PEACE (A Catherine Peace Novel)

Chapter 10

The voices faded away as I ran my hands along the golden railings, feeling the cool metal beneath my sweaty palms. My heart was racing and I couldn't shake off this uneasy feeling at the wedding. Jacob's mom begged me to talk to him, so I reluctantly went to find Liam for support. He wasn't too happy about it, but he always stands by me no matter what crazy decisions I make. "If it'll give you peace of mind, go for it," he said with a shrug.

As I made my way to the groom's dressing area, my mind raced with wild scenarios about Jacob and our past relationship. Liam may be my rock now, but how could anyone expect me to forget the guy I spent six years of my life with? Things weren't always perfect between us, but there was still something special about us that made it all worth it.

I bumped into some old classmates from high school - Jacob and Elena had chosen London for their destination wedding, which was a bit eerie since that's where we first met. Seeing all those snobby jerks who used to bully me for being adopted brought up a lot of painful memories. But luckily, my amazing adoptive parents saved me from a life in the system and gave me a loving home.

Finally, I reached the black door labeled "Groom" and took a deep breath before opening it. Inside was a stunningly decorated room with a big window showcasing the beautiful town below. In one corner were jackets and clothes for the groomsmen, while in the center sat a luxurious golden couch fit for a millionaire's son like Jacob.

"You came," Jacob said upon seeing me enter. He looked handsome in his black tuxedo with his hair slicked back.

"Yeah, your mom wouldn't let me stay downstairs," I replied, taking a seat on the couch next to him but keeping a safe distance.

He ran a hand through his hair before speaking again. "I'm sorry about that."

We sat in an awkward silence for a moment, him fiddling with his collar and me unsure of what to say.

"You look beautiful," he finally said.

I smiled at him but stayed quiet, knowing that if I spoke I'd probably burst into tears.

"Do you remember when I first told you I loved you?" Jacob suddenly asked, catching me off guard. Of course I remembered - it was during a trip to Rio with our families for Carnival.

"Yes," I replied softly.

"That's one of my favorite memories of us. You were so full of life and excitement, and I couldn't help but fall in love with you. I-"

"Jacob, why did you want to talk to me?" I interrupted, my emotions starting to bubble up.

"I just need you to know that I never meant to hurt you...I just didn't know how to love you," he admitted, a tear escaping his eye.

I sat silently, not sure how to react. This was all so unexpected and confusing.

"Catherine, being with Elena has been the biggest mistake of my life. My dad won't let me leave her because her family is powerful, but I wish I had never left you," Jacob continued, now breaking down into sobs.

My heart ached with longing and regret as I gazed at Jacob, the man I once loved. Tears streamed down my face uncontrollably and Jacob pulled me into a tight embrace. But even in his arms, I couldn't find solace. My emotions were a chaotic storm inside of me.

"I'm sorry for everything," I choked out between sobs, my tears staining his shirt. But it was too late for apologies. The damage had already been done.

As we cried in each other's arms, I felt a surge of confusion wash over me. How did we end up here? At his wedding, of all places? Jade's words echoed in my mind - "You need to move on from him." And she was right. I needed to let go and focus on my own happiness.

"I am moving on, Jacob," I finally managed to say as I pulled away from him. "You hurt me deeply and now we're here at your wedding."

All the pain and anger that I had suppressed came rushing out in that moment. I wanted nothing more than to scream and shout at him for all the ways he had wronged me.

"You don't even understand!" I exclaimed, standing up and facing him directly. "You've broken me down in ways you can never imagine. You took advantage of my insecurities and made me feel small so that I would stay with you. And when I finally decided to follow my dreams, you dumped me and got engaged to the girl who had bullied me for years."

Jacob tried to grab my arm in an attempt to calm me down, but I pushed him away. "Don't touch me," I spat out bitterly. "She is your fiancee, Jacob! She deserves your love and respect, not just empty apologies from you."

He slammed his fist onto the nearby counter in frustration, causing a vase to shatter onto the ground. But I didn't flinch. I was done being afraid of him.

"Why do you keep bringing her up?" he yelled, his eyes filled with anger and frustration.

"Because she's the reason we're here!" I shouted back, my voice trembling with emotion. "You hurt me more times than I can count - every time you laid your hands on me, every time you lashed out at me in anger, and every time you used your words to tear me down. And I was stupid enough to still love you."

Jacob's face softened as tears began to form in his eyes. "Babe, please," he pleaded, reaching for me again.

"Do not call me babe," I snapped, pulling away from him. "I loved you with everything I had, but you lost that when you chose to hurt me over and over again. And now, after all these years, you want one last chance to make me happy? It's too late for that."

In that moment, something inside of me finally clicked. I realized that I had gained so much more by leaving Jacob than I ever would have by staying with him.

"I'm done," I said firmly before turning on my heel and storming out of the room.

Outside the door, Liam was waiting for me with a pained expression on his face. He had heard everything. But before we could even talk about it, we were interrupted by Jade pacing frantically outside.

"My mom is on the phone and needs to talk to you urgently," she said breathlessly, handing me the phone.

As soon as I heard my father's sobs on the other end of the line, my heart dropped to my stomach. The next words she spoke made everything go dark as I fainted into Liam's arms.