It wasn't anything new. Just Caleb leaning on the same excuse that always worked.

My family? His free pass to do whatever he wanted.

Deep down, he really believed he was above me. Like marrying me was him settling.

Only now did it click. This whole thing was never equal. It should've ended a long time ago.

I took a breath, swallowing the lump in my throat, and nodded.

"You're right." My voice came out calm—too calm. "With a family like mine, I'm not worthy of you, Caleb. So yeah... 'Mrs. Gorman'? I'll pass. Give it to whoever you think fits better."

A flicker of panic crossed Caleb's eyes. "Mira, that's not what I meant—"

He didn't get to finish.

Holly stood, walked straight over.

White strapless gown. Full skirt. Flawless makeup. She looked like a second bride.

She stopped between us, fake surprise all over her face.

"Mira, you're not seriously mad over something this small, are you?"

I glanced at her. Said nothing.

She rolled her eyes, annoyed. "Why are you so petty? It's just a few photos. That's how we joke. Keep this up, Caleb's friends won't like you."

She paused, then raised her voice on purpose.

"Besides, Caleb and I grew up together. We even slept naked next to each other as kids. Don't tell me you're jealous of that too?"

The room started buzzing.

Caleb's face darkened.

Disgust hit. I stepped around her, ready to leave.

Holly slid in front of me, blocking me hard. "You can't leave. As Caleb's best bro, I'm not letting you walk out like this. If you leave, what does that do to his image?"

I let out a short laugh.

"When you played those kissing pics and smiled, calling yourself his 'wife number two,' did you think about his image then?"

Her face went pale. She shut up.

A second later, like she had nothing left to lose, she planted herself in front of me.

"I don't care! You're finishing this wedding today. If not, you're not leaving this place!"

The anger I'd been holding snapped.

"Move!"

She froze.

Then Caleb stepped in, pulling Holly behind him. The look he gave me—pure blame.

"Mira, if you're mad, take it out on me. Don't make it hard for her!"

I slowly lifted my eyes to him.

"Make it hard for her? Caleb Gorman, open your eyes. From start to finish, who's been making it hard for whom?"

I ripped off the diamond ring we were about to exchange and hurled it at their feet.

It hit the floor with a sharp crack.

I looked at them, voice steady. "You care about each other that much? Then you two can finish the wedding."

Caleb's brows pulled tight. "Stop being ridiculous!"

Holly scoffed, all attitude. "If my existence bothers you that much, fine. I'll cut Caleb off. As long as you finish the wedding, I swear I'll never show up in front of you again. That should make you feel better, right?"

She made a whole show of leaving, looking wronged.

Caleb grabbed her wrist. "Holly, we've known each other for over twenty years. How are we supposed to just cut ties?"

She spun back, pointing at me, voice sharp with resentment. "Then what do you want me to do? Your bride treats me like I'm trying to steal her place. If I don't leave, what am I supposed to do? This way, she can finally get married in peace, right?"

Every word hit like an accusation.

Like I was the problem. The one making a scene. The one pushing her out.

I didn't have it in me to argue. Didn't want to watch their act anymore.

I walked out without looking back.

Caleb came after me.

Outside the hotel, he caught up, already impatient.

"If you're still upset, fine. We'll postpone the wedding. When you calm down, we'll do it again."

I let out a sharp laugh. "Do it again? Next time is she putting your bed pics on the big screen?"

"Mira!" His face went red. "Take one more step, and you deal with the consequences."

I stopped, looked at him, confused.

He caught that—and leaned in.

"Your dad just asked me for money. I already lined up a job for your brother. You walk away now? No money. Job's gone."

I froze.

I had no idea when my family went to him—or that he'd been doing all this behind my back.

"What did you just say?"

He thought I was playing dumb.

"Stop acting." He stepped closer. "Come back with me, and we forget this ever happened. Walk away, and think about what happens to your family."

I stared at him. Familiar—yet not at all.

