Dahlia pours her heart into planning her brother’s wedding. From designing the invitation to booking vendors to even baking the perfect cake.
But on the big day, she discovers a brutal betrayal: she’s not invited.
As secrets unravel and loyalties are tested, Dahlia must decide if some betrayals deserve forgiveness… or just a slice of revenge.
I’ve never been the kind of person to hold a grudge.
But I can say, without hesitation, that I will never forgive Claire for what she did to me.
When my brother, Liam, got engaged, I was happy for him. Sure, Claire wasn’t my favorite person in the world.
She had an edge to her, a way of making every conversation feel like a subtle competition.
But she seemed to love my brother.
And Liam? He was smitten.
So, when Claire begged me to help plan the wedding, I agreed. Not for her.
But for Liam.
I helped design the invitations. I booked vendors. I coordinated the venue.
And I even paid for catering and the wedding cake.
I spent weeks pouring my heart into their wedding. And I had no idea what Claire was planning behind my back.
I tapped my pen against the edge of my desk, staring down at the sketches in front of me. Flour-dusted pages filled with delicate designs, tiers of smooth fondant, cascading sugar flowers, and intricate piping details.
The wedding cake had to be perfect.
I flipped through ideas, frowning.
Classic vanilla?
Too boring.
Red velvet? Claire hated it.
My pencil hovered over the page before I scribbled down the only choice that felt right.
Chocolate-peanut butter cake.
My lip twitched into a small smile. It was Liam’s favorite.
I could still picture us as kids, sitting on the kitchen floor, legs crossed as we licked chocolate frosting off the beaters.
Our mom would make chocolate-peanut butter cupcakes every time Liam had a big event.
Birthdays, soccer games, even the time he got a participation trophy in third grade. He used to sneak into the kitchen and swipe extra spoonfuls of peanut butter frosting straight from the bowl.
“Best flavor in the world,” he’d say, licking it off his fingers.
I sighed, leaning back in my chair. Claire would probably want something fancy and pretentious.
Some overpriced, trendy cake with sugared roses or some fancy French technique she found online.
But if I was pouring my heart into this cake, I wanted Liam to taste something familiar.
Something that felt like home.
I pressed my pen into the paper, writing the final flavor choice in ink.
And then I exhaled, stretching my fingers. My fingers still ached from this morning’s baking.
A reminder of how far I’d come. A reminder of how much it had cost me.
My bakery was my dream.
My entire world. And for a while, I thought my marriage had been, too.
I swallowed hard, my eyes flicking to the stack of unopened letters on the corner of my desk. Useless apologies from my ex-husband, the divorce lawyer’s final bills, and, of course, inventory of all my stock.
I had loved my husband.
Deeply. And for a while, I thought he had loved me, too.
But in the end, he had only loved what I built. The successful business.
The prestige of being married to a pastry chef whose cakes and pastries were featured in magazines.
Not me.
And the day I finally realized that? It broke me. And I felt I had no choice but to leave him.
Either that or be his private bank.
I squeezed my eyes shut, inhaling deeply.
Not now, Dahlia. This is about Liam.
I squared my shoulders and picked up my pen again.
Focus.
Because no matter what, Liam deserved a perfect wedding cake. Even if I didn’t believe in happy endings anymore.
The morning of the wedding, I stood in the venue’s kitchen, carefully piping the final details onto the cake.
Guests were arriving, laughter spilling in from the grand hall.
My heart swelled, knowing that I had helped bring this entire event together.
Then, my mom stormed in, her face like thunder.
“Sweetheart…” she hesitated, her hands gripping the kitchen counter. “You’re not on the guest list.”
I let out a small laugh.
“What? That’s ridiculous.
I’m literally holding their wedding cake.”
Mom’s face remained serious.
“Claire’s mom is checking the guest list. She says you’re not invited. And she won’t let you in.”
My stomach dropped.
I set the piping bag down, my hands suddenly unsteady.
“Did she say why?
What do you mean?”
Mom clenched her jaw.
“She refuses to explain.”
A ringing noise filled my ears. I had spent months helping Claire plan this wedding. Months.
And she didn’t even have the decency to tell me herself?
Mom was seething. Without another word, she stormed out to find Liam.
As for me?
I wiped my hands clean, pulled off my apron, and walked out of the side exit.
Broken.
Mom caught Liam just before the ceremony. He was adjusting his tie, smiling, completely unaware of what was happening.
“Liam,” she snapped.
“Do you know that Claire didn’t invite your sister?”
Liam froze. His smile vanished.
“Wait. What?
Why?”
“She won’t say. But she’s making sure Dahlia isn’t allowed inside. How can you allow that?
She’s your sister!”
Liam’s face darkened. Without hesitation, he turned on his heel and marched straight to Claire.
Claire stood with her bridesmaids, basking in their compliments and practically glowing in her lace-covered gown.
She barely even looked up when Liam approached.
“Claire,” Liam said, his voice hard. “Did you seriously not invite my sister?”
Claire sighed, rolling her eyes.
“Ugh, babe.
Not now,” she said. “Can we not do this on our wedding d
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