BETRAYED: THE BILLIONAIRE'S ABANDONED BRIDE

"Where is he?" I whispered, clutching my smartphone so tightly my knuckles turned white. My wedding ceremony dress felt heavy, the intricate beadwork weighing down on my shoulders like armor.

Emily, my cousin, approached with the subject etched across her face. "Anything?"

I shook my head, looking to swallow past the lump forming in my throat. "Nothing. It's over an hour, Em. And he's not here."

"There may be traffic? Or his cellphone died?" Even she didn't sound convinced. We both knew David was hell bent on punctuality. So this was so unlike him.

"I've called him seventeen times." My voice cracked as I spoke the phrases aloud. "Seventeen."

The corridor behind me buzzed with the awkward mumurs of a hundred visitors pretending not to notice the absence of a groom. I sensed their whispers like pinpricks against my pores and skin, the slow awareness spread across the room that something was wrong.

My cellphone vibrated in my hand. My heart leapt, then plummeted as I checked the caller ID.

"David," I called, comfort washing over me despite everything. "Where are you? Everyone's-"

"I cannot do this, Claire."

Four phrases. Four simple words that shattered everything.

"What?" I whispered, positive I'd misheard. "What do you mean? The ceremony was supposed to begin an hour ago. People are waiting. I'm waiting."

There was a pause. A long one.

"I'm no longer coming."

The world suddenly tilted sideways. I gripped the statue behind me, suddenly afraid I might collapse.

"Is this a few types of comic story?" I asked, my voice sounding distant even to my ears. "Because it's not funny, David. It's genuinely not funny."

"I'm sorry." His voice was flat, devoid of the warmth I'd gotten used to after four years together. "I should have told you earlier. I simply... could not find the words."

"Told me what?"

"I'm in love with someone else."

The blood drained from my face. "Who?"

Another pause. Even longer this time.

"Jessica."

My best friend's name hung in the air among us like a death sentence. Jessica, who had helped me choose this very wedding dress. Jessica, who was supposed to be my maid of honor but had called in sick this morning. Jessica, who had known David nearly as long as I had.

"How long?" I managed to say, my voice firm despite the trembling inside.

"Eight months."

Eight months. While we had been making plans for our wedding ceremony. While I was tasting cakes and deciding on plant life, and writing vows that now seemed like useless jokes.

"Eight months," I repeated numbly. "Were you ever going to tell me? Or were you simply going to make me discover like this, on our wedding day, in front of each person we know?"

"I didn't plan it this way," David stated, a touch of defensiveness creeping into his tone. "I was going to tell you this week, but then your dad made that toast at the rehearsal dinner about how glad he was that you'd found a person who would never hurt you, I just... I could not do it then."

"But now?" My voice rose, drawing concerned glances from visitors milling near the doorway. "When I'm in my wedding dress? When have families flown from throughout the U.S.S.? When I've spent the last years of my life making plans for today?"

"It's trying to lead you on when I knew I loved someone else."

The calm rationality in his voice made me want to scream. "And that is honest? This is your concept of honesty?"

Emily approached cautiously, her eyes huge with worry. I waved her away, turning back to the reception.

"Where are you right now?" I demanded.

David hesitated. "I'm with Jess. We're... We are at the airport."

My heart shattered. I pictured them together, perhaps holding hands as they waited to board a plane that could take them far away from the wreckage they'd created.

"You're running away already," I stated flatly. "On my wedding day."

"Claire, I-"

"No." I cut him off, surprised by the firmness in my voice. "No, you don't get to talk anymore. You've said enough."

I ended the decision and stared at my smartphone display, watching it blur through my tears. I noticed a message immediately.

*I am sorry. You deserve better than me.*

A strangled chuckle escaped my throat. Now he decided to be honest.

Another message popped in again.

*Please don't hate Jessica. This isn't her fault.*

Rage flared inside me, so hot and sudden it momentarily burned away the pain. I threw my phone towards the stone wall, watching with savage delight as it shattered, similar to my heart.

"Claire? What happened? What did he say?" She questioned.

I turned to her, my eyes filled with tears. "He's not coming."

"What?" Her face paled. "Why?"

"He's with Jessica." The words tasted like poison. "My maid of honor. My best friend. They've been having an affair for 8 months."

Emily's hand flew to her mouth. "Oh my God."

"They're at the airport," I persisted, my voice strangely detached.

"That bastard," Emily hissed. "That absolute bastard."

I nodded, glancing back at the corridor doorways. Through the glass, I may want to see my father searching the gang, probably searching for me. In a few moments, he could come outside and ask what happened. And then I would have to tell him. I might have to inform everyone.

"What do you want to do?" Emily requested softly.

What did I want to do? I wanted to rewind time. I wanted to go back to this morning when I'd woken up enthusiastic about marrying the love of my life. I wanted to head back further, to when David and Jessica had first betrayed me, and notice the signs I'd glaringly missed. I wanted to scream, to break something, to twist into a ball and disappear.

Instead, I straightened and wiped the tears from my face.

"I need to tell them the marriage is off."

The words hung in the air, devastatingly.

Emily squeezed my hand. "I'll be right beside you."

I took a deep breath and pushed open the doors, moving into the reception hall wherein my future awaited. Now it was different.

Heads turned, and I entered. Conversations stopped mid-sentence. My father noticed me and rushed over, worry glaring in his eyes.

"Claire, honey, what is happening? Where's David?"

I looked into his eyes, the eyes that had raised me, comforted me, believed in me, and observed when I couldn't form the words.

"The wedding has been called off."