Chapter 19
COLTON
I don’t know why I was so worried.
The day was progressing swimmingly—better than I’d planned, and that was difficult to match.
I loved fucking with them, lived for their discomfort, breathed that shit in like I was deprived of oxygen.
The unravelling began at the ceremony, when Jennifer marched down the aisle. Her gaze swung to me, disbelief warping her features before she slipped that pristine mask back into place.
Like mother, like daughter, I guess. Because the next one to catch the surprise was the bride herself.
Nikita had become sloppy in her old age, too comfortable with my imbecile father, and when she processed my position on the altar, her stride faltered for the briefest moment. The misstep made me giddy.
I’d clocked the tiny fissure in her well-maintained facade, and I was intent on claiming more. I was striving for maximum impact, the ultimate shattering of her soul, and to achieve that, I first had to establish a false sense of security.
I played the best man role well.
The ceremony had gone perfectly, and the guests were ecstatic at my miraculous return. I charmed and mingled with old family friends, ensuring the atmosphere was jovial and positive. Everyone was lapping that crazy up, ignoring the fact that I’d been missing for years.
However, that same level of blind acceptance hadn’t yet infected the rest of the wedding party.
Noah had held a longstanding scowl since my initial insolence, Nikita continuously side-eyed me with scepticism and Jennifer acted as if I didn’t exist. But the icing on the cake? William was oblivious to it all, grinning like the stupid fool he was.
It appeared as if he was the only one having a good time, which I was fine with at that moment.
As per usual, he ignored the blaring red flags and chose to willingly turn a blind eye to the obvious.
My father had long been a lost cause, and he only had his stubborn ignorance to blame—oh, and his brazen self-serving interest. Couldn’t forget that.
My only source of contention seemed to be Avery. I had been reluctant to bring him with me, knowing that he was against my plans from the beginning. Yet, when he returned from his parents’ anniversary party, seething mad and newly single, there was no other option.
Once a bright light of positivity, Avery was now a bitter shadow of himself, forever tainted. He was a man irrevocably changed… and I was absolutely shattered for him.
Upon finding my best friend dejected and betrayed, two names were immediately added to my shit list—a place no one wanted to be. As William and Nikita were about to find out.
No one was safe, my retribution far-reaching and unstoppable.
Hence, why I patiently waited over four years to finally claim what I was rightfully owed.
Avery would get his too. I would make sure of it.
The alcohol was flowing, and the celebrations were reaching their peak. Standing off to the side, I checked my watch to confirm everything was running on time.
Nikita and William were in the middle of their first dance, all loved up and sickly sweet. I wanted to fucking punch something.
My acting skills were waning as the night progressed, my patience wearing thin at their blatant show of disrespect.
Yet, I must have done something right, as Nikita soon believed the lie, the guise that I had finally grown tired and simply given up. She still kept her distance, but there was no denying her winning smile that seemed to stretch a bit wider with each passing minute.
The newlyweds were complacent, assuming that I’d miraculously come to terms with their betrayal. That my presence meant I was ready to mend old wounds.
Oh, how mistaken they are.
As they concluded their uncoordinated side-step shuffle, Nikita dragged William over to the podium to begin her groundbreaking speech.
It only took one word, a whispered name from her serpent tongue, to light the fucking match to my never-ending well of hatred, immediately igniting into flames.
She’d said my mother’s name as if in prayer. Beth.
Despite my inner turmoil, Nikita’s voice droned on, her voice wavering in and out of my awareness, only key statements invading deeply.
“We truly believe Bethy passed on this blessing… That her divine intervention brought William and me together… That she is with us today, smiling big and cheering us on…”
My gaze flicked back to my dad, who stood there all starry-eyed, expression layered with admiration as Nikita continued to use and butcher the special nickname he used for Mum.
No one ever called her Bethy. Not even me.
That right was solely reserved for her husband.
And he just stood there as his whore claimed another piece of my mother for herself.
I can’t take any more.
I was jolted back into reality as Avery knocked his shoulder into mine, silently lending his support as if he could hear me internally screaming. In his hand, he offered a second microphone, the inclination clear.
“I’ve got the rest sorted. Now go and fuck them up,” he said, so unlike himself that I paused to take him in. His soft brown eyes had hardened, tempered from the worst type of hurt—a particular pain I was well versed in.
I gave a resolute nod, knowing I was now doing this for the both of us.
Taking his gift in hand, I beelined for the empty dance floor, and once I was planted centre, I raised the microphone to my lips and said, “What’s a wedding without a best man’s speech?!”
The crowd roared in agreement as Nikita’s voice tapered off into the background.
Her eyes soon narrowed in warning, which only made my mouth draw wider into a wolfish grin.
I had cornered my prey and was poised to attack. Unlucky for her, I liked to play with my food before I went in for the final kill.
“Who wants to play a wedding game with the happy couple?”