Damian Steele, the self-made millionaire, had everything anyone could wish for—wealth, power, and the woman of his dreams, or so he thought. His wedding to the stunning and ambitious Olivia Carrington was supposed to be the grand event of the year, with the whole city buzzing about it. But there was one detail Damian couldn’t escape: his past.
Amelia, his ex-girlfriend, had been a vital chapter in his life. They’d spent years together, building a love that had felt like it could withstand anything. But after a sudden and messy breakup, he thought he’d left it all behind. They had parted ways amicably—or so he believed. Now, years later, as he was about to marry Olivia, he realized there was a lingering feeling that wouldn’t go away. Something about Amelia’s presence, or lack of it, still haunted him.
Despite his new life, he knew he couldn’t get married without extending an invitation to her. Amelia had been a part of his journey, and if he was being honest, a small part of him still cared for her. He didn’t expect her to come, but sending the invitation felt like the right thing to do.
To his surprise, Amelia RSVP’d almost immediately, saying she would attend. Damian’s heart skipped a beat. He had imagined many scenarios, but not this one. He tried to shake off the nerves. After all, he was marrying the woman he loved—Olivia. Amelia was just a chapter in his past. Or was she?
On the day of the wedding, Damian stood in front of the altar, dressed in a sharp tuxedo, waiting for his bride. Olivia looked breathtaking, walking down the aisle with an elegance that made everyone gasp. Damian smiled, feeling a sense of pride in what they had built together.
But just as the ceremony was about to begin, the doors to the church opened again. Amelia walked in, looking radiant in a sleek, black dress that screamed confidence. But she wasn’t alone. She had a man by her side—a tall, well-dressed figure whose presence was impossible to ignore. He wasn’t just a date; there was something about the way he stood beside her that spoke volumes.
Damian’s smile faltered for a brief second. He tried to shake it off, telling himself it didn’t matter. But as Amelia and her companion walked to their seats, the entire room seemed to shift. The man beside Amelia whispered something to her, making her laugh in that familiar way that had always made Damian feel like the luckiest man in the room.
Damian looked at Olivia, who was standing next to him, her smile no longer as bright. He could feel her tense up beside him, the tension in the air thickening. It was like the room had suddenly turned cold, and all eyes were on the three of them—the past, the present, and the uncertain future.
When the ceremony began, it was as if everything was out of place. Damian’s thoughts kept wandering to Amelia and the stranger by her side. His mind raced with questions. Who was he? What had happened between them since their breakup? The emotions swirling inside him made it impossible to focus.
The priest continued with the vows, but Damian found himself distracted, staring at the couple in the back row. Olivia noticed his gaze, her smile now replaced with a concerned frown. She leaned closer to him, her voice low and tight.
“Damian, what’s going on? Why are you looking at her like that?”
“I… I don’t know,” he muttered. “I just… I didn’t expect this.”
“You invited her, didn’t you?” Olivia snapped, her tone sharper than usual. “You knew what would happen. And now, you’re letting it ruin our day.”
Damian wanted to say something, to explain himself, but his words caught in his throat. His mind was a whirlwind of regret, confusion, and guilt. As Amelia and her companion continued to chat and laugh, it felt as though the past had come alive, creeping into the present in ways he wasn’t prepared for.
Just before they exchanged vows, Damian stood up abruptly, his heart racing. He turned to the priest, his face flushed with tension.
“I can’t do this,” he said, his voice thick with emotion.
Olivia looked at him, her eyes wide with shock. “What? Damian, what are you saying?”
“I can’t marry you, Olivia,” he whispered. “Not like this. Not when I’m thinking about her, about what I left behind.”
Amelia’s eyes flicked toward them, and for a moment, Damian saw a look of understanding pass between them. She didn’t seem surprised, but rather, resigned to the outcome. She hadn’t come alone to the wedding because she knew, in the depths of her heart, that Damian wasn’t fully hers anymore.
The room fell silent as Damian’s confession hung in the air. The priest, unsure of what to do, stood there frozen. Olivia’s face reddened, her emotions flaring between hurt and anger.
“So that’s it?” Olivia’s voice broke, her eyes welling with tears. “You invited her here just to break my heart?”
Damian swallowed hard. He had invited Amelia, thinking it was the right thing to do. He had no idea it would lead to this—the unraveling of everything he had worked for. The woman he had loved, the woman he was supposed to marry… both standing in front of him, with their lives hanging in the balance.
“I’m sorry, Olivia,” Damian said softly, his voice thick with regret. “I can’t go through with this. I need to figure things out.”
Amelia, now standing from her seat, walked toward him, the stranger by her side. As she passed, she stopped beside Damian, placing a hand on his arm.
“Maybe it was never meant to be, Damian,” she whispered. “Maybe it was never about the wedding. Maybe it was about finally letting go.”
As the church fell into a stunned silence, Damian turned to Olivia, his heart heavy with the weight of the choices he had made. And in that moment, he realized that sometimes, the past never truly leaves. It only waits for the right time to resurface.