Chapter 1

[Miss Rowland, your customized wedding dress just landed at the hotel. Hit us up if you need anything.]

Thea Rowland was practically bouncing off the walls with excitement when she got the text from the wedding dress shop.

She was tying the knot with her boyfriend of eight years in just a week. Venue booked, invites out, and everything was ticking along nicely.

After clocking out from work, Thea was all set to hit the hotel and maybe sneak a peek at their new menu offerings on the way.

But the moment she stepped in, the hotel manager was there, giving her this weird, twitchy kind of smile. "Miss Rowland, didn't expect you! Everything alright? Need anything?" Thea, still riding that high vibe, said briskly, "Hey, my wedding dress is here, right? Can't wait to try it on."

"Oh, yes, got here about half an hour ago," the manager managed to say, but there was something off about his grin.

"By the way, we've got some new dishes we thought you might want to try out. If they hit the spot, we can add them to your menu. No extra charge."

"Let's hold that thought till after the dress," Thea said, making a beeline for the elevator.

"Miss Rowland!" the manager called out, trailing after her. "We've also got this recital team in today. Why not give them a listen and see if they vibe with your plans?" That was when Thea's spidey senses started tingling. "Hold up, is there a problem with the dress?" she asked, the smile slipping off her face.

"Well..." the manager stuttered, looking like he was about to melt into a puddle.

That pretty much sealed the deal for Thea. Something was definitely up. Dodging the manager's attempts to slow her down, she made a beeline for her dress. "Don't..." Only when she reached the door did she hear ambiguous sounds coming from inside the room. The woman was flirty, mixed with the man's moans. Thea looked down at the text message on her phone and confirmed the room number. She had the right room.

"Jake, it doesn't feel right. What if we get caught?"

"Madelyn, do you have any idea how beautiful you look right now? I can't wait!"

Moans and heavy breaths interspersed with bits of conversation came out.

Thea's brain began to run out of oxygen. She felt like she was suffocating, and her head went blank. She forgot how she had opened the door to get inside. Thea couldn't help but shake, feeling this intense ache in her heart, as she caught sight of the chaotic scene inside. Tears instantly welled up in her eyes. She had to dig her nails into her palms to stop herself from collapsing and screaming.

Inside the room, two bodies intertwined. Thea's fiancé, Jake Hendrix, who was supposed to be on a business trip, was making out with another woman at that moment.

layers of Thea's gorgeous

the woman as none other than Madelyn Terell,

wedding dress. Her boyfriend for eight years, on the eve of her wedding, dealt her a

bricks. Thea was struggling to catch her breath, overwhelmed by a rollercoaster of emotions and feeling so dizzy she had to lean against the doorframe just to

Jake pulled away from Madelyn as an afterthought, not forgetting to

as if looking at two pieces of shit. "Mr. Hendrix, it looks like you're having a good time." Her breathing was a little unstable, and she forced her tears back. "Do you want me to capture this wonderful moment for

crossed Jake's eyes, more annoyance at being

his head, not bothering to deny it. "Well, it's probably better you found out now. I was planning on telling you sooner or later anyway. Thea, to be honest, I've been really over this

about it, and our wedding will go off without a hitch. Once we're married, you'll officially be my wife. Oh, and just a heads up, Madelyn is going to

to lose her lunch. A mix of anger and

a solid slap, practically in a frenzy. "You really think I'd still want to

his cheek, not even getting a chance to chime in before

Jake. I'll even drop to my knees and beg if that's what it takes,

annoyance. She yanked Madelyn's hands away, cutting her off, "Save the act for someone who's buying

her foot catching on the wedding dress's hem, and she ended up smacking her head against

a lot of care. He gazed at Thea, his eyes a deep crimson, and said in a chilly tone, "Look at you now, Thea. You're a crazy bitch. It's disgusting!" Seeing the disgust in his eyes, Thea managed to stay surprisingly cool, though her hands

Jake's parting shot was calling her disgusting, making her wonder who

completely freaked out. "Mr. Hendrix, we've got a problem. There's

was quick to respond, his expression turning stormy as he stepped up and grabbed Thea's

her head was spinning. 'Why on earth

voice laced with defiance despite feeling weak. "Well, maybe you should've thought about that before

today, I'll be having a chat with your big brother. And trust me, if my day gets ruined, you're tagging along for whatever comes

feeling of being trapped washing over her. After spending so much time together, Jake

The urge to just lie down and let the tears flow was overwhelming. But, of course, life wasn't about to give her a break to just

clenched jaw, she pushed herself off the ground and left the room, only to

reporters tried to keep up. Behind her, footsteps tried to close the gap, and distant voices were pleading

body, Thea couldn't shake off the feeling of a chilly stare

place, Thea managed a shaky

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