The moment I came online, messages were streaming through a small group chat, updating nonstop.
The latest one had been sent by Phil himself.
"Where are we meeting tonight? Last night wasn't enough—let's drink till we drop!"
Messages kept popping up one after another.
"No way am I drinking with you again. Did you see Irene's face yesterday? I thought she was going to eat us alive. My heart can't take it."
"For real though, Phil—Claire's so much better. That fiancée of yours doesn't even come close."
"I can't stand Irene. That whole pampered-princess act. It honestly makes me sick."
…
The messages kept coming, all variations of the same filth—that I couldn't compare to Claire, that I never could.
These friends of Phil's, every single one of them angling to ride his coattails into a connection with Gilbert Group.
To my face, it was always "sister-in-law" this, "sister-in-law" that. Behind my back, last night, this was who they really were.
Disgusting.
I was about to log out when Claire's account suddenly posted a message in the group.
A short video, maybe thirty seconds.
In it, she and Phil were locked in a deep kiss.
And the background was our bridal suite. Our enormous wedding portrait was hanging right behind them on the wall.
Claire's text followed the video almost instantly.
"Relax, boys—don't waste your breath on that bitch. If she ever found out her man and her precious wedding suite have both been mine more times than I can count, she'd lose her fucking mind."
"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."