"Let me go!" I screamed, twisting my arms as the security guards dragged me backward through the carpeted ballroom.
My heels scraped across the floor. My blouse rode up, exposing my stomach, but I didn't care. My hair stuck to my sweaty face as I kicked at the guards' shins.
"Jules!" I shouted, my voice breaking. "How could you do this?! Bianca. tell him! Tell him this is a mistake!"
All around me, wedding guests gasped and whispered. People pulled out their phones. Flash after flash from cameras blinded me.
At the altar, Bianca clutched Jules's arm, her eyes huge and glassy.
Jules's face twisted in anger. He stepped forward, pointing at me.
"Get her the hell out of here!" he shouted, his voice echoing through the ballroom.
Bianca tugged on his arm. "Jules… stop… people are watching…"
But Jules didn't stop. His voice rose higher, frantic.
"Security! Why is she still here?!"
The guards tightened their grip on my arms.
"Miss, ma'am, please cooperate," one of them panted, trying to hold me still.
I fought harder. "No! Let me talk to him! Jules, you owe me an explanation! You owe me."
My words cut off as the guards finally wrenched my arms behind my back.
Pain shot through my shoulders. I cried out, eyes blurring with fresh tears.
My voice lowered to a trembling plea.
"Jules… please… we've been together four years… I gave you everything… my money… my time… my love…"
But Jules didn't even look at me. He turned his back and pulled Bianca closer, shielding her behind him like I was some criminal.
Bianca's eyes darted away from mine, as if the floor suddenly became the most fascinating thing in the world.
A tall man in a dark suit stepped between me and the aisle, blocking my view of the couple.
"Out, ma'am," he barked.
The guards shoved me through the ballroom doors into the bright hotel corridor. My footsteps stumbled over the plush carpet.
I could still hear whispers and gasps from the guests as the doors swung shut behind me.
Suddenly, the cool aircon of the hallway hit me, raising goosebumps all over my arms.
The guards loosened their grip slightly but didn't let go.
One of them, a stocky man with sweat glistening on his forehead, spoke into his walkie-talkie.
"Copy, copy. Intruder secured. Taking her out now."
I tried to yank free. "I'm not an intruder! I'm his fiancée!"
The other guard shot me a pitying look. "Ma'am… please, don't make this harder for yourself."
"HARDER?!" My voice rose again. "He's marrying my best friend right now!"
People passing in the corridor slowed down to stare.
"Hoy, ano nangyari?" someone whispered.
"May nang-aagaw yata ng groom," another woman snickered.
I wanted to sink into the floor.
The guards continued hauling me down the hallway, past floral arrangements and wedding signs pointing toward the ballroom.
I caught sight of my reflection in a decorative mirror on the wall.
My hair was a mess. My eyes were swollen and red. My white blouse had sweat stains under the arms, and my lipstick was smeared.
I looked like a lunatic.
They dragged me outside into the scorching Manila afternoon.
As soon as the cool hotel air left me, the sticky heat hit me like a slap. Car horns blared on the street. Jeepneys rumbled past.
Without ceremony, the guards pushed me toward the sidewalk.
"Dito na po, ma'am," one said. "Bawal na kayong bumalik."
Then they let go and stepped back, folding their arms over their chests like bouncers at a bar.
I stumbled forward a few steps, then turned around, glaring at them.
"This isn't over!" I shouted, my voice hoarse. "I'm going to the police! He stole my money! He—"
"Miss, please leave," one guard interrupted tiredly. "Wala na kaming pakialam diyan."
He waved a dismissive hand at me like I was a stray cat.
I opened my mouth to scream more insults but suddenly felt my knees buckle.
I fell forward onto my hands, scraping my palms against the rough pavement.
Hot tears dripped onto the concrete between my fingers.
My chest heaved as I tried to catch my breath.
How could this be real?
I wiped my face with the back of my hand, smearing mascara all over my skin.
My throat burned from screaming.
People were staring again. Two old ladies standing near a row of parked motorcycles whispered to each other, casting me sideways glances.
I staggered back to my feet, trembling.
I gripped my bag so tight my fingers ached.
I felt like every piece of my life had been ripped away in the span of twenty minutes.
Jules was supposed to be in Canada right now.
He'd told me he was leaving last month to handle the "big investment deal" that would make both of us rich.
He'd even convinced me to give him my entire savings. Two hundred thousand pesos.
It was my future. My security.
And now… he was here… marrying Bianca.
My best friend.
I let out a choked sob and wiped my nose on my sleeve.
Suddenly, I felt dizzy.
Everything around me seemed to tilt.
I took a shaky step forward, trying to focus.
A horn blared.
I turned just in time to see a huge delivery truck barreling toward me, its front grill gleaming in the sun.
I froze, my mind blank.
"Miss, tabi!" someone screamed from the sidewalk.
But my legs refused to move.
The truck's engine roared closer.
I squeezed my eyes shut.
Strong fingers closed around my wrist.
Suddenly, my body jerked backward with incredible force.
I stumbled against something hard and warm, a chest in a crisp suit shirt.
My eyes flew open.
The truck roared past just inches from my toes, its wind whipping my hair across my face.
I gasped, staring at the blur of metal as it disappeared down the road, honking furiously.
"Are you trying to get yourself killed, darling?" a deep male voice murmured near my ear.
I spun around.
My heart stuttered as I stared up into a pair of dark, intense eyes framed by sharp cheekbones.
He was tall, towering over me by at least a foot, with slicked-back black hair and a crisp navy suit that looked expensive enough to pay my rent for a year.
He smelled like expensive cologne and a hint of something woody and fresh.
A tiny smirk curled at the corner of his lips.
"What a surprise, Miss Santos," he said, as though we were old friends. "I was just talking about you to my mother."