"Alright, alright, see you at the usual spot later!"
After saving every chat log and video, I backed out of the account with trembling hands.
I'd always assumed that whatever was going on between Claire and Phil was a secret only the two of them shared.
Turns out, the only person kept in the dark was me.
Phil never contacted me once before the wedding.
The morning of, the Cox family's wedding motorcade pulled up bright and early.
But the man who stepped out of the lead car wasn't Phil. It was the family butler.
Butler Harris started talking before his feet hit the ground.
"The family has a full house today, Miss Gilbert. Young Mr. Cox is tied up with guests, so he sent me to bring you over myself."
"Rest assured, the Cox family will make sure everything is grand and proper today..."
Before he could finish, I raised a hand to cut him off.
"It's fine. Let's just go to the hotel."
The man I was marrying today wasn't Phil anyway. Him not showing up was a bonus.
When I arrived at the hotel lounge, I found people inside who had no business being there.
Phil and Claire.
Claire was seated at the vanity mirror, and Phil stood behind her, both hands resting gently on her shoulders.
Standing there like that, the two of them looked more like today's bride and groom than I ever could.
When she saw me walk in, Claire stood up.
"Oh, you're here! It's your big day with Phil—you don't mind me coming in to keep things warm for you, do you?"
"Oh my God, that dress is gorgeous. Hahaha, Phil really spent a fortune on you this time. You're definitely going to be the prettiest one there..."
I was done listening to Claire's fake sweetness.
"Since when are we on familiar terms? I don't recall us being close."
"And this is my lounge. Who let you in?"
Claire's face went blank with shock, as if she'd never expected me to shut her down without a shred of courtesy.
A beat later, she turned to Phil with a wounded look—but every word that came out was for me.
"What's wrong with you? You're not still worked up over that little thing with the guys the other day, are you?"
"That was days ago. Why are you still holding a grudge?"
"You know what, forget it. Today's your special day with Phil. If me being here really bothers you that much, I'll go."
She made to leave, and Phil grabbed her arm, pulling her behind him.
"Irene, Claire just came to congratulate us. Why are you being so aggressive?"
"She's been my best friend since we were kids—you know that. You disrespect her, you disrespect me!"
I was done holding back.
I slapped Phil across the face. Hard.
"What are you? A good-for-nothing who's never lifted a finger in his life—you think you get to talk about respect with me?"
"If I, Irene Gilbert, hadn't wasted all these years caring about you, you'd be less than nothing in the Cox family. You don't have half your brother's ability, and you think you can stand here demanding face?"
"Oh, and Phil—the word you're looking for now is sister-in-law."
Maybe they didn't hear that last part. Or maybe everyone had watched me love Phil for so long that anything else was simply unthinkable.
Neither Claire nor Phil reacted to it.
Seeing me hit Phil, Claire hurried forward to play peacemaker.
"Now, now, sister-in-law, the ceremony's about to start! What's all this?"
She reached for my hand as she spoke. I pulled away before she could touch me.
But the next second, Claire went down—right as I raised my hand, crumpling to the floor with both hands clutching her lower back and a shriek ripping out of her.
"My back! Oh God, my back hurts so bad. What if it's broken?"
"Phil, Phil, come look, please, I'm dying over here!"
I laughed coldly to myself. My hand hadn't even touched her.
Phil's face was all panic. He dropped to a crouch beside Claire, checked her over, then lifted his head and shouted at me.
"Irene! That's way too far! What, you figure since we're getting married today, you can finally drop the act?"
"So all those years of sweetness and kindness—that was fake the whole time!"
"They were right about you. Spoiled little rich girl through and through. It's disgusting!"
The ceremony was getting closer by the minute. I had no interest in wasting more time on them, so I called my security team.
They walked in just as Phil was helping a pain-stricken Claire up off the floor.
The moment the bodyguards came through the door, Phil's face went ugly.
"Irene, what is this? You think there's nothing I can do to you anymore?"
"If you really push me, you will never set foot in the Cox family again. I will never forgive you!"
I didn't bother answering. I just waved the guards forward.
They closed in around Phil and Claire in a tight circle.
"Mr. Cox. Take your companion and leave."
My complete indifference to his threats turned Phil's humiliation into rage.
"Irene! The ceremony's about to start! What are you trying to pull?"
"If anything happens to Claire today, I swear I will make you pay!"
A scoff left my lips and I was just about to respond.
But a low, magnetic voice cut through the room first.
"Phil Cox. You've really outdone yourself."
"Go on, then. How exactly are you planning to not let your sister-in-law off?"
