Unveil

When you do things to please others, you lose. I know because that's what happened to me. 

It was my wedding day. The best day of my life, according to what people say. But the best day of my life it was not. In fact, it was the worst day of my life.

Because, I watched, frozen in place, as my mother and my fiancé shared a passionate kiss. I realized right then, how horrible my life was. I felt tears sliding down my cheeks. The future I thought I wanted, just died a painful death.

How did I get here? Well, I got here by making one wrong decision after the other. 

Now life slapped me across the face for me to wake up. And wake up I did. I clutched my bouquet of pink flowers with enough force to destroy them. I felt sorry for them, but I had no time to dwell on it. 

Sucking in a breath, I tried to decide what to do.

Before I had any chance to do that, my mother and my now ex-fiancé noticed my presence. Time stood still. For a moment, we just stared at each other. 

Grayson took a step toward me. I took one back. "Olivia, I can explain."

I shook my head. "I don't want to hear it."

My mother fixed her dress. Her eyes anywhere but on me. For once in her life, she looked ashamed. Good. "You two should still get married," my mother said, her voice soft. She sounded like she regretted what she did. But I knew better.

I laughed without humor. It sounded ugly to my ears. "Of course you do. That way, you can avoid the scandal that will come if I say what I just saw. But guess what, mother? I'm done with you controlling my life."

Her head jerked in my direction. She opened her mouth but said nothing.

"You're kidding, right? You can't call off the wedding," Grayson said. 

My mother raised her chin, her eyes hard. "I don't control you, Olivia. I just know better. You'd be lost without me."

And there it was. "Maybe it's the other way around, mother," I said, my tone harsh. 

Her eyes widened. "What did you just say?"

I placed a hand over my chest. Every breath hurt. And I'd just voiced one huge truth. One my mother refused to acknowledge. "You heard me."

She fisted her hands. Did I go too far? It didn't matter. Someone had to say it.

"I'm sorry that you feel that way, Olivia. And I'm so sorry that you saw what you just saw, but believe me when I say, that's the only thing that has ever happened between Grayson and me. It was a terrible mistake."

I bit the inside of my cheek to stop the mean words threatening to escape. They would make us no good. "What's done it's done, mother," I said, defeated. My relationship with my mother broke today, and it would never be the same. She ruined us.

Her need to always be the center of attention brought us to this moment.

"Olivia, please. Let's talk about this." Grayson stood in front of me. He went to place his hands on my shoulders. But he thought better of it. His hands fell to his sides. 

"Talk about what, Grayson? About how you cheated on me twenty minutes before we got married?" I hated how my voice quivered at the end. "I don't think I want to."

Someone knocked on the door. "Is everything okay? We're starting to fall back on our schedule, Mr. Callaway." It was the wedding planner. 

"Olivia, please," my mother and Grayson said at the same time.

I closed my eyes for a moment, trying to decide what to do. 

Then, in a moment, I had it all clear. I saw my life with Grayson and this day weighing down on us. Walking to the door, I jerked the door open. I met the wedding planner’s eyes. I almost felt sorry for the trouble I would cause her.

"The wedding is canceled. I'm sorry, but the groom is a cheater." 

Ignoring my mother's gasp and Grayson's protests, I sidestepped her. I left the room without looking back. Now it was their mess to clean. 

I wiped my tears as I walked along the hallway decorated with sweet-smelling flowers. I let my bouquet fall to the floor. My veil followed. It felt like I was shredding my old self. 

It was time I created a life that was mine. For once, my mother did something that benefited me. Not her. I always did what she said to make her happy. After my father left us, she got sad all the time.

I was twenty-two years old, and still was a little girl who wanted to see her mother happy. Well, that stopped today. I had to live my life. And that meant taking that job in New York. The one she told me to reject.

But I couldn’t do it. 

And if things went great, I could gain experience. Then bring my designs to life. It sounded like a plan. I exited the chapel and looked back one more time. 

This morning, I woke up thinking I would marry Grayson Callaway. Now I was glad I saw him with my mother. I was glad because now I was free. I would go out there and make a name for myself.

I would make myself proud. 

After all, my mother wasn’t the only fashion designer in the family. No. Ella Winston had a talented daughter. I wondered if she cut my wings on purpose. Did she fear I was more talented than her? 

It didn’t matter anymore. 

Descending the chapel's steps, I walked to the crowded street in my white dress and high heels. People stared at me. I let them. I smiled to myself and got in a taxi. Once in my apartment, I packed a suitcase and left for New York. 

When I got there, I allowed myself to cry and feel sorry for what I lost with Grayson. Because as much as I didn't want to admit it, I loved him. We were together for two years. But he was never mine, was he?

My mother chose him for me.

She just made me believe I did. Whatever. That was now in the past. After a few weeks, where I went from happy to sad, I found myself smiling more and more. 

"We're excited to have you, Olivia. Welcome to the team," my new boss said. Her words sounded genuine. 

When she left, I went and stood by my office window. As I looked at the bright morning sun, I smiled. Now this life, I loved.