FORBIDDEN LOVE

4. NO ONE KNOWS

Stephanie watched her friends laughing and chatting with Chris’ friends, their voices filling the air with an easy, carefree energy. Yet, despite the lively atmosphere, her mind wasn’t on them. It was on the one person who wasn’t here—Dominic. She was certain he had told Chris that he wasn’t interested in wasting his time laughing with little girls, as he often put it, despite being only a year and a few months older than her and her friends.

Not that she wanted him to like her—no, that wasn’t it. But his indifference toward her bothered her more than she cared to admit. Even hatred would have been better than this dismissive, uninterested way he treated her like she was nothing more than a passing shadow in his world.

Stephanie had always been someone people paid attention to. At home, she was cherished and adored, and at school, she was admired. She was used to being noticed and acknowledged. But Dominic? He was different. He refused to look at her the way everyone else did, refused to care whether she was there or not. And that—that—was something she wasn’t used to.

She didn’t want to get used to it. She didn’t want to ever experience it again in her life.

She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn’t even realize Beth had been speaking to her. It was only when her friend repeated herself that Stephanie snapped out of it, blinking in confusion as Beth’s teasing voice pulled her back to the present.

"Are you so involved in the wedding preparations that you’re always tired, or are you missing someone?"

Stephanie forced a small smile, willing herself to stay composed. Play it cool. "I’m just thinking about Mike," she replied smoothly, hoping Beth would drop it.

Beth, however, wasn’t convinced. She narrowed her eyes, her lips curling into a smirk. "Really? Why does it feel like you’re missing someone else? A certain someone, perhaps?"

Stephanie’s heart nearly jumped to her throat as she quickly hushed her, shooting her a sharp glare. "You can speak louder so that everyone here hears you! What nonsense are you talking about?" she hissed, her voice low but urgent.

Beth only chuckled, clearly enjoying herself, while Stephanie tried to suppress the uneasy feeling creeping up her spine. Calm down. No one knows. No one can ever know.

"I'm just pulling your legs. God, you should have seen the way you looked!" Beth burst into laughter, clearly amused by Stephanie’s reaction.

Stephanie forced a chuckle, trying to play along, but her heart was still racing. Even though she knew there was no way Beth actually knew anything, she couldn’t afford to be one hundred percent sure. She had been living with this secret for years, burying it deep where no one could find it.

And even though, at times, she wished she could share it with someone—unburden herself, confess just once—she knew better. The moment her friends knew, the whole world would know. And that was a risk she couldn’t take.

"You need to stop doing everything yourself. We told you that we would handle your wedding preparations so that you could rest. The others may not be saying anything right now, but trust me, they all want you to just relax and let us take care of everything. You are our best friend, Stephanie. We're here for you, and you need to trust us with everything." Beth's words were filled with sincerity and concern, her tone almost pleading as she watched Stephanie, who was clearly overworking herself.

They had all agreed that they would help her with every detail, from picking out decorations to finalizing the guest list, yet Stephanie had still insisted on overseeing everything, refusing to take a step back. They understood that it was her wedding and that she wanted it to be perfect, but at this point, it was clear that her perfectionism was wearing her down.

Of course, Stephanie knew all of that, but knowing something and actually following through were two different things. She understood that her friends were trying to help, that they wanted her to enjoy the process instead of stressing over it, but the thought of sitting back while they handled everything was something she just couldn’t bring herself to accept. It wasn't in her nature to let others take control while she simply observed from the sidelines. She had always been the type of person who needed to be involved in every step, ensuring that everything was exactly as she envisioned it. The idea of leaving things entirely in someone else's hands, even those of her closest friends, made her uneasy.

She wanted to trust them, and in many ways, she did, but there was a part of her that couldn't let go. This wedding wasn’t just an event to her—it was a statement, a necessity, a way to prove to herself and to the world that she was making the right decision. If she couldn't have the love she truly wanted, then at the very least, she could have the perfect wedding. And to achieve that, she needed to be involved in every detail, no matter how exhausting it was. So, despite knowing that her friends meant well, despite understanding that they wanted her to rest, she also knew that she wasn’t going to simply sit down and watch while they did everything for her. That just wasn’t who she was.

"I know what you're thinking, F, but I really think you're pushing yourself too much," Beth said, her voice laced with concern as she folded her arms and studied Stephanie carefully. It wasn’t just empty words—she had been watching her friend slowly drain herself over the past few weeks, throwing every ounce of her energy into making sure the wedding was perfect. And while Beth admired Stephanie’s determination, she couldn’t ignore the fact that it was taking a visible toll on her. The dark circles under her eyes, the way she barely touched her food, the way her usually glowing skin looked dull and tired—it was all proof that she was overworking herself. It wasn’t healthy, and Beth knew that if she didn’t step in and say something, Stephanie would keep pushing until she had nothing left to give.

