Chapter 2: The Secret Chloe Hid
The name on the document was mine.
But the signature underneath it wasn’t.
I stared at the paper, trying to understand what I was seeing.
My wedding morning had already fallen apart.
My dress was destroyed.
My sister had betrayed me.
And now there was a document with my name attached to something I had never signed.
“Emma?”” Rachel touched my shoulder.
“Are you okay?””
I couldn’t answer.
I looked at Chloe.
For the first time in my life, she didn’t look angry.
She looked scared.
“What is this?”” I asked.
Her silence was the answer.
“Chloe.””
She swallowed.
“Emma, it’s not what you think.””
Those words.
Those five words.
They were the ones people used when it was exactly what you thought.
I held up the paper.
“My signature is on this.””
Chloe stepped forward.
“I can explain.””
“Then explain.””
She opened her mouth.
Nothing came out.
The boutique representative, Ms. Bennett, spoke calmly.
“This document was discovered during our internal review.””
“What document?”” I asked.
“A damage responsibility form.””
My eyebrows pulled together.
“I never signed a damage responsibility form.””
“I know.””
The room felt colder.
Ms. Bennett continued.
“Someone submitted it three days ago claiming that you were responsible for damaging the gown before today’s ceremony.””
I stared at her.
“Someone blamed me?””
Rachel looked shocked.
“Why would anyone do that?””
Ms. Bennett looked at Chloe.
Nobody needed to say the answer.
I felt something break inside me.
Not my heart.
Something deeper.
Trust.
“Chloe,” I whispered.
“Were you trying to make me pay for the dress?””
She looked away.
“I wasn’t going to actually make you pay.””
“Then why create the document?””
Her jaw tightened.
“Because I wanted you to understand.””
“Understand what?””
“That everyone always believes you.””
I laughed once, but there was no humor in it.
“So your plan was to destroy my dress and frame me?””
“No.””
Her answer came too quickly.
I looked at her.
She sighed.
“Not exactly.””
The room went silent.
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.
“Not exactly?””
Chloe wiped under her eyes.
“You don’t know what it’s like being your sister.””
I almost couldn’t believe she said that.
“Being my sister?””
“Yes.””
Her voice rose.
“Every birthday, everyone talked about how responsible Emma is. How kind Emma is. How successful Emma is.””
I stared at her.
“You think my life was perfect?””
Chloe laughed bitterly.
“You always had people fighting for you.””
“That’s not true.””
“It is.””
She pointed at me.
“Look at today. Everyone rushed in when your dress got ruined. Everyone cares about saving your perfect day.””
I looked around the room.
At the ruined gown.
At the ink stains.
At the sister who had spent years collecting resentment.
“Chloe,” I said quietly, “you were supposed to be standing beside me when I got married.””
Her expression flickered.
For one second, I saw my little sister again.
The girl who used to sleep in my room during thunderstorms.
The girl who cried when our parents fought.
Then the anger returned.
“I was tired of standing beside you.””
The words hit harder than I expected.
Before I could respond, my phone rang.
The screen showed my fiancé’s name.
Daniel.
I answered immediately.
“Daniel?””
His voice came through.
“Emma? What’s happening? The guests are starting to arrive.””
I looked at myself in the mirror.
A bride covered in black ink.
A sister who had just confessed to trying to ruin my wedding.
“I…”
I didn’t know what to say.
Daniel heard the silence.
“Emma, are you hurt?””
I closed my eyes.
“No. I’m okay.””
It was a lie.
But I wasn’t ready to tell him everything yet.
“I’ll be there soon,” I whispered.
After I hung up, Chloe looked at me.
“You’re still going to marry him?””
I frowned.
“What kind of question is that?””
She gave a small smile.
“You really don’t know, do you?””
A cold feeling moved through my body.
“Know what?””
Chloe looked toward the door.
Then back at me.
“Ask Daniel where he was last night.””
My chest tightened.
“What does that mean?””
She didn’t answer.
Instead, she picked up her purse.
Rachel stepped in front of the door.
“You’re not leaving.””
Chloe looked annoyed.
“Move.””
“No.””
“You can’t keep me here.””
Rachel nodded.
“I’m not.””
She held up her phone.
“I’m calling security.””
Chloe’s face twisted.
“You’re all acting like I murdered someone.””
“No,” I said.
Everyone looked at me.
I stepped closer to my sister.
“You just destroyed something I trusted you with.””
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
Then Chloe whispered:
“You’re going to hate me even more when you find out the truth about Daniel.””
My stomach dropped.
“What truth?””
She smiled sadly.
A smile that terrified me.
“The reason I ruined your dress wasn’t because I wanted your wedding to be ugly.””
She reached into her purse.
Pulled out her phone.
And placed it on the table.
“There’s a video you need to see.””
I stared at the screen.
My hands went cold.
Because the thumbnail showed Daniel.
Standing outside a hotel.
May you like
With someone I knew.
Someone who was not me.