Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

Darkness.

Nothing but empty black.

Then... a gasp. Air rushed into Olivia's lungs like she'd been underwater too long.

Her eyes flew open. She stood in the church hallway, her white dress clean and perfect. No blood. No pain. Her fingers touched her throat, no bruises. She pressed her hand to her head, no wound.

Was it just a bad dream?

Then she heard them through the storage room door.

"Stop it, Nathan," her sister giggled. "Someone might come looking for us."

"Let them wait," he said. "You know this has always been about business. The Parker name opens doors I need for the company."

Ice filled Olivia's veins. The exact same words. The exact same scene. But she was alive.

*She died. And now she was back.*

Her hands shook so hard she almost dropped her phone as she hit record. She held it near the crack in the door. Every word, every laugh, every plan they made while crushing her future, all caught on video.

This time, when she wanted to kick open the door, she remembered the pain. The heavy metal candlestick. Nathan's strong hands squeezing her throat. Her own sister watching her die, Sophia's eyes cold.

Olivia stepped back. Silent as a ghost.

The new part of her, the angry beast she never knew lived inside until now, whispered: *Not yet. Wait. Plan. Hit them when they feel safe.*

She slipped away, holding her phone like it was made of diamonds. In a way, it was worth more. It held the truth, her weapon for revenge.

***

"There you are!" Mother snapped when Olivia got back to the bridal room. "We've been looking everywhere! The wedding starts in fifteen minutes."

Olivia smiled, the movement feeling strange and stiff on her face. "Sorry. I needed some air."

"Your makeup is smudged," Mother said, waving over the makeup lady. "And where's Sophia? She should be here helping you."

"I'm sure she'll show up soon," Olivia said, her voice calm despite the storm inside her. "She's probably fixing her own makeup."

The makeup lady wiped under Olivia's eyes. Women talked all around her as bridesmaids fixed their dresses and Mother worried about every little thing.

None of it mattered. None of them knew she had died and come back in the space of minutes. None of them could see the ice growing in her heart, changing the good daughter into someone new. Someone dangerous.

"Did you find Sophia?" Melissa asked, straightening her blue dress, the same one Sophia wore while wrapped around Olivia's future husband.

"No," Olivia lied, her voice sweet as honey. "But I'm sure she'll be at the altar when we need her."

Mother fixed Olivia's veil one last time. "It's almost time. Remember, head high, back straight. Five hundred of the most important people in the city are waiting to see you become Mrs. Hughes."

Olivia nodded, playing her part perfectly. "I won't let you down."

For once, that wasn't a lie. The show she was about to give would burn into their memories forever.

***

"I just need to talk to the video guy before we start," Olivia told Mother as they neared the church entrance.

"Now? Olivia, the music already started!"

"It will only take a minute," she insisted. "There's something special I want to add."

Before Mother could argue, Olivia slipped away, moving fast toward the room where Tommy, the videographer, had set up his equipment. Her father paid him to make a love story video that would play during the ceremony, Nathan and Olivia walking in gardens, laughing at parties, looking lovingly at each other. All fake. All lies.

Tommy looked surprised when she walked in. "Miss Parker! You shouldn't be here, it's bad luck for people to see you before you walk down the aisle."

She stepped close to him, keeping her voice low. "I need your help with something, Tommy. It's important."

He hesitated. "The ceremony's about to start..."

"This won't take long." She pulled out her phone. "I have a video I want you to play instead of the love story. Play it when Father Bennett asks if anyone objects to this marriage."

Tommy's eyes got big. "Miss Parker, I don't think..."

She cut him off. "How much did my father pay you for today?"

"Five thousand."

Olivia nodded, then took off her diamond earrings, a gift from Nathan. "These are worth ten times that. They're yours if you help me."

His eyes locked on the sparkling stones. "What exactly do you need me to do?"

***

The church looked like a fairy tale. White roses and lilies everywhere. Candles glowing soft and warm. Five hundred guests in fancy clothes, turning to watch Olivia as the wedding music began.

