent watched Layla smile at Zack–the smile she used to save only for him–he realized what he had done.
He had ruined her. And now… someone else was healing her.”
He didn’t try to stop the wedding. Not this time. Because he knew.
It was over.
As the officiant began to speak, Brent turned and walked away, his steps heavy, his heart in pieces.
Layla never saw him.”
She was too busy saying “I do.”