After a long beat, I laughed, eyes stinging.

"You disgust me."

I didn't look at him again. I got in the car and drove off, no hesitation, leaving that humiliation behind.

At a red light, my phone buzzed twice.

One message—from Caleb.

[Mira, all these years, the only person I've loved is you. The only woman who'll ever be my wife is you.]

A dull ache hit my chest, knocking the air out of me.

Caleb loved me.

And he also thought he was the best I'd ever get.

That's why he was so sure I wouldn't leave.

Why he stayed too close to Holly—no boundaries.

Why he brushed off every complaint.

Why I was the "immature" one every time I got hurt.

Why, even today, he let her humiliate me in public.

He thought as long as he had money and power, as long as he could help my family, I should be grateful—just accept everything.

If this marriage went through, I could already see the ending.

Endless compromise.

Endless resentment.

Endless favoritism.

And in the end—ruin.

The other notification was an email from my mentor, Pierre Creighton.

He was inviting me—again—to study abroad. Said with my eye for fashion, I shouldn't throw away my shot to grow.

The email sat there in my inbox, like the one bright spot in all this mess.

***

I drove back to my small rented apartment.

Not big, but clean, quiet—mine.

I turned off my phone, peeled off the heavy wedding dress, and washed the makeup off my face.

Then I collapsed onto the bed and passed out.

I don't know how long I slept. Violent pounding on the door yanked me awake.

"Mira! Open up! Now!"

I rubbed my throbbing forehead and dragged myself to the door.

Outside—my dad, hooked on gambling, and my younger brother, Brandon.

The second my dad walked in, he lit a cigarette like he owned the place, smoke drifting everywhere.

The small living room filled up fast.

Brandon dropped onto my couch, slouched like he didn't care.

My dad took a drag and went off. "What was that today? A perfectly good wedding, and you just canceled it? You trying to kill me?

"Your mom died too early—no one taught you. A daughter obeys her father, then her husband.

"The Gormans have everything. They didn't even look down on us, and you still humiliated them."

Brandon chimed in, lazy as ever. "Mira, I'm the only son. I carry the family name. Caleb said once you married him, he'd back me, set me up. You're supposed to support me. Now you wrecked the wedding—what am I supposed to do?"

Their logic wore me out.

"Support you?" I let out a cold laugh. "When you blew tens of thousands and Dad racked up gambling debt, who paid it back, piece by piece? Me.

"So how am I supposed to support you? You're a lost cause—and I'm still expected to fix you?"

They went quiet. Then one look at each other—and they switched tactics.

My dad crushed his cigarette and sighed, putting on a sad act. "Mira, I'm old. My health's bad. Debt collectors show up every day. If I can't pay, they'll beat me to death. You really gonna watch me die?"

Brandon sat up, suddenly tense. "If I can't pay my debts, I'll get blacklisted. My life's over. Our family's done!"

"That's on you," I said, cold. "Dad, I told you to stop gambling. Brandon, I told you to stay out of those bad investments. Did either of you listen?"

My dad slapped his thigh, stubborn as ever. "I don't care! You're this family's daughter. You take care of us! Call Caleb. Apologize. Make up with him. Only if you get back together will he help us pay it off!"

Brandon piled on. "Yeah, call him. Hurry up. You're just a woman—how much can you even make? Only Caleb can save us!"

When I stayed quiet, my dad sighed again. "How about this? Call Caleb. Have him come get you. Gives you a way out."

Brandon nodded fast. "Yeah, have him pick you up. Saves your pride too."

Like what Caleb did didn't matter at all.

Right then, whatever I had left for them—gone.

I nodded. "Fine. I'll call."

I pulled out my phone and dialed a number I hadn't touched in five years.

It rang a few times.

I took a breath. My voice came out calm. Steady.

"Come get me tomorrow."

***

After I hung up, Dad and Brandon both let out long sighs, smiling like they'd won.

Then they started in on me all over again.