At the altar stood Nathan, handsome in his black tuxedo, his face proud and satisfied. Beside him, Sophia, her cheeks pink, hair a little messy. Their secret still fresh between them.

Olivia's father squeezed her arm as they began to walk. "You look beautiful, Olivia. The Hughes family will be impressed."

She said nothing, just smiled and put one foot in front of the other. Each step bringing her closer to her moment.

Nathan's eyes met hers as she got closer. She searched for any hint of guilt, any small sign of shame for what he did, what he would have done if she had confronted him. There was nothing but cool judgment, like a man checking out a new car.

Father Bennett started the ceremony, his voice filling the church. Words about love, honor, respect, faithfulness. Each one stabbed like a knife after what she knew.

Sophia stood beside her, playing the loving twin, the supportive maid of honor. Her fingers touched Olivia's as she took the flowers. Olivia fought not to pull away from her.

"We have prepared a special video," Father Bennett announced as planned. "A celebration of Nathan and Olivia's journey to this blessed day."

Tommy dimmed the lights. The big screen came down from the ceiling. Olivia felt Nathan shift beside her, ready for the carefully edited scenes of their "love story."

But when Father Bennett said, "If anyone knows any reason why these two should not be joined in holy matrimony, speak now or forever hold your peace," Olivia stepped forward.

"Actually," she said, her voice clear and strong, "I have something to say."

A wave of whispers moved through the guests. Nathan's hand grabbed her wrist.

"What are you doing?" he hissed.

She pulled away from him. "I'd like to share my special video now, please."

Tommy, bless him, didn't wait. The screen flickered, and then, there they were. Nathan and Sophia, pressed against each other in the storage room. Her legs around his waist. His hands in her hair.

The church filled with gasps. Someone screamed. Nathan ran toward the video equipment, but it was too late.

"Poor, sweet Olivia," Sophia's voice rang through the speakers. "She actually thinks you love her."

"Love doesn't build empires," Nathan's recorded voice answered. "But don't worry, we'll have plenty of time together after the honeymoon. She'll be too busy with charity events to notice where I spend my nights."

Their cruel laughter filled the holy space.

Nathan's face turned white. "Turn it off!" he shouted, but no one moved.

Sophia grabbed Olivia's arm, nails digging into skin. "What have you done?" she hissed.

Olivia looked into her eyes, her twin turned traitor. "I showed everyone who you really are."

The video kept playing as Nathan rushed toward Tommy, who wisely stepped away. Olivia's parents sat frozen in the front row, horror on their faces as their perfect plan fell apart.

"This is fake!" Sophia yelled to the shocked guests. "It's not real!"

But the proof was clear. Their own voices. Their own faces. Their own betrayal playing for everyone to see.

Mrs. Hughes, Nathan's mother, stood up, her face white with anger. Mr. Hughes put his head in his hands. Business partners whispered. Rich friends stared. Hundreds of phones recorded everything, the video, the shock, the chaos that followed.

Through it all, Olivia stood perfectly still. The calm center of the storm.

When Nathan finally reached the equipment and ripped out cords, the damage was done. Every person in that church had seen the truth.

He turned to her, hate twisting his handsome face. "You stupid bitch," he growled, quiet enough that only those at the altar could hear. "Do you have any idea what you've done?"

Olivia smiled then, a real smile that felt like her first in years. "I saved myself."

Without another word, she turned away from the altar. From him. From Sophia. From her shocked parents.

The guests moved aside like the Red Sea as she walked back down the aisle, her head high, her steps steady. Behind her, shouting erupted. Accusations flew. Sophia's tearful lies. Nathan's attempts to take back control.

None of it touched her.

She pushed open the heavy church doors and stepped into the sunlight. The weight of duty, of others' expectations, of being the perfect daughter, all of it fell away with each step she took.

For the first time in twenty-five years, she was free.

And this was just the beginning.