Chapter 2Three Slaps on Her Wedding Day

The fragile peace shattered.

This time, I put more force behind it.

A trickle of blood appeared at the corner of Rosalie's mouth. Her shock curdled into pure rage. "Mia, are you sick? I gave you an inch, and you took a fucking mile! Hitting me not once, but twice!"

What seemed to infuriate her even more was that her husband, the man who should have been defending her, remained silent.

"Daniel, are you even a man? Your wife is being assaulted, and you don't say a single word!"

The guests below the stage started whispering again, their theories growing wilder.

"I bet the maid of honor is sleeping with the groom. I heard the three of them grew up together."

"Maybe the bride stole him from her? That's why she's getting revenge on the wedding day."

"To be honest, she and the groom do look better together..."

"Enough!" Rosalie roared, silencing the crowd. She turned back, squeezing out a few tears of pure frustration.

Her accusing gaze swung between me and Daniel. "Mia, are you in love with my husband?"

"And you," she spat at Daniel, "are you still hung up on her?"

Daniel’s brow furrowed slightly, but he didn't answer.

I looked her straight in the eye. "I have zero interest in your husband. But I'm still going to hit you again."

Fear flashed in Rosalie's eyes and she scrambled backward. "Mia, please," she begged, "it's my wedding day. The most important day of my life. Can we please just talk this out? Don't hit me again."

I shook my head, my expression unyielding. "No."

Someone in the crowd couldn't take it anymore.

Seeing Rosalie weeping, a guest shouted, "Is this maid of honor just jealous? Ruining someone's wedding like this! She calls herself a friend of twenty years? She acts more like an enemy."

A few of Rosalie’s college friends, unable to watch any longer, came up to intervene.

"That's enough. Whatever Rosalie did to make you this angry, you can't do this to her today. Besides, assault is illegal."

"If you don't stop, we'll have you removed!"

My own parents, their faces burning with embarrassment, hurried over and pulled me aside. "Mia, stop this nonsense!" my dad hissed. "We let you get away with arguing with Rosalie, but this is her wedding day! Don't ruin this for her family!"

My gaze fell back to her dress, and the hand I’d lowered started to rise again.

"Mom, Dad, I'm sorry," I said, my voice heavy with sincerity. Then I lunged forward and grabbed Rosalie's arm.

She shrieked and tried to hide behind her parents. "Mom, Dad, help me! Get Mia out of here!"

But to everyone's shock, Mr. and Mrs. Lowe simply stepped aside, leaving Rosalie exposed.

If my parents hadn't rushed forward to drag me back, my third slap would have already landed.

My father was shaking with anger. A man who always prized reason, he looked like he was about to strike me himself.

"Have you lost all sense of decorum? Is this how I raised you?"

My mother joined in, her voice full of disappointment. "Mia, this constant aggression is so ill-bred! If you dare hit Rosalie again today, I will disown you!"

Rosalie collapsed onto the floor, sobbing hysterically, but her heart-wrenching cries didn't move me an inch.

The standoff was broken by an unlikely voice—Rosalie's father. He turned to mine. "Calm down. I'm sure Mia has her reasons."

Rosalie's mother defended me unconditionally, snapping at her daughter, "Stop making a scene on the floor! Mia didn't mean it. She's upset, so what if she hits you a few times?"

Rosalie stomped her foot in frustration. "Dad! Mom! Whose side are you on? Who's your real daughter?!"

The bizarre exchange left everyone speechless. Some guests looked so confused they probably wondered if I was secretly the Lowes' biological child.

I looked at my parents, my heart aching. "Mom, Dad, even if you disown me, I have to land this third slap."

They stood there, helpless. They knew I wouldn't back down once my mind was made up, and they couldn't truly cut me out of their lives.

Rosalie tried to fight back, but I was an athlete. She was no match for me.

I rolled up my sleeves, ready to put everything I had into it.

She clutched her stomach and screamed, "Don't hit me again! I'm pregnant!"