“On my wedding day, my husband’s ex showed up at our bridal car and said, ‘Let me ride with you.’ He answered, ‘Laurel, just shift over a little so she can fit.’ I stepped out of the bridal car in my wedding gown and walked back into my parents’ house.

The moment my husband’s ex-girlfriend opened the door of our bridal car, I knew my marriage was already over. But when my new husband told me to move aside so she could sit beside him, I realized he had just made the most expensive mistake of his life.

“”Let me ride with you,”” Vanessa said, smiling as though she belonged there.

My husband, Ethan Caldwell, didn’t hesitate.

“”Laurel, just shift over a little so she can fit.””

I stared at him.

I was wearing a $12,000 wedding gown. My parents had spent months preparing our beautiful garden ceremony. Two hundred guests were waiting at the reception venue.

And my husband wanted me to make room for his ex-girlfriend.

“”Excuse me?”” I whispered.

Ethan sighed. “”Don’t start embarrassing me. Vanessa’s car broke down. It’s a fifteen-minute ride.””

Vanessa leaned against the open door, her red silk dress practically glowing against my white gown.

“”Seriously, Laurel. Don’t be insecure. Ethan and I have known each other forever.””

I looked at Ethan, waiting for him to defend me.

Instead, he rolled his eyes.

“”You’re making this a bigger deal than it needs to be.””

Something inside me went perfectly still.

“”You’re right,”” I said quietly.

I gathered my wedding dress, stepped out of the limousine, and closed the door.

Ethan lowered the window.

“”Where are you going?””

“”Home.””

He laughed. “”Laurel, stop being dramatic.””

I turned toward my parents’ house, where the ceremony had taken place.

Behind me, Vanessa giggled.

“”She’ll come back. Girls like her always do.””

I kept walking.

What Ethan didn’t know was that the beautiful reception venue, the luxury limousine, and the lavish honeymoon had all been paid for through my family’s business.

More importantly, he didn’t know that I was the majority owner of the company he had recently joined as chief operating officer.

My father had founded Whitmore Development, but three years earlier, he had transferred controlling ownership to me.

Ethan believed my father still made every important decision.

I’d allowed him to believe it.

When I entered the house, my mother gasped.

“”Laurel? Sweetheart, what happened?””

I removed my veil and placed it on the kitchen counter.

“”Mom, please call our attorney.””

My father appeared in the doorway.

“”What’s wrong?””

I looked at the wedding ring on my finger.

“”Ethan just chose his ex-girlfriend.””

Then I removed the ring.

“”And tomorrow, he’s going to discover exactly what that choice cost him.”