"The wedding is only a few weeks away, and you're already exhausted," Beth continued, her brows furrowing as she thought about how much more Stephanie still had left to do. At the rate she was going, she wouldn’t even have the energy to walk down the aisle. She had spent the last few days running from one vendor to another, making sure every tiny detail was perfect, barely stopping to rest. Even now, instead of sitting back and letting her friends help as they had promised, she was still trying to micromanage everything. Beth had tried to be patient, had given her space to handle things the way she wanted, but enough was enough. If Stephanie kept this up, she wasn’t just going to be tired—she was going to collapse.

"By the time Mike says, 'I take you, Stephanie Johnson, as my lawful wedded wife...,'" Beth added with a dramatic pause, her tone shifting from serious to teasing, hoping to lighten the mood, "you'll be in a hospital bed, lacking all kinds of things needed for survival." She let out an exaggerated sigh, shaking her head as if picturing the scene in her mind. "I mean, just imagine it. The priest asks if anyone objects to the marriage, and instead of someone standing up, the doctor bursts in and says, 'Yes, I object! This woman needs immediate medical attention!'" She chuckled, hoping her words would get through to Stephanie. She knew her friend was stubborn, but even Stephanie had to see that she was wearing herself thin. A wedding was supposed to be a beautiful moment, not something that left the bride looking like she had fought in a battle and lost.

Stephanie chuckled at that, shaking her head as Beth’s exaggerated words echoed in her mind. As much as she wanted to dismiss the concern, she couldn’t deny that there was some truth to it. She had been pushing herself beyond her limits, barely getting enough sleep, skipping meals, and constantly running around to make sure everything was perfect. If she kept going at this pace, she really would end up looking like a zombie on her wedding day—pale, exhausted, and barely able to keep her eyes open. That was the last thing she wanted. She had spent years dreaming of this moment, picturing herself as a radiant bride, glowing with happiness as she walked down the aisle. But how could she have that perfect wedding if she was too tired to even enjoy it?

She sighed, realizing that she truly did need to take a step back and let herself breathe. The wedding wasn’t happening tomorrow—there was still time, and she had friends who were more than willing to help her. She wasn’t alone in this. She had to remind herself that everything didn’t have to be on her shoulders, that it was okay to rely on the people who loved her. If she kept going at this pace, she wouldn’t just be exhausted—she would rob herself of the joy of the process. Weddings weren’t just about the big day; they were about the journey leading up to it, the excitement, the anticipation, the shared laughter with friends and family. If she was too tired to experience all of that, then what was the point?

She also knew that if Mike were here, he wouldn’t even give her a choice in the matter. He would take one look at her, frown in disapproval, and then order her to go straight to bed. And knowing him, he wouldn’t just stop at telling her to rest—he would probably pick her up and carry her to bed himself if she resisted. The thought of it made her smile. He had always been the more level-headed one in their relationship, the one who made sure she didn’t overwork herself. He would tell her that she couldn’t take care of everything if she didn’t take care of herself first, and she would roll her eyes, but deep down, she knew he was right. Maybe this time, she didn’t need Mike to tell her—maybe she could just listen to herself and finally take a break.

Stephanie sighed dramatically, raising her hands in surrender as she finally gave in. "Okay, fine, you win," she said, her voice carrying a mixture of exhaustion and amusement. "I will take a break, and you guys can continue with what we were doing. But please, if there's something you don't understand, I’m begging you—do not, under any circumstances, make the mistake of asking my brother for help. I swear, he will deliberately tell you every wrong thing just to spite me." She shook her head, knowing all too well how Chris operated. He loved teasing her, and if given the chance, he would turn the wedding preparations into absolute chaos just for his own entertainment. She could already imagine him smirking as he gave Beth and the others completely ridiculous instructions—like swapping the floral arrangements for something hideous or convincing them that she wanted an entirely different colour scheme. Chris was never one to pass up an opportunity to mess with her, and she wasn’t about to let him ruin this.

Beth grinned at her triumph, clearly satisfied that she had managed to get Stephanie to agree to rest. "You see? That wasn't so hard, was it?" she teased, linking her arm through Stephanie’s and leading her toward her room with a sense of victory. "And don’t worry, we won’t ask your brother for anything—trust me, we’ve learned our lesson when it comes to him. The last time we asked for his opinion, he had us convinced that you wanted to arrive at the wedding in a horse-drawn pumpkin carriage. I nearly called a stable to make arrangements before I realized he was just messing with us." She laughed at the memory, shaking her head as she pushed open the door to Stephanie’s room.

Stephanie groaned, rolling her eyes as she allowed herself to be ushered inside. "See what I mean? He is the definition of a menace." She sat down on the edge of her bed, stretching her arms before flopping back against the pillows with a sigh. Maybe resting wasn’t such a bad idea after all. The exhaustion that had been weighing on her for days was finally catching up to her, and now that she was actually lying down, she could feel just how much her body needed the break. As much as she hated stepping away from the preparations, she knew she wouldn’t be able to enjoy her wedding if she was completely burned out before it even happened. "Just wake me up if there’s a real emergency," she mumbled, already feeling sleep begin to tug at her.

Beth chuckled as she pulled the covers over her. "Relax, Steph. We’ve got everything under control. Just get some rest, and I promise we won’t let your brother turn this wedding into a circus while you’re sleeping."