Chapter 1The night before my wedding, my fiancé Cade slipped me a sleeping pill so his childhood bestie could shave my head bald.
When I woke up and saw myself—BALD—I fucking lost it.
Harper stood there with her perfect beach waves, sticking her tongue out like it was all some joke.
"Oopsie! My hand slipped. You're not gonna be a TOTAL bitch about it, right?"
"God, I feel SO sorry—you're gonna look SO bad at your wedding!"
But Cade just pinched her nose all cute and shit, forgiving her for me without even asking.
"Just throw on a wig. No big deal."
Everyone just stood there staring at my pathetic ass.
They were all waiting to see if I'd blow up like I always did.
Instead? I smiled real sweet.
Took the ring right off and put it on Harper's hand myself:
"Why go through all that trouble? Let's just swap the bride."
---
Nobody saw that coming.
"I was just messing with your hair, okay? My hand slipped, I swear to God. Don't be mad, please?"
Harper practically threw herself at Cade, her eyes getting all teary on cue.
Everyone else just stood there, awkward as hell.
Finally, after this long-ass silence, someone goes:
"Yo, hold up—you got this twisted."
"We're all Cade's friends, Harper included. But you're the one marrying him. Not her."
That's when Cade jumped in:
"Come on, Harper just likes goofing around. She didn't mean shit by it."
The night before the wedding, she shaved the bride bald.
Said sorry while giggling and taking photos of my "ugly moment" for her collection.
Every. Fucking. Thing.
And that's supposed to be innocent?
What a load of bullshit.
I looked straight at Cade with his protective-boyfriend act and laughed: "Oh, so when she gets bored playing dress-up, she gonna want my spot next? Want me to just fuck off now so nobody has to deal with this shit later?"
Cade's expression went black:
"VERA! Are you fucking DONE?!"
"Harper's just some dumbass kid who doesn't think before she acts. You really gonna throw a fit over a KID?"
The whole room went dead silent again.
Never mind that I was actually half a year younger than Harper.
Even if she really WAS a kid—
What kind of kid shaves a bride bald the night before her wedding? That's fucking psycho behavior!
I watched Cade pull Harper behind him.
So careful. So gentle with her.
That used to be me he protected like that.
"Vera, this is my fault. Don't be mad at Cade. If you're really that pissed, just hit me, scream at me—I won't fight back!"
Harper peeked out from behind Cade all timid and shit. Acting all fragile and scared.
But her eyes? Pure fucking challenge.
Cade's whole face softened: "Why are you blaming yourself? I'm the one who drugged her. This is on me."
"Just don't listen to her. I fucked up—I've been letting her get away with too much shit, and now she thinks she can act however she wants."
My chest hurt.
Cade used to tell me he'd protect me forever.
That I could be myself, wild and free, and never get hurt.
Now Harper was clearly the one who fucked up.
But to him? I was the problem.
He was cooing at Harper like she was made of glass.
That thick, intense love in his eyes—I never got that. Not once.
I just stood there watching this trainwreck.
In the past, I would've raised hell and demanded justice.
But now? I felt nothing.
This relationship? I'd already lost.
Chapter 2
Cade probably doesn't even remember anymore.
HE was the one who chased me. HE confessed first.
We met on some setup date. Started talking and realized we were into the same stuff.
Cade had that clean-cut look, talked smooth—hard not to fall for that.
So we started dating. Simple.
He'd text me good morning and good night every damn day.
When I was on my period, he'd bring me hot ginger tea without me asking.
Every holiday he'd show up with these crazy expensive flower arrangements.
Back then, I thought I was the luckiest girl alive.
Until we started planning the wedding, Harper came back from studying abroad.
That's when Cade, who was always so calm and put-together, turned into a completely different person.
All that sweetness he used to give me? He gave it to Harper instead.
He stopped texting me about his day—too busy staying up all night with Harper hiking to catch sunrises.
When I was sick with a 103 fever, he was off at some concert with Harper.
He even forgot my birthday. Too busy helping Harper's dog give birth.
Left me sitting alone at this fancy restaurant in downtown Portland like an idiot.
Starting that day, I never got flowers from Cade again.
'Cause Harper's allergic to pollen.
"Harper's gonna get all hurt and jealous if she knows. I don't wanna make her feel bad!"
This shit went on for six months. Same fight, over and over.
Cade always said: "Harper's like a sister to me. Someone's gotta watch out for her. Why are you being so jealous?"
"I literally tell you everything about her. That should prove there's nothing between us!"
Even though I was his fiancée, I was always the one getting ditched.
I finally woke the fuck up.
You can't hide love. And you sure as hell can't hide when it's not there.
Cade... maybe he never actually loved me.
And me? Desperately believing we had a future? Just a sad fucking joke.
Harper put on this sad little face and said she wanted to "really apologize."
"Vera, I swear I wasn't trying to make you look bad. What if I cut mine too? That'd make it fair, right?"
Her eyes went all shiny with tears, looking so genuine it almost seemed real.
I smiled. "Sure. I'm waiting."
Harper's face completely froze.
"Just... please don't fight with Cade over me... I'll do whatever you want..."
