I was sleepless for the whole night. And the morning sun appeared.

I looked at Tobias sleeping soundly beside me.

I held back my sobs, holding back the resentment inside me.

With a deep breath, I wiped the tears from my cheeks.

My fingers trembled as I tapped on my phone.

I transferred the dirty video from the car's dashcam to the computer linked to the large panoramic screen at the wedding venue.

I wondered how Stacey and Tobias would deny their affair at the wedding in four hours.

A knock on the door interrupted my thoughts.

I signaled the makeup artist to pause.

I rose carefully and heard the electronic lock beep, and the door swung open.

I was stunned instantly.

The woman entering wasn't wearing the custom-made white bridesmaid trousers she had ordered.

Instead, she was in a strappy red dress. Her makeup was meticulously done to highlight her allure, and her hair cascaded in big waves over her shoulders.

In the decade I had known Stacey, I had never seen her like this.

I came to my senses and leaned against the vanity mirror, arms crossed. I said with a smile, "Stacey, Are you... in a new romance?"

Stacey's expression instantly shifted dramatically.

The soft expression vanished as she frowned. "Effie, you can't just care about your happiness and restrict me from dressing up, can you?"

She shot back, and her voice was tense and hurried before I could respond. "Do you just not want me to be happy? The red dress is more attractive. So? Are you afraid that I'll outshine you?"

She suddenly became agitated and snatched the bridesmaid's purse from the table. "Have you ever really considered me your best friend?"

Before I could realize what was going on, the purse was hurled at me.

Instinctively, I raised my arm to block it.

In the next moment, I heard the sharp crack of my nails breaking at the base.

The pain pierced through me.

Blood seeped between my fingers and stained the wedding dress.

The foundation and perfume bottles shattered across the floor.

Glass shards were scattered, and the room was in a deathly silence.

"Effie!" My mother gasped, rushing to my side.

Stacey glanced at my hand.

A fleeting look of panic crossed her eyes before she quickly masked it.

"You are always so dramatic," she sneered and left.

The door was slammed shut with a resounding thud.

My mother trembled with anger. "What is wrong with Stacey? Is she crazy?" my mother exclaimed.

I shook my hand, and the pain made me more clear-minded.

My phone vibrated.

It was a message from Tobias. "Honey, there's traffic, and I might be two hours late."

He even added a crying puppy emoji for dramatic effect.

But it was just after the morning rush hour. There was no traffic at all.

Half an hour ago, he had insisted on the ceremony's importance and asked me to wait for him to pick me up in the car himself.

I sneered.

So that was his plan.

"Mom, get me a Band-Aid," I said.

I wiped the blood off my wedding dress expressionlessly. "You all carry on, and I need some air downstairs."

"Effie, you'll miss the time for the wedding..." my mother started, but I cut her off.

"It's fine," I replied.

I brushed past others and headed downstairs alone.

I activated my phone's GPS.

Tobias must have forgotten that his car's navigation was logged into my account.

The red dot representing him was nowhere near the highway, but at the Hilton Hotel, just two streets away from my home.

I signaled the taxi driver to stop at the hotel entrance and gave him five hundred for the delay.

Through the car window, I saw Tobias in his groom's suit and holding a woman in a red dress.

At first glance, one might mistake them for the couple getting married today.

He looked down at Stacey in his arms. He smiled indulgently as he pecked her lips. He teased, "Are you so fierce? She's still your best friend."

Stacey giggled and traced circles on his chest with her finger. "If I'm not a bit fierce, she'll start asking many questions, as she is so stupid."

"She won't suspect anything, will she?" he asked.

"Relax. She definitely thinks I'm still mad at her and is wondering how to make it up to me. Would you believe that she'll probably text me soon to apologize?"

I watched as Stacey unabashedly showed her disdain and crushed my heart.

In that moment, all my confusion and resentment dissipated.

Tobias said, "Stop it. You are best friends, anyway."

