pte

n caught by movement at the altar

own w

that most people would miss but Kate had known him long enough to read

eaned over to whisper somethin

Something was wrong. S

xperimental notes. The guests started shifting, murmuri

No messages from Silver.

read with Silver and t

espo

ing was getting louder. Kate cou

n a Winters

he's just

the Jessica

. God, if people were already c

w and made her way to the altar. Kate watched her lean close to Seris, speaking in t

ed to her seat,

ed playing. The si

cathedral d

topilot, began the bridal march. The guests st

ilver would appear, beautiful and radiant, and whatever weirdnes

houetted in the do

't even

g suit and glasses that kept sliding down his nose. He clutched a pie

onversation. People were half-stan

grace, but with the shuffling gait of someone who desperately wanted

e settle in

o

wasn't

im with an expression Kate couldn't read-too many

hroat. Tried to speak. Fail

. "I'm... I'm Th-Thomas. I work for the W-Winters family.

etely silent. Even Silver's

is voice cracked. He cleared his throat again. "That the wedding is c-cancelled. She apologizes for any inconv

nt, nothin

eleased a pause button, e

ate's six brothers all reacted in unison, their voices overlapp

That wa

arning a scandalized

LLED?" David, apparent

e, Seris's brothers

ually the most composed,

One of the cousins couldn't

y her perfectly composed expression cracked, just for a moment, into some

till. Silver's mother had a hand pressed to her mouth. Her fa

ctually laughing, her hand over her mouth, shoulders shaking.

ally twitch, like something ha

worse tha

t in private, to let the relationship implode before a wedding was planned. This-this was p

statue, his expression completely blank. Only his ha

tuttered out, "I'm s-sorry. I'm so sorry. I should-I'll just-" He practic

hen c

e were standing, gesturing, pulling out

you be

im at th

hought she

or S

humili

a, at least Jessica

xted her this morning. Had apologized. Had said

liate Seris in front o

r's hand on her ar

est felt tight, her eyes were stingin

said something too quiet to hear, and walked toward the side ex

w, but Cameron caught h

mily, past other guests, making her way toward the sid

where he was standing with his back to

er

e was flat. "Just

ar. She's worse than Jes

hadn't turned around. "

he could stop them. "You're my best friend, and she

ression was so carefully controlled it made Kate want

lf. "Seris, this is-this is a disaster! This is worse tha

w, Kate. I've known for months that this was a mistake. And maybe-" His jaw tightene

im. "What are yo

the chaos of the cathedral, leaving Kate standing alone in the

out this m

ng at