Chapter 4

“Delia, have you lost your mind?”

Liam panicked, pulling Sienna into his arms as if to shield her.

Sienna hadn’t expected me to slap her and froze, her large, teary eyes trembling like she’d just suffered the greatest injustice. Slowly, she leaned into Liam’s chest, her tears soaking his shirt.

Liam glared at me as if he wanted to tear me apart.

“Delia, you’re nothing but a crazy shrew! What about you even compares to—”

“Shut up, Liam!”

Mr. Prescott yanked him back, cutting him off mid-sentence. Beside him, Mrs. Prescott stepped forward to pull Sienna away from Liam’s arms.

“Miss Vaughn, this is a family matter. I’m afraid we’ll have to ask you to leave.”

Sienna hesitated, glanced at Liam, and then turned to me with a slight, triumphant smirk before strolling out of the room in her heels.

Liam wasn’t finished.

“Are you happy now? You’ve turned our wedding into a circus! No man in his right mind would ever marry someone like you!”

“Liam Prescott, shut your mouth!” Mrs. Prescott tried to intervene, grabbing his arm, but he shoved her away.

“Mom, stay out of this! If this wedding is ruined, I’ll ensure she regrets it for the rest of her life!”

Well, wasn’t that convenient? Because I was planning to teach him a lesson.

I slammed my hand on the table, standing up.

“You’re right. There won’t be a wedding. But the lesson? That’s coming from me.”

Ignoring everyone’s shocked expressions, I strode toward the officiant standing awkwardly near the screen at the front of the room.

“Miss Reese, uh... what do you need?” he stammered, inching aside as I walked past him to the computer.

I plugged in my phone and transferred a video to the big screen.

It played immediately.

Sienna’s face filled the screen, smiling wickedly.

Her voice echoed through the silent hall.

“The groom’s not bad either. I tested him, too.”

“Where’s Liam?”

“Mr. Prescott? Oh, he’s working late. So busy.”

“Sienna, come help me scrub my back.”

“You just want me in there with you. You’re such a tease!”

The video ended, leaving the room so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Slap!

“Bastard!” Mr. Prescott’s hand came down hard on Liam’s face. He slumped back, his shoulders caving under the weight of disappointment.

My chest ached as I watched. I had truly respected his parents, and ending things with Liam meant cutting ties with them, too.

I faced the stunned crowd, my voice steady despite the storm in my chest.

“Liam Prescott, who betrayed this wedding, wasn’t me. It was you—the man who defiled our wedding bed with his mistress.”

“And that... mess you left behind? Do I need to spell out what it was? You’re disgusting.”

I couldn’t hold back anymore. My voice cracked as the floodgates opened.

As I shouted, my vision blurred. These years of love weren’t fake. How could I not feel pain as everything unraveled?

When had the man standing before me turned into a stranger?

He had once been so genuine, so passionate.

I remembered how he'd woken up early during winter to buy me a fresh, handmade raspberry Danish from my favorite bakery, tucking it inside his jacket to keep it warm. His chest was bright red from the heat when he handed it to me, and his grin was as wide as the sky.

Or that year when a fire broke out in the dorms. Everyone ran out, but Liam rushed toward the girls’ building without hesitation. Who knows what might have happened if I hadn’t returned just in time to pull him away?

There were so many little moments like that, tiny memories that convinced me he truly loved me.

But now, it was clear: he only used to love me.

I wiped my tears away with my hand.

Liam opened his mouth to say something, but the words didn’t come.

Ignoring him, I turned to his parents and the assembled guests.

“Mr. and Mrs. Prescott, dear friends and family, I’m truly sorry for the mess today. Liam and I are officially breaking up, and I ask for your understanding regarding my behavior.”

With that, I turned and left without another glance.

As I stepped out the door, I saw Sienna Vaughn leaning casually against the wall.

She looked surprised to see me but quickly recovered with a smug smile.

“Not getting married today, Miss Reese? So, where are you off to?”

I crossed my arms and stared at her calmly without responding.

She chuckled, tilting her head.

“Delia, no matter how much a sparrow flaps its wings, it’ll never be a phoenix. You should stick to finding a regular guy and settling down. Liam Prescott was way out of your league.”

I raised my eyebrows in surprise, stifling a laugh.

“Out of my league?”

“You don’t think you’re overreaching, Miss Reese? A person should know their place,” Sienna Vaughn sneered, pointing a crimson-painted nail at me with a derisive snort.

So, this was it. She had been destroying my wedding out of some delusional belief that snagging Liam Prescott would elevate her.