“I was confused.”
“For months?”
“Itan understood things you didn’t.”
The instant she said it, she seemed to regret it.
Liam’s expression changed completely.
Not anger.
Clarity.
Sofia had been trying to save herself, but instead she had finally said the thing that made reconciliation impossible.
Liam took off the boutonniere attached to his tuxedo and placed it on the nearest table.
“The wedding is over.”
Sofia stared at him.
“No.”
“It’s over.”
“You can’t decide this while you’re angry.”
“I’m not angry enough yet.”
His calm frightened her.
Around us, the guests remained motionless.
Nobody knew whether to leave, intervene, or pretend they had not witnessed the collapse of two relationships in less than ten minutes.
Sofia looked around the ballroom as if searching for an ally.
She found none.
Then she looked at me.
“Chloe, please tell him not to do this.”
I almost admired the audacity.
“You want me to save your wedding?”
Her mouth trembled.
“I made a terrible mistake.”
“You made the same mistake repeatedly for months.”
“It wasn’t about hurting you.”
“That doesn’t make it better.”
Itan stepped toward me again.
“Can we go somewhere private now?”
“No.”
“Chloe.”
“My answer is no.”
He lowered his voice so only I could hear.
“You’re emotional.
Don’t make permanent decisions in front of everyone.”
Something inside me went completely still.
For five years, Itan had known exactly which words could calm me, persuade me, make me question whether I was reacting too strongly.
But those words had no power anymore.
I removed my wedding ring.
His eyes dropped to my hand.
That finally frightened him.
“Don’t.”
I placed the ring in his palm and closed his fingers around it.
“I’ll contact you about everything else after I speak to a lawyer.”
“Chloe, you’re my wife.”
“I was your wife on that balcony too.”
He had no answer.
Liam moved beside me.
Itan glared at him.
“You think you’re better than me?”
“No,” Liam said.
“I think I’m done with both of you.”
Hotel staff had begun quietly gathering near the edge of the ballroom after realizing the ceremony would not continue.
Liam asked them to help clear the space and make sure there was no confrontation.
