Chapter 1 Jilted

I jumped off the bed with puffy eyes. I felt my body quiver after a palm caressed my lower back.

"Shit!" I exclaimed, looking out to the window, a bright light shunned meticulously on the hotel room, casting patterns on the silver blue bedspread, and donating a chunk on the strange figure lying on the bed.

"What have I done?"

I whimpered, watching my cell phone vibrate again for the umpteenth time.

The phone had rung the other times that I was asleep, but even then I was wide awake I still couldn't get myself to pick it.

"What exactly have I done?"

I whispered again as my eyes drifted away to the bed.

A perfectly built figure laid on it, fast asleep.

Noticing bloodstains on the bed, some trickling down my thighs, with a pair of masks on the floor, I cried inwardly

as it dawned on me that I had had a one night stand with a strange man on the eve of my wedding.

With hands shaking and tears falling on my hands, I struggled to pick up the phone, I had fifty seven missed calls already, and now the last call has ended making it fifty eight.

"Ryan will kill me!"

I cried, feeling hopeless. Just then, I shut my eyes as the thoughts of last night struck me.

"Come to my bed tonight!"

"Is that for me?"

"Oh no!" realizing I was on bed with this man last night.

It was a mask club, and my friend Victoria had convinced me to go clubbing that night.

The last clubbing as a single lady she had called it.

"What was I thinking?" I howled silently, trying not to wake the man on the bed, as I wouldn't want to add to the shame I was feeling.

I struggled to pick up my clothes, planning to disappear before he woke up.

Plastering my gaze on the wall clock, I realized it was past 9am.

My wedding service was set to start by 8:30am, but there I was, jumping off another man's bed!

I looked at the man's face and quickly got a glimpse of what he looks like, and my mind told me to wake him.

I moved, making my way to wake him up, but my phone had buzzed again.

I picked the phone immediately and slide the green button, not minding who was calling.

I was too nervous to think.

"Where are you, Scarlett? Everyone is waiting for you!" Sally's voice scolded from the other end.

Sally was my aunt, my mother's elder sister to be precise.

I have been living with her since I was four, after I lost my parents to a car accident, and ever since then, she has been my guardian.

"I'll be right there!"

I replied as I quickly recognized her voice.

Quickly, I slid into the black dress that I wore that night to the club, some part of it were already ripped off, but I didn't mind.

I dashed off the room, leaving most of my belongings behind.

The door to the St Peter's cathedral opened silently and I walked in in a hurry.

Everyone turned to look at me as they noticed how shabby I was looking.

My blonde hair was badly fixed, with my face looking flushed as a result of the hangover, while I struggled to get hold of my large wedding dress.

It was obvious that I hadn't taken time to prepare for my own wedding. I had only managed to wash my face when I got to my hotel to dress up.

The strange look on everyone's face was alarming, stained with a little bit of worry.

But what I found more terrifying was the look on Ryan's face.

I knew grooms get excited at the first sight of their bride, but that wasn't the case with Ryan, he looked like he had seen an enemy.

My heart sank, but I continued walking hoping the look was as a result of my lateness, but Ryan scoffed as soon as I got to the altar.

"I'm sorry for the lateness, Ryan, I hope-"

"I hope you had a good time?"

Ryan cuts in, shutting me up at the instant.

I nodded emphatically, my lungs begging to explode as I read Ryan's countenance.

It was as if he was reading through me, his eyes attempting to pierce my soul.

I gulped hard, sliding down the bodice of my dress, and struggling to keep calm, but Ryan's next few words, yanked off all the confidence I had gathered.

"You had a good time with him too?"

I shut her eyes immediately as I felt the heat of his gaze scrutinize my body.

How did he find out?

"You can go ahead and spend your whole life with him, Scarlett!"

Ryan roared, causing me to vibrate violently.

He turned to face the distressed crowd, "there shall be no wedding with her!"

He declared, jilting me on the altar as he made his way to the exit.

I felt my world crumble before me.

My eyes were flooded and already overflowing and my lungs begged for oxygen.

Ryan's men guarded him closely as he left the cathedral.

Ryan was a renowned businessman, who had picked interest in me after I served his drink that night at the timeless bar where I used to work in San Jose.

He was a proud person and considered himself a god in my life, something I was dumb enough to overlook all these while.

I had agreed to marry him, after he made me fall head over heels in love with him.

I stood transfixed, watching the congregation leave, my pain was unmatched and I cursed myself for ever listening to Victoria.

"But how did he find out?"

I asked inwardly, while trying to control the downpour from my eyes.

Aside from the fact that what I did was unforgivable, I still would have loved to plead, but I was too frozen to do so.

I felt numb lost in pain.

"Hope you had a good time?"

Victoria's voice landed on my ear.

I popped my eyes open to be sure she was the one speaking, I couldn't believe my eyes.

"Well, to answer the question you have in mind, I snitched on you!"

She mocked, causing my head to spin.

"Watch me take your place."

She continued. She smiled evilly displaying a dark smirk before turning to leave.

I watched my world crumble before me.

Having been jilted at the altar, and losing a best friend to betrayal.

Shortly, the whole church was empty, with only aunt Sally still sitting at the corner.

"What have you done?"

She asked in a sad voice as she reached out to hold my hands.

I could see she was burning with pain and disappointment, but yet Sally was that aunty, that would always be there for me even in the most difficult times.