Page 49 of The Girl I Once Loved

I know nothing Stacy is planning is with Skylar’s best interest at heart. All she cares about is humiliating Skylar, since in her mind, she was the one who stole me from her.

The thing is, I was never Stacy’s to begin with.

And after being with Sky these last few months, I doubt I’ll ever be anyone else’s ever again.

We stare at each other for the longest time, and after a long tense-filled pause, I nod.

“Yeah, I’m out. I don’t want to be here for any of this,” Derrick says, getting up from his seat.

“Where are you going?” I ask, confused as to why he needs to bolt out of the room so fast.

“Anywhere but here. This is a bad idea, Noah. A bad fucking idea. You will never be able to come back from this. I hope you know that.”

I do.

This wouldn’t be breaking Skylar’s heart. It would be eviscerating it.

“It’s your fucking funeral,” Derrick adds when he sees my mind is made up. “The less I know about whatever stunt the two of you are planning, the better. Daisy loves her sister, and no way do I want to be an accomplice to her pain. If you need me to, I’ll front you the money for your family’s debt, but that is as involved as I want to be. Understood?”

Derrick then walks out of the room, leaving me and Stacy to hash out our plan.

The very one that would end up breaking me in ways I’d never fully recover from.

Chapter Ten

Skylar

The day of Daisy's bridal shower has arrived, and I can feel the tension in the air as we get ready. Daisy has been on edge ever since the invitations went out. The event is being thrown by Derrick's parents, who have made it abundantly clear that they disapprove of Daisy because she doesn't come from a long line of blue-blooded socialites like they do…or at least that’s my guess. It’s not like I’ve asked his parents why they don’t like my perfect sister.

Daisy, determined to win them over, has been practicing her polite smiles and polite small talk. She's peppered me with questions over the years about the rich friends I’d met at Dartmouth, and asked if I’m sure about her dress choice a million times.

It’s unnerving to see her like this—unsure of herself. She’s had years of attending fancy soirées with Derrick, and going on vacations with his family. But evidently, nothing she’s done has worked to get their approval.

As we sit in her room, surrounded by dresses and makeup, I take her hand and look into her eyes. "Daisy, you know you don't have to try so hard for them, right?" I say softly, my concern evident in my voice. "Their approval isn’t going to change Derrick’s opinion of you."

Daisy turns to me, her eyes filled with determination. "Skylar, family means everything to me. I want Derrick's parents to accept me as a part of their family, just like I want my family to be a part of our lives."

I couldn't argue with her sentiment. Daisy's unwavering love and dedication to her family had always been one of her most endearing qualities.

But it also had guilt threading through my veins, because I’d completely deserted my family all these years. I’d once thought family meant everything to me too. And look what I’d done.

"I understand, Daisy," I reply, my voice tinged with regret. "I just don't want to see you change who you are to please them. You're amazing just the way you are."

Daisy smiles warmly and throws her arms around me, squeezing me tight. I love how Daisy hugs me with her whole self. No one else gives hugs like that. "Thanks, babycakes. I won't change who I am, but I'll always try to make a good impression."

I nod still feeling uneasy about the event. I’d be seeing Stacy again too. After our last disastrous conversation, I’m sure it’s going to be a pleasant experience.

Not.

What is it about this place that I’ve come home and immediately felt like I’ve been thrown back in time?

We finish getting ready, and Daisy looks absolutely stunning. Unlike her wedding dress…this dresswasflown in from Paris. It’s a gorgeous white lace dress that embodies elegance and simplicity. The bodice is fitted, accentuating her slender waist, and the skirt flows gracefully to just above her knees. It perfectly showcases Daisy's natural beauty and radiance.

Her hair is styled in loose, romantic waves that cascade down her back, and she wears a simple pearl necklace and matching stud earrings to compliment the dress's timeless charm. It’s much more proper than my sister usually dresses, and for a second, it feels like I’m looking at a stranger.

But maybeI’mthe stranger in this scenario. Because if I’d been here, I would have seen my sister become this woman who’s just as at ease in a ballroom as she is at a beach.

We step out of the room and head towards the front door…right as Noah opens it up. He stops in place and stares at me. I’m in a simple blue dress but the way he’s looking at me…

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