Before the Bells Ring

Three days before the wedding, the church called to inform me that my fiancé had changed the date.

When I went to ask him why, I walked in on him throwing a bachelor party with his friends.

"Samuel, this was the day Claire personally chose. Why would you suddenly change it?" someone asked.

Samuel Gordon stubbed out his cigarette, looking utterly nonchalant.

"Because that day happens to be Janet's birthday," he said. "I need to celebrate it with her."

The room fell silent in shock.

"Aren't you afraid Claire will find out and kill you? Have you forgotten what she did before?"

At the mention of my name, Samuel gave an icy snort.

"That was all in the past. Claire loves me to death now. She even took three bullets for me once, so how could she ever bring herself to hurt me?"

I stood at the doorway, watching the snow fall behind me, and let out a long sigh.

Five days later, he stood in an empty church, frantically calling my phone.

"Did you forget? It's our wedding day!"

"I didn't forget," I said.

In another church, wearing a wedding gown, I was saying "I do" to another man.

I picked out the wedding date myself, bright and early.

It was supposed to be the day Samuel Gordon would shout our love from the rooftops for the whole world to hear.

My dad even skipped out on a deal worth millions, flying in from Francoria just for me.

However, Samuel's offhand comment made it all meaningless.

I stared at the snowflake melting in my hand, a bitter ache spreading through my chest.

"So, Samuel, when are you going to break the news to Claire?" asked the guy next to him in the private room.

Samuel flicked his hand, clearly annoyed.

"Why bother telling her? She's been all in on this wedding lately; she's probably figured it out by now."

He checked his watch. "The fact she hasn't come after me just proves I'm right. Claire will go along with whatever I decide."

The guy lifted his glass in a salute, "That's our Mr. Gordon. Remember how Claire turned Twilight City inside out to get your attention? And now, just a few years later, you've got her eating out of your hand."

"If her tough-as-nails father, the Don, knew how meek his little heiress has gotten, he'd probably keel over."

Samuel's laugh was tinged with smugness, and his eyes sparkled with triumph.

Then his phone buzzed, and he smirked as he read the message.

"Let's tidy up, folks. My darling's on her way."

Everyone exchanged confused looks, not sure what to make of it.

I spun around on instinct and saw a girl in a pink coat dashing toward the hotel.

She stopped in front of me, gave her umbrella a shake, and dumped it into my arms like I was some bellboy.

I snorted and tossed the umbrella right back at her.

"Ah---"

She yelped, clutching the back of