Chapter 4
The next two days, Lila seemed determined to remind me that James was still hers.
The pictures came one after another. First, they were together in her hospital room.
Then at an expensive Italian restaurant, sharing a bottle of wine. The last showed Lila sitting in the passenger seat of James's car, his hand resting casually on her thigh.
I opened the messages, then blocked the numbers they came from.
I had a wedding to prepare for. I wasn't going to spend my final days before marrying Gideon Vitale watching my ex-boyfriend play house with another woman.
The night before the ceremony, a message arrived from one of James's closest friends.
Alessia, I think you should give James another chance. He's been miserable since the wedding fell apart. He's planning something special for tomorrow. He's going to propose to you properly and make up for everything. Come to The Whitmore Grand Hotel. Don't let your pride ruin what you two have.
I read it with a faint smile.
Then I replied.
All right. I'll be there.
Why wouldn't I?
My own wedding to Gideon was taking place at the same hotel.
As if the message weren't enough, Lila soon sent me a video.
James was surrounded by friends in what looked like a private dining room. Drinks covered the table, and Lila sat close beside him, looking particularly pleased with herself.
Someone behind the camera laughed.
“So, James, how's your little fiancée? Still giving you trouble?”
Another man chimed in.
“Seriously, you put up with that face for three years. She should be grateful you ever considered marrying her.”
The room erupted in laughter.
James raised his glass.
“I used to let her get away with things because she knew how to behave. Now she's getting too comfortable. Maybe it's time she learned a lesson.”
“That's our man!”
Someone began chanting for James and Lila to drink together. He laughed, slipped an arm around her, and clinked his glass against hers.
Lila leaned against his shoulder.
I watched until the video ended.
Then I blocked her number, too.
Apparently, they were still convinced I would come crawling back.
They were about to be disappointed.
The following morning, I sat in the private bridal suite on the top floor of The Whitmore Grand Hotel.
A makeup artist stood behind me, carefully removing the last traces of my disguise.
The painted freckles disappeared first. Then the heavy foundation that had dulled my complexion. When she finished, I looked at the reflection staring back at me.
For years, I'd made sure nobody saw this face.
Today, I had no reason to hide it.
The Vitale wedding gown had been replaced by a custom-designed ivory ensemble, its fitted silhouette and intricate crystal detailing catching the light. The family had arranged everything down to the smallest detail.
A woman from the Vitale household came in to tell me the ceremony was ready.
I took one final look at myself before following her.
Two floors below, James had arranged an elaborate proposal for Lila.
White roses covered the private event room. Candles flickered along the tables, and a large floral display framed the spot where he intended to get down on one knee.
Lila stood beside him in a pale designer dress, holding his arm.
Yet James kept glancing toward the entrance.
“Don't worry,” Lila whispered. “She'll come.”
James checked his phone.
“She'd better. I'm not going to keep chasing her.”
An hour passed.
I still hadn't appeared.
His expression grew increasingly impatient. He was about to call one of his friends when the hotel manager hurried into the room.
“Mr. Carter, I'm afraid you'll need to wrap up your event.”
James frowned. “Excuse me?”
“There's a private wedding taking place on the top floor. The Vitale family has reserved the entire floor, and their guests have started arriving. We need to keep the elevators and upper-level corridors clear.”
Lila exchanged a look with James.
“The Vitale family?” she asked.
The manager nodded, looking uncomfortable.
“Yes. I'm sure you understand that we can't risk disturbing their event.”
Lila tugged gently at James's sleeve.
“Maybe we should go upstairs and take a look.”
James scoffed.
“Why?”
She lowered her voice.
“Well, if Alessia really is marrying Gideon Vitale, shouldn't we congratulate her? It would be rather embarrassing if she found out we were here and thought we were avoiding her.”
James laughed.
“She's not marrying him. She's obviously made the whole thing up.”
Still, James and Lila took the elevator upstairs, followed by several of their friends.
As they approached the private ballroom, James pulled out his phone and opened my contact.
He sent a voice message.
“Alessia, stop this nonsense. I already know the truth about your little engagement story. The Vitale family is holding a wedding upstairs today, and you expect me to believe it's yours?”
He paused before continuing.
“You have ten minutes to come downstairs and talk to me. If you do, I'll forget everything that's happened over the past few days.”
He tapped send.
At that very moment, the massive double doors before them began to swing open.
The ballroom fell silent.
A wave of warm light spilled into the corridor as the guests inside turned toward the entrance. Beneath the brilliance of the chandeliers, I stepped out in an exquisite ivory bridal gown, its countless crystals catching the light with every movement.
My disguise was gone.
The freckles, the dull foundation, the oversized glasses—none of them remained.
James froze.
His eyes locked onto mine, then traveled over my familiar features as if he were desperately trying to reconcile the woman standing before him with the girl he'd spent three years looking down on.
“Alessia?”
His voice came out barely above a whisper.
“No... That's impossible.”
Then he suddenly pushed forward.
“Alessia!”
He barely made it two steps before several men in black suits moved between us. One caught his arm while another forced him back, keeping him well away from the ballroom entrance.
“Let go of me!” James struggled against them. “I need to talk to her!”
Lila stood frozen behind him, her face drained of color.
I didn't even turn around.
Then a deep, cold voice sounded beside me.
“Who the hell let this piece of trash get close to my wife?”
