Chapter 3: They Gave Away My Wedding

A few weeks later, I went to my appointment at the hotel.

After that day, Noah came to see me twice. The first time, he brought coffee and breakfast, explaining that the fourteen thousand dollars was only a temporary loan. The second time, he sent me a new savings plan, promising the wedding wouldn’t be affected.

I didn’t argue with him.

Every time he spoke, I just nodded.

He thought the issue was settled.

When the hotel emailed to confirm the final tasting, Noah said something had come up at work and asked me to go ahead without him.

He also reminded me not to forget that Chloe couldn’t eat raw fish.

I went to the events floor alone.

The banquet manager hadn’t arrived yet, so I followed the deep blue carpet down the corridor.

Outside the ballroom that was supposed to be empty, a massive electronic welcome sign was already set up.

Champagne-colored patterns flowed across the screen.

In the center were two ornate lines of gold lettering:

Celebrating the Marriage of

Chloe Mercer

and Jason Black

I stopped.

In the bottom right corner was the date I had chosen.

It was the same ballroom I had reserved.

I had spent three months comparing menus, table linens, lighting, and seating capacity.

The deposit receipt was still in my inbox.

But my name wasn’t on the sign.

Neither was Noah’s.

“Miss Pierce?”

The banquet manager hurried over.

The moment she saw me standing in front of the screen, her professional smile froze.

I pointed at the sign.

“What is this?”

“You didn’t know?”

Her tone turned cautious as she opened the folder in her hands.

“Mr. Reed contacted us a week ago to change the reservation details. The couple’s names, the ceremony arrangements, and the dining date were all updated to Miss Mercer and Mr. Black.”

“A week ago?”

“Yes. He was listed as the secondary contact on the contract, and he provided the necessary account verification. We assumed the two of you had already discussed it.”

So while Noah was sitting across from me, assuring me our wedding wouldn’t be affected, he had already given it away.

A rush of footsteps sounded behind me.

“Rowan.”

Noah came down the hall.

The moment he saw the glowing sign, his expression shifted.

He reached for me.

I took half a step back, and his hand fell short.

“You gave our wedding to Chloe?”

“Just hear me out.”

“Answer me.”

Noah’s lips pressed into a thin line.

“Yes.”

The banquet manager murmured something about preparing the menu and turned to leave.

Then it was just the two of us in the empty hallway.

Noah lowered his voice.

“Chloe and Jason need to get married as soon as possible. She’s already starting to show. If they look for a new venue now, they won’t find anything until next year at the earliest.”

“So you gave her ours.”

“The deposit wasn’t wasted, and the date can still be used. It’s just the names on the reservation that changed.”

Just.

As if the bride’s name could be swapped out like a line item on a form.

“What about us?”

“We can postpone.”

He answered too quickly, and I knew he’d had this all planned out.

“We can save the money again. We can book another venue. Our relationship is stable—waiting a few months won’t change anything. But Chloe’s situation is different. She needs security right now. And Jason is willing to take responsibility. We should support them.”

I looked at him.

He still wore that same calm, reasonable expression, as if he hadn’t taken my wedding from me at all.

He’d simply made the most mature decision for everyone involved.

“Rowan, she’s pregnant. She needs a proper start more than you do.”

After he said it, he waited for me to protest.

Waited for me to cry or raise my voice.

Then he could wrap his arms around me, tell me not to be difficult, and promise he’d make it up to me later.

But suddenly, I didn’t want to ask him anything else.

The veil.

The brunch.

The fourteen thousand dollars.

And now the wedding.

It wasn’t that they kept forgetting about me.

It was that they had always believed I could be put last.

I looked at Noah for a few quiet seconds, then nodded.

“I understand.”

He blinked, clearly caught off guard.

“Good. Once Chloe’s wedding is over, we can—”

I turned and walked toward the elevator.

“Rowan?”

I didn’t stop.

“We still haven’t confirmed the menu,” his voice followed me. “At the very least, we should talk about a new date.”

The elevator doors opened.

I stepped inside and pressed the button for the lobby.

Noah stood at the far end of the hall, and for the first time, he didn’t use that calm, certain voice to tell me to be understanding.

“Rowan, where are you going?”

I looked at him and said nothing.

The elevator doors slowly closed on his uneasy stare.