Herbert pressed on, his tone calm but firm. "Let's move past this. Don't ruin our wedding day over it."

I grabbed his tie in exasperation, my scream tearing through the room. "Move past this? Then bring Gail back! You saw the security footage. Chloe dragged her away, and Lori forced that spiked drink down her throat. When your friends pinned her down, she fought until they snapped her bones. Are you blind to that?"

Lori shoved between us, her sneer cutting like a knife. "That villa's cameras were hacked, and those clips are fake. Herbert had them scrubbed. Didn't he tell you?"

His blatant protection of her hit like a sledgehammer. I staggered, ripping the diamond ring off my finger and hurling it at his chest. "This wedding is over! Nobody is stopping me from calling the police!"

I bolted for the villa's grand doors, but Herbert's grip clamped onto my arm, yanking me back. My hip slammed into a table, pain lancing through me.

His eyes icy, he ordered the estate sealed and allowed no guests to leave. Ignoring my protests, he had Gail's body whisked away for cremation, erasing every shred of evidence to protect Lori.

He pried my fingers off Gail's cold hand, one by one. "When you cool off, I'll let you out, and we'll finish this wedding."

The door slammed shut, locking me in the bridal suite, my hope crumbling to dust. I collapsed on the floor, numb, until my hand reached for my phone. With its last breath, I sent a message to Gail's grandfather: [John, I failed to protect Gail.]

Hours bled into eternity as I lay on the bed, hollowed out. The door creaked open, and a pair of hands grazed my waist.

I spun, shoving Herbert off the bed. He started to snap but froze at my gaunt, tear-streaked face. His eyes flickered with pity and guilt. "We could've been married by now. Why do you keep making a scene instead of letting it go?"

My nails dug into my palms. For three years, I'd swallowed his mantra.

When Lori wore his shirts and sprawled across our bed, he called her friendly and told me to chill. When she shredded my wedding dress and stole my gifts, he called her curious and told me to be patient. When she hid under our bed, eavesdropping on our intimate moments, he called her naïve and told me to be more understanding.

Now she'd murdered my sister, and he expected me to choke it down.

"Nobody gets to call me dramatic, least of all you, Herbert," I hissed.

He frowned, his tone almost pleading. "I swear, this is the last time. I know you're hurting over Gail, so I'm postponing the wedding. We'll give her a proper funeral. If you want to say goodbye, stop fighting me."

"Where is she?" I demanded, my voice cracking.

He seized my hand, his smile smug when I didn't pull away. But as he led me out, he stopped dead.

In the hall, before Gail's memorial shrine, a crowd danced under flashing lights to a thumping beat. Her photo lay crushed under Lori's stiletto, warped beyond recognition.

I screamed, shoving Herbert aside to snatch the photo. My eyes blazed with the urge to tear Lori apart.

"This is your idea of a proper funeral?" I demanded.

Herbert stayed silent, stepping protectively in front of Lori. She peeked out, slinging her arms over his shoulder, her eyes glinting with mockery.

"You're losing it?" she taunted. "This is a graveside bash, adding some life to the farewell. Otherwise, it's all doom and gloom. I'm not letting you and your sister tank my best friend's big day."

Chloe nodded, her nose in the air. "Gail brought this on herself. You expect us to cry over her? This party is a blast. She'd be drooling over the shirtless guys, even as a ghost."

I ground my teeth, glaring at Herbert. I had been an idiot to believe his promises.

"Last chance, Herbert!" I warned. "Keep shielding Lori, and we're not just done. I'll burn your world to ashes!"

He pressed his lips into a thin line, saying nothing. Her expression darkening, Lori lunged forward and slapped herself. "Mona, I'm sorry. I didn't know you'd go nuts like this, but for Herbert's happiness, I'd take a bullet."

She dropped to her knees, smashing her forehead against Gail's photo frame until blood streamed down her face. Herbert's jaw tightened, and he yanked her into his arms.

"I choose Lori. Happy now?" he snapped at me. "She's just had my back. You can't stand that because she is my best friend?"

He ripped off his belt, bound my knees, and forced me to kneel before Gail's photo. "If you're so set on mourning your sister, stay there and cry!"

Pain seared as the belt bit into my skin.

He led her upstairs and fussed over her wounds, a flock of private doctors buzzing around. She chuckled, "Relax, I'm a tough chick, not some delicate princess."

Then she winced, burrowing into his chest like a wounded bird. His eyes held a warmth I'd never felt from him.

This man, who flinched at a kiss, pressed his lips gently near her wound. "Just like when we were kids, one kiss, and it's all better."

My heart twisted, but I forced the pain down. Then the housekeeper who'd helped me before appeared, her face tight with worry.

She leaned close, whispering, "Miss Woodard, I've got proof of what they did to Gail. Meet me in the garden tonight. Don't let anyone see you."

That night, Lori and Herbert were holed up watching some private movie. Herbert untied my belt, his tone casual. "Lori has always been one of the boys, loving this stuff. I'm just hanging with her. Don't read into it."

I bit my tongue as he locked me back in the room.

When the villa quieted, I pried open the window and leapt from the second story, twisting my ankle on impact. Ignoring the pain, I sprinted to the garden and grabbed the phone the housekeeper had hidden.

Floodlights suddenly blazed, pinning me in their glare. The housekeeper dropped to her knees, her voice shrill. "Miss Reilly didn't touch your sister. You'll ruin her if you do this!"

Herbert stormed over, his face carved from granite, and slapped me across the face.

Behind him, Chloe clung to a disheveled Lori, glaring at me. "If the housekeeper hadn't tipped us off, we'd never have known you were sneaking out. Herbert, make her pay for hurting Lori!"

Herbert's fingers clamped around my throat, squeezing until black spots danced in my vision. "All this over some stupid wedding prank? You tried to frame Lori for an assault in the theater? Gail chased money and got burned. How is it Lori's fault? If I hadn't been there, she'd be ruined, and I'd despise you forever."

I forced a mocking laugh. "What, she's playing the victim now? Didn't she say assault is no big deal? Gail's life meant nothing, but Lori's got you all torn up?"

His grip tightened, and my face contorted in agony. "Gail wasn't even your real sister. Without her weighing you down, you're free. Marry me, and you'll have the life you always wanted."

My eyes blazed with tears, stunning him.

I shoved him off and slapped him hard. "I raised Gail like my own. Blood or not, she was my heart. Yeah, I'm tired of scraping by, but she was never a burden!"

My chest ached as if pierced by a blade. If I hadn't given in to Gail's pleas to stay, she might still be alive, shining as the Woodard family's star.

Herbert's fists clenched, his gaze lingering on the bruises on my neck. A flicker of guilt crossed his eyes, but Lori grabbed his hand, saying, "Your fiancée's spoiled rotten. Still going to coddle her? She's got you whipped."

His face hardened at her words. Lori smirked, her voice syrupy as she leaned in. "You're such a hopeless romantic. When a girl's pissed, you don't grovel. Let me handle her; I know women best."

She swung his hand playfully. "Worried I'll get hurt? Then ditch this marriage."

He pulled his hand free, and her eyes flickered.

She stomped toward me and hissed, "You know, when I pushed Gail off that balcony, her eyes burned with the same hatred you've got. You really think she jumped? It was supposed to be you they attacked, but she overheard my plan."

I lunged, my hands closing around her throat, squeezing with every ounce of rage. Taking her chance, she shoved a knife into my hand and screamed, "Herbert, she's got a knife!"

He charged, his boot slamming into my side. "You're out of your mind! Lori is trying to make peace, and you're hurting her?"