“Augusta, get in the car. I'm heading home to grab some things before Lisa and I leave for our honeymoon.”

“Sis, let's ride home together.”

Lisa leaned across Nolan, calling out to me in that clumsy, broken way she spoke.

I turned my face away, my voice ice-cold.

“My mother had one daughter. I've never had a sister.”

Lisa's eyes went red instantly. She apologized in her stilted, accented way.

“I'm sorry, I didn't know that word is so serious in your culture.”

“I didn't mean it……”

Then came the soft, pitiful sobbing.

Nolan pulled her into his arms immediately, murmuring softly to her.

It took a while before she smiled again, and he stayed patient the entire time.

That kind of patience from him was something I hadn't felt in a very long time.

He turned to me, glaring.

“Augusta, Lisa was being nice enough to offer you a ride. What the hell is wrong with you?”

“Since you can't appreciate a kind gesture, you can walk home.”

Before the words had even settled, he floored the gas and the car shot past me.

The tires hit a puddle at the curb and dirty water sprayed across my dress.

The last of the wedding guests stood by the entrance, watching. Enjoying it.

Muddy water and tears ran down my face together.

I stood there for a long time. Then I wiped my face, took out my phone, and sent a message to an unfamiliar number.

“I'm done being Mrs. James. Three days from now, would you be willing to be the one who claims the black suit?”

By the time I got home, Nolan was gone. Off on his honeymoon, probably.

A wedding portrait of him and Lisa had appeared in the living room. I didn't know when he'd put it there.

Even though I'd already made my decision, my breath still caught for a moment.

I looked away, sat down on the couch, and felt my phone buzz with a reply.

“Yes. I'll come pick you up shortly.”

I typed back “okay” and went to pack.

By the time I dragged my suitcase out, the sky had opened up into a downpour.

My phone lit up.

“Sorry, something urgent just came up at the office. I was going to come myself, but I'll have to send my driver instead.”

I glanced at the rain hammering down outside, then looked back at my phone.

“The rain's too heavy. Don't send anyone tonight. Let's just meet at the courthouse in three days.”

The reply came instantly.

“Okay.”

I was pulling my suitcase back toward my room when the front door opened. Nolan walked in with Lisa.

His eyes swept to the suitcase in my hand, sharp with scrutiny.

“Where are you going with that?”

“Nowhere. Just sorting out some clothes I don't wear anymore.”

My face gave nothing away. My voice was flat.

Nolan frowned, about to press further, but Lisa cut in.

“Sis……oh no, sorry, Ms. Pruitt. The rain is very bad today, flight got canceled. My honeymoon with Mr. James is ruined.”

Nolan looked at her with pure indulgence and tapped the tip of her nose.

“Silly. It's not ruined. It's just rescheduled.”

Lisa gave him a sugary smile and fell into his arms.

“Don't make fun of me. I will try harder to learn English.”

I said nothing. I turned around and pulled my suitcase toward the bedroom.

Nolan's voice stopped me.

“Tonight's our wedding night, Lisa and me. We're taking the master bedroom. You can sleep in the guest room.”

My steps faltered. I stopped for two seconds, then said, quietly, “Fine.”

Nolan's brow creased with displeasure. My reaction was too calm, too unlike me. Something felt like it was slipping away from him, and his chest felt empty.

Before he could think too hard about it, Lisa bounced over to me and grabbed my hand：

“The three of us can sleep together.”

I yanked my hand free of hers.

“Don't touch me. You're disgusting.”

I hadn't even used much force, but she crashed to the floor like I'd thrown her.

By the time I processed what happened and reached down to help her up, Nolan came charging over and slammed into me, knocking me to the ground.

He scooped her into his arms, face full of worry and tenderness.

“Are you hurt anywhere? Does it hurt? We're going to the hospital right now.”

I lay on the floor, facedown, as a savage pain tore through my abdomen and something warm ran down between my legs.

A cold dread hit me. I grabbed the hem of Nolan's shirt.

“Nolan, I……”

Before I could finish, he wrenched my hand off and walked away without looking back.

I lay there on the floor, cold sweat pouring down my face from the pain ripping through me, and with the last bit of strength I had, I pulled out my phone and dialed 911 before everything went black.

When I opened my eyes, I was in a hospital bed.

The nurse making rounds noticed me awake and gave my blanket a gentle pat.

“Bed 32, you're up.”

“What happened to me.”

My voice was raw.

“You miscarried at home yesterday and passed out. But don't worry, the D&C is done. The doctor says if everything looks fine over the next two days, you can be discharged.”

My fingers clenched the bedsheet until my knuckles ached.

“I……miscarried?”

“Yes. You were over two months along. But you're young, sweetheart. There'll be other chances.”

The nurse sighed, eyes soft with pity.

After she left, I pulled the blanket over my head and let myself cry.

Maybe it was better this way. Now there was nothing left tying me to Nolan James.

Two days later, I signed myself out.

In those two days, Nolan hadn't asked about me once. The only thing he'd posted on social media was a single photo.

