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I smirked, teasing him, "I bet you would. Only a few more hours, and you'll have me all to yourself."
"I can't wait," he murmured, his eyes darkening with anticipation.
Sadie entered the room, interrupting our moment. "The DJ is about to announce your entrance," she said, a bright smile on her face.
Oliver had insisted on having both a DJ and a band for our reception, wanting to ensure the music would be perfect. We waited by the door, and when our names were called, we stepped into the room to a chorus of cheers from our guests.
Oliver smiled warmly, but I could see the excitement bubbling beneath his composed exterior. I waved to familiar faces, my gaze inevitably finding Lara Harvin. Her expression, once sour, had transformed into one of pain. I couldn't blame her entirely; losing Oliver to someone else would be devastating.
But he had never been hers. She was a fleeting distraction, not someone he ever considered for a future. As we walked further into the room, I noticed Tyler, his face stoic as his mother clung to his arm. His dark gray eyes bore into mine as we passed.
For our first dance, Oliver held me close, his breath warm against my ear as he whispered, "I love you so much." Despite the celebration, all I wanted was for the night to end so we could be alone together.
Midway through the evening, between the salads and the main course, I excused myself to the bathroom. The bathrooms at The SW were luxurious, with white floors, black marble vanities, gold accents around the antique mirrors, and thick wooden doors for each stall.
I was touching up my makeup when I came face to face with Lara. She was dressed in a long, body-hugging black sheath dress that showed far too much cleavage. Her bluish-green eyes sparkled as she smirked at me.
"Well, well, if it isn't Mrs. Oliver Fox," she sneered.
"Mrs. Ryleigh Fox," I corrected, meeting her gaze without flinching.
"Whatever. He'll tire of you the way he did me," she said, her tone dripping with bitterness.
I narrowed my eyes. "You never had Oliver for him to tire of you. You were just a fling."
Her fists clenched so tightly that her knuckles turned white. She leaned in, her voice low and menacing. "He would have been mine. We shared a connection that you don’t have."
"I don’t know what kind of connection you think you had with my husband, but it's long over. It's broken," I replied, keeping my voice steady.
"The connection we have is our past. Ask him. I'll be waiting for when he lets you go. We'll be together again," she insisted, a crazed glint in her eyes.
"You're delusional. I didn’t want you here, but I let you come because my husband said you were friends. Don't make me regret my decision," I warned, stepping closer to her.
She was about to reply, but the door opened, and I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw it was Laura and Sadie. Lara hurried out of the bathroom before I could say anything further.
"Are you all right?" Laura asked, concern etched on her face. "Oliver sent us in to make sure you didn't pass out."
"I was just fixing my makeup," I said, trying to sound nonchalant.
"Who was that woman?" Sadie asked, her eyes narrowing.
"One of Oliver's friends," I replied, keeping my tone neutral.
"Seems like a bitch," Sadie muttered, her voice dripping with disdain.
You don’t know the half of it.
After I finished my makeup, I went into the stall, grateful that Sadie stayed to help hold up my dress. It was such a pain to pee, even with the train removed. As I went through the motions, my mind kept returning to Lara. There was something off about her, something I couldn't shake.
I decided then that I would broach the subject with Oliver during our honeymoon when he would be relaxed. I had a feeling he was keeping something from me regarding Lara Harvin, and I needed to know what it was.
"Ready to head back out?" Laura asked as I emerged from the stall, looking more composed.
I went to the sink to wash my hands. "Yeah, let's do this," I said, giving her a determined smile.
As we walked back to the reception, my mind was a whirlwind of thoughts. Lara's words echoed in my head, but I pushed them aside. Tonight was about Oliver and me, our love, and our future. Whatever secrets lurked in the shadows; we would face them together. For now, I was determined to enjoy every moment of our special day.
Chapter 10
