She stole my wedding and home! I'm done! novel

Chapter 1 Her Childhood Friend Made Her the Bridesmaid? "Grace, Laney can't even walk on her own anymore. Could you walk her down the aisle as her bridesmaid? You know her condition. We still have a long life ahead of us. Once her wish is fulfilled, I'll make it up to you with an even grander wedding." The man leaned back on the gray leather sofa, smoking a cigarette, his tone flat and emotionless. Grace Miller could hardly believe it. The one making this request was her boyfriend of seven years, the man she'd built a business from scratch with, Ethan Carter.

What shocked her even more was that the highly anticipated wedding in two days wouldn't be hers. It would be Ethan marrying his childhood friend. A month ago, Laney came to Ethan, claiming she had terminal lung cancer. Her last wish was to have a wedding. Grace had always known Ethan once had a crush on Laney White when they were kids. So when Laney made the request and Ethan immediately agreed, Grace's heart split open. Her years of devotion had turned into another woman's bridal gown, and she couldn't even bring herself to refuse.

If she said no, she'd be seen as petty, heartless toward someone on her deathbed. Now that the invitations had been sent out, the news of the bride becoming the bridesmaid would spread fast, turning Grace into the hottest gossip among the wealthy wives of Anston City. The sourness in her chest spread to her teeth. "I've been planning this wedding for more than eight months. I hand-stitched the dress myself. The jewelry is my family heirloom. Make it up to me? How?" "Grace, are you seriously talking to me like this?" Ethan frowned. "I've already explained everything.

You've always been understanding. Why are you suddenly being so unreasonable with me?" Unreasonable? Sensing her unhappiness, Ethan put out his cigarette and reached for her hand. "Grace, you know she's dying. Let's not fight her on this, okay? Just... help me out?" He was always proud, always arrogant. 1/5 11:34 Mon, Feb 16 Chapter 1 Her Childhood Friend Made Her the Bridesmaid? To ask her this way, for someone else, left Grace stunned. Help him? Help him marry another woman? Hadn't she already helped him enough?

VPN 76 +5 Free Coins Over the years, whenever the company faced a cash crisis, she secretly entered competitions and sold her embroidery at auctions to bring in prize money, keeping their start-up, Pinnacle Designs, alive. What Ethan didn't know was that the internationally celebrated double-sided embroidery artist was actually Grace herself. He didn't know those big orders for Pinnacle came because business owners valued her work. He didn't know that leading corporations in Anston City, even Titan Group, the embroidery industry's giant, were trying to lure her away. But Grace kept silent.

Ethan never liked women who were stronger than he was. Hot tears welled at the corners of her eyes, stinging her skin. Seven years of blood, sweat, and struggle flashed before her. "...Fine. I'll be her bridesmaid." Her voice was barely a whisper. That single sentence drained almost all her strength. Ethan smiled in relief. "I know you are the kindest girl." Titan Group, Overseas Branch. "Mr. West, we found out." Behind his desk, a man still working late lifted his eyes briefly.

His secretary took a deep breath before reporting, "The winner of this year's International Top Ten Embroidery Award, turns out it's Miss Miller from Pinnacle." Daniel West's pen froze mid-stroke. "Grace?" "Not just this award. Those five embroidery pieces auctioned off for millions last year, and the double-sided red-bellied pheasant displayed in the museum, they were all hers. She just 2/5 11:34 Mon, Feb 16 Chapter 1 Her Childhood Friend Made Her the Bridesmaid? competed under her cousin's name, Lily Shaw." So the world-renowned master Lily Shaw was actually Grace.

VPN 76 +5 Free Coins The secretary couldn't hide his admiration. "By the look of it, Miss Miller might be the only true master of double-sided embroidery in the country." Daniel was silent for a moment, then gave instructions, "Have Andrea set up a dinner with her." The secretary shook his head, holding the file. "... Might be hard to get her schedule." "Oh?" "She's getting married in two days." Two days later. The wedding of Pinnacle's two founders drew nearly every major company in Anston City to send representatives. In the grand hall, classical music echoed as the guests filled the seats.

Outside the hall. Laney, graceful with her single-lidded eyes, wore the wedding gown Grace had hand-stitched, radiant and lavish, adorned with Grace's family heirlooms on her head and wrists. "Grace, I'm really grateful you're generous enough to help me fulfill this wish." Laney's makeup masked any sign of illness. Then, with a trace of disdain, she added, "It's just... the waistline feels a bit loose. If you'd tightened it more, it would suit me better." "Sorry. It was made to fit my measurements," Grace replied, not daring to look at her.

She feared she'd lose control and rip the gown right off her. "But now it's on me, isn't it?" Laney laughed suddenly, like a victor, stretching out her slender hand as if Grace were her maid. Grace stared at that fragile hand until her jaw went numb from clenching her teeth, then finally lifted Laney's palm. 3/5 11:34 Mon, Feb 16 VPN 76 Chapter 1 Her Childhood Friend Made Her the Bridesmaid? +5 Free Coins The 30-foot-high doors of the hall swung open. With the music rising, she guided Laney down the aisle. The guests turned their heads, bewildered. What was going on? The bride had changed?

Not only that, the original bride was now the bridesmaid? And who exactly was this bride? Grace had prepared herself for the whispers. Right now, she didn't care. Because Ethan's eyes, deep and burning, weren't on her. They were fixed on Laney. Maybe marrying his first love was his greatest dream after all. On stage, what once felt like a short walk now seemed endless. Every step made Grace's heart ache. Ethan's reaction startled her. Wasn't this just supposed to fulfill Laney's wish? Then why did he look so thrilled?

As the music swelled, the image of Ethan in the suit she'd designed and sewn blurred, fading into the Ethan from seven years ago. Back then, his family had some wealth, though nothing compared to Laney's. The Carter family had been merchants for generations, but his grandfather squandered it all. Ethan's ambition had driven him out of that small town. Grace had been with him since she was twenty, from nights on park benches to their first apartment, to her secretly entering competitions for prize money so he could have a decent suit to wear for business deals.

Her fingertips had been pricked and scarred countless times. Now, she was so skilled she rarely bled. Even if she did, she no longer felt pain. She thought that after sharing hardship, they were finally close to happiness. 4/5 11:34 Mon, Feb 16 VPN 76 Chapter 1 Her Childhood Friend Made Her the Bridesmaid? +5 Free Coins But as she reached the end of the aisle, Ethan's nervous excitement was plain, like a man finally getting the treasure of his life. He hesitated between his left and right hands, then finally extended his left.

It was what she'd once told him, "At our wedding, you'll hold out your left hand to take mine." But now, that hand reached for someone else. 575 11:34 Mon, Feb 16 Cedella Cedella is a passionate storyteller known for her bold romantic and spicy novels that keep readers hooked from the very first chapter. With a flair for crafting emotionally intense plots and unforgettable characters, she blends love, desire, and drama into every story she writes. Cedella's storytelling style is immersive and addictive-perfect for fans of heated romances and heart-pounding twists.