Blueprint 4_Invisible to My First Love

Harper

 78

 55 vouchers

 When I made it to the wedding venue of the guy I always loved, I was in a long satin dress that clung to my body with a thigh slit, the soft curls of my hair falling over one shoulder.

 I was there to smile and p politely like I was over it.

 It was when I stepped into the long corridor that I saw Maddox. He was in a ck suit and shirt unbuttoned a little as he leaned against the wall.

 As I got closer, he smirked at me, but I didn’t. I walked past him like the hot kissing and touching never happened.

 “Red looks good on you,” he said behind me, his voice, low and teasing.

 I didn’t even bother to look back, but just as I took another step forward, he spoke again, moving closer to whisper.

 “I still remember the taste of your lips from a few weeks ago.”

 I looked over my shoulder. “I don’t.”

 “Liar.” He circled around me.

 He was right. I thought about it from that day, still asking myself why I didn’t regret it.

 A few more guests made their way into the corridor, breaking the private moment I had with him and I used it to get away, heading straight to the church.

 I found myself in the middle row, nodding at a few former ssmates who couldn’t stop looking at me andplimenting my entire look.

 Then came a phone call from someone I hadn’t heard from in years, Anna, my older sister. It didn’t even ring for too long but I still wanted to call her back. That just wasn’t the ce for it.

 There was still some time before the wedding would begin so I made my way out. My heart was still racing faster in disbelief, looking down at her name on the screen.

 I was on my way to the restroom to call her back when I began to slow down until my steps came to a halt. It sounded like Grayson and Tiffany were arguing in one of the rooms and I didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but Tiffany called my name, demanding that I should leave.

 While Grayson came to my defense, it hurt when he called me his best friend.

 Just as she threatened to cancel the wedding if I didn’t leave, approaching footsteps and voices from the other side got louder, so I moved away from that door and proceeded to the restroom.

 I wondered what he was going to do since he had already chosen her over me a thousand times.

 7:20 Tue, Sep 16

 78 

 55 vouchers

 Finally alone, I called Anna, but she declined my call each time. It made no sense to me that she did that when she was the one who reached out first in so many years.

 Then, she sent me a message and it broke my heart.

 “I didn’t mean to dial your number. That was a mistake so stop calling me.”

 I smiled in disbelief, feeling stupid for even having the hope that things were about to change between us. I was used to this, so I stayed calm and returned to my seat.

 I even waited to be thrown out, but nothing like that happened.

 Part of me even thought the wedding wouldn’t take ce after how explosive Tiffany was in that room, but my heart sank even more when Grayson made his way to the altar. He looked like a prince.

 Tiffany walked down the aisle in a gorgeous wedding dress that made so many guests gasp.

 He smiled at her as he waited and I figured out that whatever had happened in that room had been resolved. It didn’t make me feel any better as I realized that nothing was going to stop the wedding. He only wanted her and no one else.

 I watched them exchange vows and he looked at her like she was his entire world.

 Then came the kiss and it was deep and dramatic. I pped like everyone else did, but when everyone rose to their feet, it took me a while as I just couldn’t stand the sight of that moment.

 I gathered the strength I needed to get up, not wanting to stand out from everyone else. I smiled like it was all okay, but it hurt the most when they walked down the aisle and he raised her hand proudly as his wife, Mrs Ford.

 I watched from a distance as they took pictures outside, wondering just how much more I could take. He was happy, looking at her the way he never looked at me, yet I still loved him.

 When I couldn’t take it anymore, I hurried to the parking lot but couldn’t even make it to my car before tears streamed down my cheeks. I wiped them away as I got in so I’d have a clear vision.

 My efforts were in vain as the tears just kepting and I couldn’t see the road ahead. It was for this reason that I parked by the side of the road and cried my heart out, but it still wasn’t enough. I needed to forget it all.

 When my tears dried up, I drove along the city streets and stopped right by a bar. That was just what I needed.

 I didn’t even check myself in the mirror before walking in.

 I ordered the strongest drink I could think of as I just needed to stop feeling anything. My fingers even shook slightly when I reached for the ss.

