Page 28 of Secret Revenge

“Hey, it’s fine,” Michael said softly. “I guess we’ll find out how clean or dirty they are soon enough. Until then, take it easy and get your head in the right space.”

“Thanks Mikey,” I said, hugging him. “You’re the best. You know that, right?”

“I try,” he replied with false modesty. “Hey, I have a job this weekend. A photography gig for a wedding. Would you like to come with me? I think playing my assistant for a few hours is exactly what you need to help you clear your head.”

“Mhmm, sounds tempting,” I said. “So, what’s in it for me?”

“The way I see it, you should be the one paying me for the service.”

“Nice try,” I said, getting off the couch. “Where can I find spare towels? I need to take a bath.”

“Good call,” Michael replied sarcastically. “Bathroom, left side drawer.”

That weekend,I arrived at the wedding venue with Michael about two hours early to set up our equipment. I looked at the beautiful decorations lining the venue and felt the urge to barf. The flowers and orderly arrangement of tables, the sheer work that must have been done just for two people to say some words they didn’t mean sickened me.

I had no appreciation for weddings or love. Both seemed ridiculously pretentious to me. I saw how my parents were before my father lost all his money. I remembered us being a pretty nice family where everything was great, and there was a sense of love between the three of us.

Unfortunately, my father lost everything thanks to Ross. Everything we thought we loved disappeared like mist on a sunny morning. My once-loving father turned into the biggest asshole in the world and became borderline abusive.

It got me questioning the true meaning of love. Did it only mean something when everything was great, discarded at the slightest hint of tragedy? I watched tough circumstances change my dad from a loving father and husband into a monster. I never wanted to experience what my mother went through, so I protected myself from the foolishness of love and marriage.

As the wedding began, I didn’t think about the fleeting moments where everyone laughed and smiled for the flash of a camera. I watched Michael take pictures of the beautiful couple and thought morbidly about how in the next five to ten years, both of them would be at each other’s throats. This happiness they once shared would become a distant and unimportant memory in their minds. They would turn on each other, hating themselves and their kids, and fighting over property in a nasty divorce.No, I don’t want any of that in my life, thank you.

The venue filled up as guests poured into the reception area. I kept up with Michael as he tried to cover every guest whoentered the venue. I held a bag with equipment like batteries, extra lenses, cameras, and other accessories he needed.

I looked absently around the hall, admitting how beautiful the guests looked in their lovely dinner gowns and perfectly trimmed suits. My eyes swept past a well-built man laughing with the bride, and I returned my attention to them.

I froze as Michael called out to me for a different SD card, staring at the tall, handsome man, who was chatting a little too cozily with the bride.Travis. I hadn’t recognized him at first because I had not expected him to be here.

I was immediately filled with bitter jealousy as I heard the melodious laughter of the bride float across the room. I had never felt anything so vile. I burned with rage as she set her gloved hand on Travis’ arm, his biceps bulging through his expensive navy blue pin-suit.

Oh no. This is bad.

I watched with disgust as he guffawed at something she said. I felt irritated to my bones. Why was he laughing like that? What did this woman possess that I didn’t? What right did she have to amuse him so easily? I clenched my fists so tight, my hands went numb. I looked around, confused. Couldn’t anyone else see how inappropriate it was for both of them to connect so easily with each other? On the day she was marrying another man?

At least, I assumed it was another man. If Travis Ross were getting married, it would be all over the papers. And grooms weren’t supposed to see the bride before she walked down the aisle, right? I fought rising panic at the prospect that he might have been engaged this entire time and was now about to marry someone else. I hadn’t even thought to ask if he was seeing someone seriously in our limited conversations. I’d just assumed…

“Emily?” Michael called loudly, snapping in front of me. The sound of his fingers broke me out of my thoughts, and I turnedto him frowning. “Give me a new SD card, Emily. Jeez, what’s wrong with you? What’s got you so upset?”

“I… I…” I stuttered and searched through the bag for the SD card. I found it and handed it to him. He shook his head and followed the couple he wanted to take a picture of.

“Come on,” he called after me.

I followed a little slowly, scanning the crowd for Travis and the beautiful bride. I could still taste bile in my mouth, and I regretted feeling like that. Surprisingly, I couldn’t find either the bride or Travis by the rose bush where they had been talking. I scanned the area and caught a glimpse of them stepping behind a hedge.

Without hesitation, I dashed through the crowd of party goers in pursuit of Travis and the bride. I got to the edge they had just rounded and stepped into a maze with a low wall. I felt my irritation climb again as I remembered my hatred for marriages.

Where could they both be slipping off to so surreptitiously duringher wedding?Was Travis an unbelievable bastard like I’d thought? Or was he the groom and Michael and I had somehow missed the news?

I weaved slowly through the maze in pursuit of them, intent on finding out what they were up to. To think that I had recently started believing in Travis’ goodness. All for what? To find him getting cozy with a bride-to-be at her very own wedding venue?

I felt nervous and upset. I hated to admit how strong my feelings for Travis were, but the jealousy I felt at the thought of him being with someone else was undeniable. While I was working double time to bring down his company, a part of me had hoped he was as good as he seemed.

I heard soft voices coming from behind a hedge wall, and I crept alongside it until I could peek slowly around the corner., I expected to see them in a compromising position, but Ifound them talking, hand in hand. I leaned against the wall as silently as I could and prepared to eavesdrop. The bride handed something to Travis and I leaned in closer to see what it was. It caught the sunlight and I saw that it was a diamond engagement ring.What the hell?

“You never took it back,” the woman said, smiling a sad smile as she dropped the ring in his open palm.

“Wow,” Travis said. “I didn’t think you still had it. You should have sold it or something. Anything. At the very least, it would have been compensation for you.”