Lisa's knee with a Band-Aid on it. The caption—

“Heartache.”

When I got home, Nolan was kneeling in front of Lisa, dabbing ointment on her knee.

The scrape was the size of a grain of rice, already scabbed over, yet he couldn't have been more careful.

I touched my own stomach and let out a quiet, bitter laugh.

Only after he'd finished applying the ointment, after he'd leaned down and blown gently on the spot, did he notice me standing in the doorway.

The tenderness dropped off his face like a mask. He stood up, irritation hardening into open disgust.

“Where have you been for two days? You push Lisa down, she gets hurt, and you just take off and enjoy yourself?”

Not a trace of concern in his voice. Only blame.

I didn't have the energy to fight him. I answered flatly.

“I didn't push her. She fell on her own.”

“That's right, it wasn't her fault.”

Lisa sat on the couch, looking up at Nolan with wide, wounded eyes.

“I fell by myself……please don't blame her anymore.”

Head bowed, voice small, she played the part of someone defending me while looking every inch the victim.

I turned to look at her and let out a cold laugh.

“Disgusting.”

That one word struck a nerve. His expression twisted, and he shoved me, hard. I wasn't braced for it and hit the floor.

“Lisa sticks up for you, and instead of being grateful, you call her disgusting?”

“Where do you get the nerve to call anyone disgusting, Augusta? Don't forget what you did at that bar.”

I stared at him in shock, and what little color was left in my face drained away completely.

When Nolan was starting his company and money was tight, I'd taken on extra work to ease the burden — wedding planner by day, bar waitress by night.

One night I was serving drinks to a table of men when they blocked my way and insisted I sit down and drink with them.

I refused as hard as I could. Told them I was just a waitress, that pouring drinks with customers wasn't part of my job.

One of the men tossed a stack of cash onto the table. He said if I could finish every bottle on it, the fifteen thousand dollars was mine.

Nolan happened to be short exactly fifteen thousand on a project.

I looked at the man's face, at the ugly intention behind his smile, and I gritted my teeth, picked up the first bottle, and drained it.

Then a second. A third. A fourth. After a while I lost count.

All I remember is that when I finished the last one, I collapsed straight onto the floor.

When I came to, my clothes were disheveled and I was lying on a couch with a man's suit jacket draped over me.

Nolan had come to pick me up after my shift. He saw the scene and went rigid.

I forced the corners of my mouth into something like a smile, then picked up the fifteen thousand from the table and held it out to him.：

“Here. Now you don't have to worry about the money.”

I paused, tugging at the suit jacket on my shoulders.：

“But if you want to break up, I understand.”

Nolan rushed over and pulled me into his arms, choking on his words.：

“Gusta, I promise, I'd never hold this against you. I will never betray you, not in this lifetime. I'm going to give you a good life.”

Those words were still sharp in my memory. But it turned out he'd held it against me all along.

I closed my eyes. My body was so weak I nearly blacked out where I stood.

Nolan watched me and a flicker of regret crossed his face. He knew he'd gone too far.

He started toward me, but Lisa suddenly bolted for the door.：

“I shouldn't be here. I'm disgusting to you both.”

Nolan ran after her and caught her arm.：

“Lisa, what are you talking about? You're the purest girl in the world. No one compares to you.”

I watched him cradle Lisa against his chest, all that aching protectiveness on full display. Then I turned my head away and dragged myself up off the ground.

It didn't matter anymore. Tomorrow it would all be over. I was going to find the man who owned that black suit jacket.

I hauled my body back to the bedroom, and the moment I tried to sit down, the door swung open.

Nolan stood in the doorway, brow knotted tight.：

“Augusta, fine, maybe what I said earlier was harsh. But I already told you, the ceremony was just a gesture for Lisa. I'm still signing the marriage license with you tomorrow. Can you stop being so dramatic?”

I looked up at him. My voice was calm.：

“I already said, I'm not……”

He waved his hand and cut me off.：

“Enough. There's a pool party tonight. Lisa doesn't know many people and her English isn't great. Go help her make introductions.”

He walked out before I could say a word.

I took a deep breath. Fine. I was leaving tomorrow. I wasn't going to fight him over this.

At the party that night, Nolan paraded Lisa around, introducing her to everyone with barely contained excitement.

And I stood behind them, listening to the whispers, as though I were the other woman.

I slipped into the restroom, splashed water on my face, then took out my phone and sent a message.：

“Tomorrow. The courthouse. Don't forget.”

The reply came instantly.：

“Of course.”

I steadied my breathing and was about to step out when the click of heels approached from outside.：

“Nolan's such an idiot. He's completely wrapped around my finger. When the time comes, I'm going to bleed him dry.”

The restroom door swung open and Lisa and I locked eyes.

I grabbed her arm.：

“Who the hell are you?”

Her gaze darted toward the door. Then she raised her hand and slapped herself hard across the face.：

“Please, I no steal Mr. James. Please, you no do this.”

She clutched her cheek and broke into sobs.

A figure appeared between us and wrenched my hand away.