The wedding march began, and I drew a slow breath.
Five years of us, finally coming to an end.
The emcee started the countdown, and my best friend was texting me like mad.
"Sera, ready? We're set, and so is she."
I sent back an OK and counted down with them. Three, two, one.
The side door swung open, and a figure in a red dress flashed past.
The doors in front of me slid apart. I lifted my skirt, smiled, and stepped into the hall.
"Seraphina Winters, you set me up." Chloe Jordan stood there, face ashen, fists clenched.
I smiled at her. "Steal the joy, empty the house, and wait for the whole line to burn."
...
Chloe bit her lip, not a flicker moving across that bloodless face.
Those hateful eyes looked ready to spit fire.
"Seraphina Winters, how dare you play me like this?"
"You knew how much this meant to me."
Her voice trembled, thick with hurt.
"Today is Sera's wedding. What does it have to do with you? Do you have to make it about yourself today of all days?" Adela Fox, blunt as ever, shot back at her.
The guests had no idea what was happening.
One by one they turned toward the door.
"Seraphina Winters, you have a cruel heart. Do you really have to see me dead?"
Looking at that pitiful, put-on face of hers, all I felt was disgust.
"Chloe, listen to yourself."
"It's a happy day. All this talk of dying, dying, dying—that's terrible luck."
"I know you don't have long, but if you want to die, don't pick today."
Adela clapped a hand over her mouth, snorted a laugh, and flashed me a thumbs-up.
"You—you—how can you be so vicious?"
Tears shimmered in her eyes, and those eyes kept flicking to something behind me.
Adela leaned in and said quietly, "Sera, Dick Delgado's here."
My fiancé came running toward the door, bouquet in hand, urgency all over his face.
But he wasn't running to me.
"Chloe, what's wrong? Where does it hurt?"
Chloe timed it perfectly. The moment Dick reached her, she pitched straight backward.
"Dick, I can't breathe, my head's spinning—am I dying?"
"Dick, I'm so cold, so cold. Hold me tight, please. I'm scared."
Chloe clutched at Dick's collar, her voice barely a thread.
"Chloe, don't be scared. I'm here. I won't let anything happen to you."
Dick held her, his face full of dread.
"Seraphina Winters, what did you do? Why did Chloe suddenly collapse?"
His accusation made me laugh, and I couldn't stop.
"What did I do? Shouldn't you be asking her?"
Chloe looked at me, all challenge.
"I only came to greet you in Dick's place—"
"And then?"
"And then you cursed me. You told me to die."
At the word "die," the tears in her eyes swelled fuller.
"She even said today's your happy day, that I bring bad luck and shouldn't be here."
"Dick, take me away. Even if I'm going to die, I don't want to die here."
Adela's fists tightened, itching to swing them straight at that face.
"Seraphina Winters, you vicious bitch, why would you curse Chloe?"
Veins stood out on Dick's face.
His parents came hurrying over from the VIP seats.
Every eye was on Chloe.
"I cursed her? Do you really think I'd need to?"
"Dick, before you blame me, how about you ask her what she did?"
