Chapter 2

On the inside of Liam's white shirt collar, there was a faint smudge of Chloe's lipstick.

…

"Emma, what are you waiting for? Just apologize. Everyone's watching."

Liam frowned when I didn't respond, his voice laced with urgency and pressure.

A few of the bridesmaids who were close to Chloe saw that I showed no remorse and immediately jumped in to pile on.

"Emma, what is wrong with you? You do something awful, and you're still acting so entitled?"

"Exactly! I knew something was up this morning when you refused to have a male makeup artist and insisted on swapping the whole team for women. Turns out you had an agenda—you just can't stand having men around!"

Another bridesmaid raised her voice with absolute certainty.

"I saw it with my own eyes ten minutes ago! Emma hiked up her dress and headed to the VIP room at the end of the second floor! I wondered what she was doing there. Now I know exactly what kind of disgusting business she was up to."

The rumor had just formed a perfect, airtight loop.

Before I could even open my mouth to defend myself, Chloe pulled out her phone with a trembling hand and shoved the screen in everyone's face.

"Emma... if you really didn't mean to do anything wrong, then why did you send me this text?"

On the screen, clearly showing my profile picture and name, was a message sent fifteen minutes ago.

[Chloe, come to the VIP lounge at the end of the second floor. I have a surprise for you.]

But even more damning—there was a string of explicit photos above it. Mirror selfies of me in nothing but lace lingerie.

"For the last two weeks, Emma has been sending me these photos late at night..."

Chloe was shaking so hard she could barely stand, her face a mask of humiliation and terror.

"I didn't think anything of it at first! I thought... I thought she just liked dressing up and saw me as her closest friend, the kind you share girl talk with. Every time, I stupidly complimented her on her body and her clothes..."

She suddenly lifted her head, pointed at me, and burst into tears.

"Until today! Until just now, when she trapped me in that lounge, ripped my dress, and forced herself on me—that's when I finally understood exactly what kind of sick game she was playing!

"I treated you like a real sister, and you used that to manipulate and violate me!"

The room completely erupted.

If everyone had just been suspicious before, now they were convinced.

The looks in the guests' eyes shifted into something much darker. Whispers and pointed fingers washed over me like a wave.

"Oh my God. She even sent those kinds of photos?"

"Liam must be cursed. He's marrying a woman who not only likes women but sexually assaults her bridesmaid?"

"Someone call the police. She needs to be locked up."

I lowered my gaze.

Earlier that morning, Liam had taken my phone, claiming he needed to double-check the final guest list.

"Enough."

A voice cut through the chaos—authoritative, dripping with disapproval. Liam's mother, Evelyn Reynold, emerged from the crowd with her relatives in tow.

She didn't scream like some trashy woman off the street. Instead, she looked down at me as if she were doing me the greatest possible favor simply by acknowledging my existence.

"Emma, the Reynolds family may not be old money, but we have standards. There is no room for this kind of perverted, shameful behavior."

She sighed heavily and took Liam's hand.

"My poor, foolish son, still blindly in love with you. Even after all this, he's willing to look past your... your disgusting little fetish."