Tears pooled in her eyes.
But those scissors in her hand? Didn't move an inch.
Her sad little act broke Cade's heart instantly.
He glared at me like I was his worst enemy: "Vera, you got a problem? Fucking come at me!"
"Harper's like my sister—we literally grew up together. You're really gonna humiliate her just 'cause you're jealous?"
My chest ached.
Of course. Harper was always gonna be his favorite.
I smiled all bitter and got up to leave.
Behind me, Cade's angry voice cut through: "It's just HAIR! You wanna leave? Then GO! No one's putting up with your shit anymore!"
He forgot.
Before I started dating Cade, I always had short hair.
HE was the one who said, "I wanna see you with long hair when you marry me."
So I got extensions. Took care of them for months. Wanted to look perfect on our wedding day.
Now it was all ruined.
Happy laughter floated out through the door.
I should've been crying. Breaking down. Spiraling.
Like all those times before when Cade's coldness left me shaking so hard I couldn't breathe.
But right now? I felt nothing. Not even sad.
I wiped my face. No tears. None.
I was finally free from this toxic-ass relationship.
Pulled out my phone to call an Uber.
That's when I saw a message from my mentor—once again trying to convince me to join the national field research team.
Truth is, I got this offer a year ago.
Just turned it down.
'Cause joining meant three years minimum traveling around, and I couldn't stand leaving Cade.
When my mentor found out, he was pissed: "Guys don't appreciate it when you give up your career for them. They just think you're a pushover! Vera, you're gonna regret this!"
Back then I was so sure I made the right call.
Believed in Cade's love. Just wanted a normal, happy life with him.
Turns out my mentor was right. Got my face slapped hard.
So this time? I wasn't gonna fuck it up again.
When my mentor heard I'd agreed to join the research crew, he immediately sent over all the forms.
Even called to remind me to rush everything.
"Team leaves in two weeks. You gonna be ready?"
I smiled: "I got this."
Two weeks?
Plenty of time to call off a wedding.
Chapter 3
I spent the whole night filling out paperwork and getting my shit together.
So focused I didn't even notice when Cade came home.
Not till he was standing right in front of me. I glanced up for a second, then went back to typing.
Cade's face went cold instantly: "VERA!"
Before, I'd always jump up the second he walked in.
But this time I just kept working.
He thought I was being cold on purpose. His face went dark.
I didn't stop typing. Just said casually: "Oh. You home."
Cade froze.
He'd never been treated this cold by me before. Anger flashed across his face.
I don't even get why he was so pissed.
Was it 'cause I didn't ask where he'd been and start a fight like usual?
"Vera, can you fucking stop? It's just hair. Why are you still making this a thing?"
Before, getting yelled at for no reason, I would've yelled right back.
But now? I just smiled.
"You're wrong. I'm not pissed—just swamped."
That stopped him cold.
He pressed his lips together, then—weirdly—started explaining: "I was late 'cause I took Harper home. She got totally wasted. I wasn't about to ditch her at night. Don't start thinking I'm cheating or whatever."
I frowned and looked at him.
"I'm really not mad. You don't gotta explain."
Cade stiffened. "You're... really not mad?"
I laughed: "You guys literally grew up together. Obviously you're gonna help her."
For a second, confusion actually crossed Cade's face.
I didn't care. Just walked past him toward the study.
The second I got to the door, Cade's angry voice exploded behind me.
"Vera! What the hell are you doing?!"
"I was being SO reasonable, and you're STILL acting like this!"
I stared at him, completely baffled.
"What did I even do?"
I literally just wanted to grab a file from the study.
But Cade looked like I'd personally attacked him.
"Vera, I thought you finally grew up. Guess not!"
"You're staying put till you figure this out. And forget about the wedding until you realize you're wrong!"
There wasn't gonna be a wedding anyway.
Lost count of how many times we tried planning one.
Never happened once.
First time, night before the wedding, Harper burned her hand. Cade canceled everything to take care of her.
Second time, Harper "accidentally" fed me cake with mango in it even though she knew I was allergic. I passed out and the whole thing fell apart.
Third time, Harper "accidentally" shredded my wedding dress with scissors. Another delay.
...
Eventually I went completely numb.
So this time when Cade brought up the wedding, I didn't book a venue. Didn't tell anyone.
Turns out I was right not to.
Cade sneered at me but didn't leave.
Few minutes later, he slammed the door and stormed out.
I knew exactly why he was mad.
For once he'd thrown me a bone. And I didn't take it.
I smiled to myself.
After organizing my documents, I got ready to email them to my mentor.
Accidentally my finger slipped—ended up on Harper's Instagram.
Just posted. Minutes ago.
In the video, Harper was sitting on Cade's lap, both of them drinking from the same glass looking intimate as hell.
Just a little closer and her lips would've been on his.
Caption said: [shared a drink = he's mine now]
Cade had liked it.
All their mutual friends were commenting congrats and heart emojis.
I stared at it like I was watching strangers. Weirdly calm.
Tapped the screen and left a genuine comment:
[omg so cute!!! when's the wedding?? save me a seat lol]