The wind carried Tobias's casual words to my ears.

I saw him hug another woman and wrap his arms around her waist, just as he had done to me.

They laughed and chatted as they walked into the hotel.

I remembered the first time we dated each other.

"What I despise most are homewreckers," Tobias said.

Tears welled up in his eyes.

He said each word with emotion. "Back then, my mother got involved with my dad's best friend. When my dad found out, she abandoned me. She thought I was a burden and refused to take me with her. In the end, both my parents found me an eyesore."

Tobias lowered his head and gave a self-mocking smile. But his eyes were hollow as he looked at me. "Effie, you have a happy family, which I could never dream of.

My life has been ruined from the start. It has never been a whole."

At that time, my heart felt like it would burst with sorrow. "Tobias, but you'll surely meet a woman who will pick up all your broken pieces. As she picks them up, she'll make sure everything is hers. She'll stay with you forever and help you piece those fragments together."

In the days that followed, Tobias pursued me passionately, which was known to everyone.

To my friends and my family, he was always the perfect boyfriend.

Yet now, even after more than ten hours have passed, I still couldn't figure out when Stacey and Tobias became the sharpest daggers, stabbing my heart.

They turned my years of sincerity into tools for their own gain.

My stomach clenched, and a wave of hatred surged through me.

But I was lucky to uncover the truth.

Thankfully, there was still time for me.

On my phone, I sent a message to Tobias, urging him.

Then, as Stacey wished, I sent her a message to pacify her. "I hope you come to my wedding. I have a surprise for you."

Putting my phone away, I headed to the wedding venue by taxi.

The restaurant was already teeming with guests.

Every detail of the decor had been personally arranged by me.

But now everything seemed like blatant mockery.

Behind me, the makeup artist was still softly reminding me of things to keep in mind.

But I merely nodded slightly.

My gaze was fixed on the entrance to the banquet hall.

At last, the slightly hurried sound of footsteps accompanied by the guests' murmurs announced Tobias's arrival.

He was there.

He was dressed in a crisp groom's suit, but his tie was slightly askew, and his hair was a bit tousled.

There was even a lingering scent around him that he hadn't managed to dispel.

"I'm sorry, Effie. There was a minor accident on the way, and I kept you waiting." He apologized to me.

I sidestepped to avoid his attempt to hold my hand and lifted the hem of my dress. "Let's begin."

Tobias paused for a moment and then quickly resumed his affectionate demeanor.

The host handed over the ring box.

Tobias took out the diamond ring and got down on one knee. "Effie, this ring represents my eternal love for you."

Under the lights, the small diamond looked particularly shabby.

I extended my hand and watched as he slowly slid the cheap ring around my ring finger.

It was Tobias's turn to give a speech.

Holding the microphone, he spoke with emotion and tears. "I've known Effie for five years. We dated each other from university to work. We've endured hardships and worked hard together. She is the most important one in my life. She had done anything for me..."

The audience erupted in applause.

Several sentimental relatives were already dabbing their eyes.

Stacey stood next to me, her hand gently resting on her belly.

Her expression openly shifted between Tobias and me, occasionally applauding.

"In fact, I have prepared a special surprise for Tobias," I interrupted, and a smile was playing on my lips. "This surprise is more touching than any vow."

Tobias's eyes lit up.

He thought perhaps I would gift him a car or publicly announce the transfer of company shares.

Greed flashed in his eyes, and his face was full of expectant smiles.

He even urged the host. "Be quick. Let everyone see Effie's special surprise."

Stacey stepped forward half a step, and her fingertips gently touched the corner of Tobias's suit.

She encouraged him with a knowing look in her eyes.

She seemed to tell him that soon everything would be settled.

Holding back a storm of emotions, I turned to face the large screen at the center of the stage. "This video records the hard work Tobias has put in behind the scenes for our future."

At that moment, I pressed the remote control in my hand.

As the content on the big screen became clear, Tobias's smile froze instantly on his face.