 I had barely taken a sip when a guy took a seat right next to me. He was tall, attractive and just the right amount of trouble.

 “Rough day?” he asked, shing me a smile.

 7:20 Tue, Sep 16 

 Iughed under my breath. “Is it that obvious?” 

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 55 vouchers

 He leaned in slightly. “The messy hair and smudged make up gave it away but you know what? I still like what I see. How about I buy you another drink after this and we can pretend this wasn’t a rough day by making it back to my ce and doing whatever we want all night?”

 He was hot, charming and didn’t know anything about my past. Just as I considered it and was about to give him my response, a familiar voice came from behind me.

 “Don’t you dare.” The tone was low but threatening.

 I slowly turned to face the guy and for sure, it was Maddox.

 He stood there with his jaw tightened, hands shoved in the pockets of his ck suit as he red right at the guy who had offered to give me a good time all night.

 The stranger raised an eyebrow. “Is there a problem?”

 Maddox didn’t even look at him when he responded. His eyes were on me.

 “There’s definitely a problem.”

 I didn’t know why he was there, but he was only getting in the way, so I looked back at the view in front of me with a smile.

 Maddox then stepped between me and the stranger and grabbed my wrist. He wasn’t even too rough with it, but just enough to tell me that I was leaving with him.

 “Wait!” I hissed. “What’s your problem?”

 He didn’t even respond, just focused on pulling me towards the exit without looking back.

 I nced once over my shoulder to see the stranger watching us and he was confused and disappointed.

 When Maddox brought me outside, I snapped, trying to twist out of his grip.

 “Let me go!”

 He roughly dropped my hand and turned to face me. “Were you seriously going to sleep with some random guy just to prove that you’re not in love with someone who married another girl today? Had I not shown up-”

 “What? You think that I would have made a mistake by going with him?”

 He didn’t respond. Instead, he opened the door to his 2025 ck Rolls–Royce Phantom and motioned for me to get in.

 “I’m taking you home right now.”

 I hesitated. “Just so you can lecture me the whole ride?”

 He ruffled his hair, clearly trying not to explode. “No, because I’m not leaving you drunk and furious so you

 7:20 Tue, Sep 16 

 can regret your actions tomorrow morning. Your car will be taken care of.”

 I sighed, finally getting in his car.

 78

 55 vouchers

 He shoved the car door on my side so hard that I flinched and wondered why he was so upset. I had never seen him like that.

 The ride home was mostly silent, except when I gave him directions. I didn’t even feel like raising my voice. I just constantly watched him. This wasn’t the arrogant guy I knew. I always believed he wasn’t one to care like

 that.

 When he pulled up to my ce, he stepped out of the car and came all the way to my side so he could open my door, ruffling his already messy hair in the process.

 “Get out.” His tone was so harsh yet filled with concern. I couldn’t understand it.

 I stepped out of the car, but stopped right in front of him.

 “How did you know where to find me?” I asked.

 “I was watching you the whole time, worried that you might do something stupid and then you proved me right when you were about to destroy yourself with that stranger.”

 My heart was still racing from the desire to do something wild that night. He shouldn’t have taken me out of

 that bar.

 Leading the way to my doorstep, he said, “Get inside.”

 That was it? After dragging me out of that bar like someone who needed to be saved, he was just going to drive off?

 I approached the steps, the pain in my chest crawling into my throat. I didn’t want to cry over Grayson and not in front of Maddox or ever again.

 Screw everything.

 Just as he turned around to leave, I held onto his arm. He didn’t even pull away as his eyes met mine. He was confused at first, then seemed to be searching for something.

 My emotions lit a fire in me that made me move my face so close that I could feel his breath.

 “You only stopped me at the bar because that was a stranger, but you’re not,” I said. “Tonight, I want to forget about Grayson.”

 “And how do you intend to do that?” His lustful eyes and the way he subtly bit his bottom lip gave it away that he knew what I meant, yet he just wanted me to say it with no filter.

 Sliding my hand up his arm, I said, “Wannae in for some hot sex?”

 7:20 Tue, Sep 16

17kNovel

Blueprint 4