Chapter 2

Sabrina wheezed as she crawled, covered head to toe in red welts, her lower body completely useless.

It was less than fifteen feet, and it took her a full twenty minutes.

I stood on the stage, but no one noticed the strained look on my face.

I stared at Sabrina's back as she dragged herself along, and I couldn't say whether what was in my eyes was joy or grief.

At last she reached the pill bottle and took her medicine.

Only then did I curl my lips into a smile and turn to the guests.

"All right, it's about time. Let's get dinner started."

But the guests were shouting that they were leaving, and some even jabbed a finger in my face and cursed me.

"You vicious witch! I couldn't eat your food with a clear conscience!"

"Open the doors and let us out!"

Even Jordan was so furious that he threw his groom's corsage on the floor and shouted:

"I'm not marrying you! Marrying someone like you would disgrace every Crane there is. I couldn't face my ancestors!"

I looked into every pair of eyes in the room, one by one, until my gaze stopped on Jordan's face.

He glared at me, eyes blazing, and I burst out laughing.

I laughed until everyone's skin crawled, and only when I'd had my fill did I speak to the room:

"Fine. Anyone who doesn't want to eat can leave. That includes you, Jordan."

Before I'd even finished, people started moving toward the doors, and Jordan began pushing Sabrina's wheelchair out too.

I went on, unhurried:

"But... if anyone dares to take one step out of here today, I'll cut off Jordan's mother's medical payments on the spot."

"So think hard about who's really hurting people here."

Jordan stopped dead, as if I'd grabbed his weak spot, and stared at me in disbelief.

I admired the manicure I'd gotten yesterday, not even bothering to look up.

"That old hag of yours is still waiting on my money to stay alive. All I have to do is say 'turn off the ventilator,' and in less than five minutes you'll be going straight from your wedding to her funeral."

At that, every guest flinched.

One man who had already stepped out jerked his foot back in fright.

Sabrina instantly grabbed my hand, her voice thick with tears.

"Please don't, Sloanie. The Cranes put every cent they had into scraping together three million dollars in engagement money for you. You promised to take care of Jordan's parents in their old age."

She turned to the guests, crying frantically:

"Everyone, please don't go. Stay and eat... Jordan's mom is hanging on by a thread. You really can't let her medical payments get cut off!"

Anyone who heard it was heartbroken and moved to tears.

"That girl is so kind. The bride treats her like dirt, and she isn't thinking about herself at all. She's worried about the groom's mother instead."

"She's an orphan, she's paralyzed, and she's still this positive and kind. That can't be easy."

Someone worked up the nerve to call out to Sabrina:

"Honey, you need to stop being friends with this vicious witch. Her heart is pitch-black. She'll be the death of you sooner or later!"

But Sabrina waved her hands and defended me.

"No... Sloanie is a good person. She must have her reasons for doing this."

The man rolled his eyes.

"She's threatening to kill her own mother-in-law. What reason could she possibly have?"

"Three million in engagement money for a wife worse than the devil? If you ask me, this groom got a raw deal!"

The insults grew louder and louder.

I pulled up the hospital's number and waved my phone at Jordan.

"What? You think you got a raw deal too?"