Page 2 of Adoration: Isn't What It Seems (Love Isn't What It Seems 2)

“What are you doing?” Layla shouted, pushing him out. “You can’t see the bride before the ceremony. It is freaking bad luck, you moron.”

“Liberty,” he repeated in a stronger voice. My chest tightened and my stomach turned into knots. “Liberty, I need to talk to you.”

“Now?”

“Yes, now. We need to talk. Come out.” His voice almost sounded desperate. With dread and heavy steps, I walked over to the door. With each step, a feeling of apprehension and doom intensified.

“You are really going to let him see you?” Layla screeched, making my nerves worse. She guarded the door like her life depended on it.

“Let me through, Layla.”

I couldn’t believe my voice sounded so calm when my entire body shook in anticipation… of what I wasn’t sure. She stared at me with wide eyes. She must have seen something on my face because a moment later, she opened the door wide without another word.

Callen stood in front of me. He wasn’t dressed for a wedding, wearing a pair of jeans and a white button down shirt. His blonde hair was a mess, like he’d been pulling it in worry all day. I met his eyes, those beautiful eyes that made me all giddy and warm when I first met him. His full mouth was pressed tight in a firm line. I thought of all those times when that mouth of his comforted me when I was sad. That beautiful mouth that would shower me with gentle kisses. Now, there wasn’t a trace of smile on those beautiful lips of his.

We stood there, face to face, me in a white wedding dress and pink flowers suffering my tight grip. And him with a burden I couldn’t see weighing down on his shoulders.

“You look beautiful,” he muttered softly. I couldn’t even smile while he looked miserable in front of me. “God, I am so sorry.” His voice broke at the end.

My throat was so tight, making it hard to breathe. My heart pounded in my ears. Unable to move my eyes from his face, I desperately hoped I was reading the situation wrong.

“Liberty.” His voice was a whisper. “We can’t get married. I met someone else… I slept with another woman. She is carrying my child.”

The rug was pulled out from under me; in my mind, I was falling down a dark hole. I stared at him, my body and mind slow, unable to process his words. He took a step forward, and his familiar cologne entered my lungs.

How can I smell him when I can barely breathe?

“Say something,” he begged.

“You promised honesty.” My voice cracked.

“I’m a bastard, a coward.” His hands cupped my face. “I deserve whatever you dish out. Please hit me, scream, yell… anything.” There was sorrow written all over his face. “Please, Livy. Hate me, kick me… do anything, just don’t shut down.”

I couldn’t breathe, the feeling of drowning overwhelming. I closed my eyes and wanted to escape this dreadful scene. It felt like everyone’s eyes were on me, when in fact there was nobody but the two of us in the rectory of the church. I could hear the voices of our guests in the distance.

“Please don’t cry, Livy.” His voice sounded almost as broken as I felt.

But it was too late. He did this to me. I trusted him. I never doubted any of his actions or words. And he let me down. “How could you wait till now? Why?”

How would I heal from this?

He had been my savior, my light after Mom died. And now, he made my heart bleed and humiliated me.

“What the fuck is going on here?” Lena’s voice sounded angry, but I couldn’t quite muster the energy to turn my head away from Callen’s eyes. He was still holding my face in his hands, but I no longer felt his touch. A wall erupted between us no matter how close he was. I no longer found comfort in his warmth. “Why is she crying?”

“I’m sorry,” he mumbled.

His apology placed another set of bricks on the wall I had been building since Mom died. With the last bit of strength I had left, I pushed away from him and turned my back. Larry was next to Lena with Layla right behind them.

“There will be no wedding.” I heard myself say. My own voice sounded strange, too calm. “I have to get out of here.”

And just like that, Lena and Layla started barking orders. Through the haze, I watched Lena walk over to Callen and slap him across his face. He never moved, his eyes blazing with regret and sorrow while Larry stood next to his wife.

Layla shouted some words, her face twisted in anger, but I couldn’t get my brain to focus enough to listen.

Larry, Lena, and Layla tried to block the view of me from all the guests sitting in the church, as we made our way out. When we stepped out of the church, the sun highlighted a beautiful landscape around us, and a whimper left my lips as my legs finally gave out. I kneeled down on the ground, covering my mouth with my free hand while still holding flowers with the other.

My body shook with sobs that I desperately tried to hold back.

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