Chapter 18 The voice pierced through the soft garden air like a blade. My heart skipped a beat. I turned, slowly, unsure if I was dreaming. But I wasn't. There, at the end of the aisle, stood Troy. Disheveled. Breathless. Eyes wild with desperation. Gasps echoed from every side. Guests twisted in their seats, whispering, questioning. The string quartet stopped playing altogether, stunned into silence. I couldn't move. Troy's eyes locked on mine like they were tethered to something that no longer existed. His chest rose and fell in erratic waves. "Taylor… please." Scott tensed beside me, but his grip on my hand stayed firm-steady and grounding. "I'm sorry," Troy cried, walking toward us. "I know I don't deserve this moment. But you can' marry him. Not yet. Not like this." The officiant stepped back, unsure of what to do. Scott stood still, but I felt his muscles shift ready to defend me if needed. And for a moment, everything blurred-because all I could see was the before. Troy, holding my hand in our kitchen, smiling like he was proud to call me his wife. The quie mornings when I'd cook breakfast, thinking those gestures would be enough. The nights I waitec for him to come home-only to be met with silence or excuses. 'You're all I need," he once whispered to me beneath the stars. But even then, I had seen the way his phone lit up with her name. Vanessa. He used to laugh with her in ways he never laughed with me. They had a world I wasn't part of- a world he made sure I was excluded from. The worst part? I blamed myself. I thought maybe I wasn't beautiful enough. Maybe I wasn't interesting. Maybe I was too clingy too emotional. I kept shrinking myself, dimming my dreams, begging to fit into a life that already had no space for me. And when I walked into the room that day-my wedding photo crumpled, my clothes gone, Vanessa in my house, myhusband's arms-something in me shattered. It had always been her. Even when it was supposed to be me. Even when I was the one who stayed, who forgave, who loved. I had loved him so fiercely, so blindly, that I didn't see I was never his choice. I was the placeholder until Vanessa returned. The second-best. The replaceable one. But not anymore. Not today. Troy," I said, my voice low and sharp. "You shouldn't be here." "I had to come," he begged. "I needed to tell you I'm sorry. Everything… everything was a lie. Vanessa lied to all of us. I should've known. I should've believed you. I was a coward. I let you go when I should've fought for you." People murmured louder now. Confused. Intrigued. Embarrassed. "You're married," I said quietly, coldly. "To my sister." "No," he shook his head violently. "I'm not anymore. I filed for divorce the moment I found out everything. It's over, Taylor. Please… don't do this. Don't marry him. Not when I still love you. never stopped." Two security marshals approached him from behind. One of the coordinators signaled for them to escort him out. Troy noticed and quickly dropped to his knees in front of everyone. "Please! Just give me a chance to fix this!" He clasped his hands, shaking. "You were always the one. Even when I didn't say it, even when I was too blind to see it. I was wrong. So wrong. But please… don't leave me like this." His voice cracked. Tears streamed down his face. I stood frozen. Not out of shock, not because I doubted my choice-but because I finally saw the man who had once been my whole world… now shattered at my feet. "I loved you," I said calmly. "More than anyone. But you chose silence. You chose her. You chose to believe everyone else but me." He sobbed. "I know. I know. I was stupid. I was scared. But please… come back. I'll do anything." "You already did," I said, my tone growing colder. "You buried me while I was still alive." The security team moved in to grab him, but he tried to fight back. 'I said no! I'm not leaving without her!" he shouted, struggling as the men seized his arms. 'Taylor! Please!" turned to the guards. "Get him out." They nodded and yanked him away, but Troy thrashed violently. One of them punched him hard n the stomach. Another slammed a fist across his jaw. His knees buckled, and he hit the ground. Still, he reached out to me. 'Taylor…" he croaked. "Please… I love you…" The guests watched in horror. But I didn't flinch. I faced the officiant. "Sorry for the commotion. Where were we?" The officiant hesitated, clearly rattled, but I gave him a firm nod. He cleared his throat. "Right. Taylor… do you take Scott to be your lawfully wedded husband?" "I do," I said, louder than before. Scott smiled, tears in his eyes. "And I do, too." "You may now kiss the bride." Scott pulled me close, cupping my face, and kissed me softly-like the world had gone silent again. A kiss that tasted like peace. Like healing. Like everything I had fought to deserve. The crowd clapped. Music resumed. But from the corner of my eye, I saw Troy, still kneeling, beaten and broken near the gate. Still whispering. Still begging. As we sealed our vows, he watched-helplessly-while I chose someone who never stopped choosing me.