My Fiancé's 'Girl' Gave Me a Buzzcut. I Gave Her a Subpoena for Their Wedding. novel Chapter 1

Chapter 1

The 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.