Ex-Husband's Regret (Ava and Rowan) novel Chapter 542

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Part 1, Sierra.

Sierra.

I walk down the aisle. My heart is racing. My steps slow and heavy. A bouquet of tightly clutched pink and white roses trembles in my hands as my dress swishes behind me. Everything is so beautiful and perfect, just like we had planned.

My eyes are locked ahead. My gaze fixed on his smiling face. He is so handsome, so breathtaking. His smile is so dazzling that for a moment everything fades; I forget to walk and miss a step.

The happiness on his face and the joy radiating from him almost bring me to tears. I continue my walk, each step bringing me closer and closer to him. He looks different from what I am used to. This is the first time Noah Woods isn’t looking at me with hate and disgust.

I should be happy. I should be ecstatic that I am walking toward the man I love, but I am not. My heart is breaking, and I can hear the sound of those shattered pieces as my heart disintegrates into small bits.

I feel suffocated, yet I have to smile. I have to pretend that this isn’t tearing me apart inside. I have to pretend that this isn’t killing me. I have to pretend that I am fine when I’m slowly dying on the inside because the man I love is marrying someone else.

My once bright world is filled with nothing but darkness. The world I once dreamed of is crumbling around me. All my hopes, every carefully guarded wish, now lie in shards at my feet—sharp, piercing my already wounded soul. A painful reminder of everything I’ll never have

I smile even though all I want is to cry and mourn. Mourn because I know his radiant smile isn’t aimed at me. It’s aimed at the woman he loves. She walks behind me now, glowing in white lace. Chloe. One of my best friends. And the bride.

When I reach the altar, I move to the right, just as we rehearsed a hundred times before. Lilly—Noah’s cousin and my best friend—stands beside me, along with Brooks, Chloe’s younger sister. I grip my bouquet tighter as my heart thunders in my chest.

I’ve dreaded this day since the moment Noah dropped to one knee at our high school graduation and proposed to Chloe in front of the entire school. I wanted to scream then, just like I want to scream and shout now. I want to curse the heavens. I want the floor to open up and swallow me whole. Anything that can alleviate the pain I feel right now would be welcome.

A gentle pat on my arm pulls me from my spiral. I turn slightly to find Lilly offering me a small, encouraging smile. It conveys everything—love, sympathy, and understanding. Our eyes meet for just a second before we both look ahead to the stunning, blushing bride before us.

There is no denying that Chloe is beautiful. That’s not the only thing that makes her radiant, though. She’s the entire package. Beautiful, intelligent and kind. She’s warm, caring and loving. I sometimes want to hate her, but I can’t. She’s perfect. It’s no wonder Noah fell for her so easily.

I’ve witnessed their love for each other grow. I’ve been there to see it blossom. I was there from the beginning. I saw every stolen glance and every moment of tenderness. And while their love flowered and flourished into something beautiful, my heart withered on the onslaught of unrequited love… And today, it feels like it has finally stopped beating

“Noah,” Uncle Rowan’s deep yet firm voice pulls me from the fog that threatened to swallow me.

Chloe and Brook's mom died when we were fourteen and their dad left them when Chloe was four; that’s why Uncle Rowan was giving her away instead of her parents.