Chapter 2

Ralph's eyes were icy when they met mine, as if I were nothing more than some villain who had hurt Raven. It was like he'd forgotten I was his fiancee. Raven held onto his shirt, trembling, looking frightened and wronged. And there I was, standing across from them like some vicious woman trying to tear them apart. It suddenly struck me how ridiculous and pathetic it all was. It was ridiculous that I'd spent ten years giving in to Raven, backing down again and again. It was pathetic that I'd poured a decade of feelings into this. I shook off Ralph's hand. He froze. It was the first time in all these years that I'd been the one to pull away. I held his gaze, my voice steady. "Ralph, if I'd died a month ago because Raven swapped my inhaler with pepper spray, would you have called the police? "Or would you have brushed it off as her throwing a childish tantrum and continued protecting her?" For a moment, he didn't answer. Then, as firm as ever, he said, "You and Raven both matter to me. So… don't make things hard for me, okay?" I laughed until tears ran down my cheeks. "Fine," I said. "Then let her suffer as I did, and I won't make things difficult." His face darkened. Raven came over in tears, her shoulders trembling with every sob. "Erin, I'm sorry, I… I couldn't bear to part with Ralph." Her tears fell like they were endless, and she clung to my hand as she sobbed. "We grew up together, and thinking about Ralph getting married just… it hurts. Don't blame him—if anyone's at fault, it's me for not knowing better." Noticing the pity in his eyes, she burst into even louder sobs. "It's all my fault. I shouldn't have held him back just because I didn't want to lose him. I shouldn't have gotten in the way of your wedding. From now on, I won't have Ralph to rely on anymore… I'll have to grow up, I guess." The crowd whispered among themselves, their voices dripping with the accusation that I was being heartless. But I'd become numb to it. Whenever she cried, Ralph felt sorry for her—that was her usual tactic. When I didn't react, Raven's gaze flickered, and a sly smile tugged at her lips. "Erin, please…" She suddenly threw herself at me, clinging to me. Then she leaned close to my ear and said viciously, "That slap you gave me? Time to return the favor." With that, she grabbed my hand and suddenly let herself fall off the stage. A dull thud echoed, and no one had time to react. Raven hit the ground hard, her elbows and knees scraped raw and bloody. "Raven!" Ralph rushed over, checking her injuries with tense, hurried hands. She clung to him, burying her face in his chest as she sobbed. He held her tightly, his heart aching for her. Her voice shook with guilt and remorse. "This is all my fault! I ruined your wedding! If Erin told me to jump off a building right now, I'd deserve it!" She tried to break free and rushed toward the window, but he caught her and pulled her tightly into his arms. "Raven, don't do this to yourself. It breaks my heart." His eyes blazed with anger as they landed on me. "She's just spoiled, that's all! Why can't you just tolerate her? Someone as petty as you isn't fit to marry into the Sadler family!" The look in his eyes was so cold, so unfamiliar, it made me feel like my heart had been plunged into icy water. Being "spoiled" had given her the right to slash my wedding dress. Being "spoiled" had allowed her to swap my asthma inhaler for pepper spray. What would come next? If Raven ever killed someone, would Ralph just shrug and say she was used to getting her way? Raven gently patted Ralph on the back, pretending to be considerate. "Don't blame Erin, Ralph. This is all my fault. I was immature. "If Erin wants to punish me, she has every right." Ralph became even more heartbroken and angry, and he continued to blame me. "Raven's been more than reasonable! What else do you want from her? Are you out to get her? "Erin, when did you become so wicked? Just because nobody loves you, you can't stand anyone else loving her?"