The bride and the beast (#3 of the Miller family)

5. Take that!

5. Lila’s P.O.V.

Jules parked her small car in the parking lot of Fairview’s only hotel, The Fairview Inn. the air felt cool against my flushed cheeks as Jenna, Jules, and I got out of the car. The sound of our footsteps sounded loud as we walked into the building. I hugged myself, the soft fabric of my wedding dress still swirling around my ankles, as we made our way into the hotel where Brandon and I had been staying, and where we would have stayed until we would leave on our honeymoon tomorrow.

“I still can’t believe I’m doing this,” I muttered, glancing at Jules and Jenna, who flanked me like loyal bodyguards on either side.

“Sneaking into a hotel room to grab my stuff feels like something out of a spy movie.”

“Hey, at least it’s more exciting than the wedding was going to be,” Jules quipped, flashing a grin.

“Plus, you’ve got us. We’re like your own personal Charlie’s Angels, minus the martial arts skills.”

“And the fancy gadgets,” Jenna added with a chuckle.

“But don’t worry, we’ve got something better—a friend on the inside.”

I raised an eyebrow, curious.

“A friend on the inside?”

Jenna nodded, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

“Yep. The guy working the front desk tonight is someone I went to high school with. His name’s Kevin, and he owes me a favor or two. I’m sure he’ll help us get into your room without any trouble.”

Jules laughed, nudging me with her elbow.

“See? We’ve got connections. Perks of living in a small town where everyone knows everyone. You’re in good hands, Lila.”

I couldn’t help but smile, feeling a little less anxious with my new friends by my side. I didn’t know what I would have done without them, and the thought of facing this whole mess all alone, made my stomach churn. But here they were, turning what could have been a terrifying ordeal into something almost fun. I mean… it wasn’t like any of my other ‘so-called friends’ had come to look for me by now…

As we approached the hotel lobby, I felt my heart starting to race. The desk loomed in front of us, its large glass desk reflecting the chandeliers at the ceiling. It was a pretty fancy hotel for being in such a small town—another choice made by Brandon’s mother, to ensure everything for the wedding was “just right.”

Jenna led the way to the desk, striding confidently toward a spot where a young man in his late twenties, or early thirties was scrolling through his phone. He looked up as we approached, his eyes widening slightly when he recognized Jenna.

“Well, well, if it isn’t Jenna Anderson,” the man said, a broad grin spreading across his face.

“Long time no see.”

“Kevin,” Jenna replied with a playful smirk.

“I see you’re still up to no good, working in this fancy place and all.”

Kevin chuckled, leaning against the counter.

“You know me, always the adventurer in this small town. What brings you to my neck of the woods? And in such interesting company, I might add.” He gave Jules and probably more so, myself, a curious glance.

Jenna quickly explained the situation, glossing over the more dramatic details and focusing on the fact that I needed to get my belongings from her hotel room. Kevin listened, nodding along, and by the time Jenna finished, he was already pulling out a spare keycard.

“Consider it done,” Kevin said, handing the card to me with a wink.

“Room 314, right? I’ll make sure no one bothers you while you’re in there.”

I took the keycard, relief flooding through me.

“Thank you so much, Kevin. I really appreciate it.”

“Anytime,” Kevin replied with a mock salute.

“Just don’t forget about me, when you’re all famous for writing a tell-all book about your runaway bride adventure,” Kevin spoke as Jules burst out laughing.

“We’ll make sure to dedicate a whole chapter to you, Kevin. You’ll be the hero of the story.”

Kevin grinned, clearly pleased with himself.

“I’ll hold you to that. Good luck, ladies.”

With that, the three of us headed toward the elevators, I clutched the keycard like it was a lifeline. Once inside the elevator, Jules leaned against the wall, still giggling.

“I like Kevin. He’s got that ‘cool older brother’ vibe down,” she said, pressing the button for the third floor. Jenna nodded, smiling.

“Yeah, he’s a good guy. We used to cause all kinds of trouble in high school, but he always managed to talk our way out of it. He’s still got that charm, apparently.”

I found myself laughing along with them, the tension that had been coiled in my chest since I had left the wedding starting to ease.

“You guys are really making this a lot easier for me, you know that?”

Jules wrapped an arm around my shoulders, giving me a reassuring squeeze.

“That’s what friends are for. Besides, it’s exciting when something like this happens in a small town such as Fairview.”

The elevator dinged, and the doors slid open to reveal the third-floor hallway. It was quiet, the soft carpet muffled our footsteps as we made our way to room 314. My heart pounded as I slid the keycard into the lock, the little green light flashing before the door clicked open.

“OK, let’s do this,” I whispered, pushing the door open and stepping inside.

The room was just as I had left it, the bed neatly made, my suitcase still sitting in the corner. But now, it felt different—like a place that didn’t belong to me anymore. The thought of Brandon coming back here, expecting to find me, made her stomach churn.

Jules and Jenna quickly got to work, helping me gather my things. It didn’t take long—I hadn’t brought much with me to begin with, just a few changes of clothes, toiletries, and a couple of sketchbooks.

“So, this is the infamous room where you and Brandon were supposed to start your happily ever after, huh?” Jules said, rifling through my suitcase and carefully folding a pair of jeans.

“Yeah,” I replied, stuffing my toiletries into a bag.

“Though, I think it’s more like the room where you narrowly avoided a huge mistake.” Jenna snorted, zipping up my suitcase with a flourish.

“Definitely dodged a bullet there. And now, we’re getting you out of here, no muss, no fuss.” Jules agreed.

I couldn’t help but smile at our banter, feeling a strange mix of emotions. Relief, sadness, even a little bit of excitement for what might come next. In a way, I was free—free from a life that wasn’t truly mine, and free to figure out what I really wanted moving forward.

As I finished packing up, I took one last look around the room. It felt surreal... like I was leaving behind a different version of myself—the one who had been so focused on doing the right thing, even if it meant sacrificing my own happiness in the end. I mean… what if I hadn’t found out about Brandon cheating on me today? When would I have found out? In a week? A year? After we had two kids? And every new thought angered me more than the last.

“Ready?” Jenna asked, hefting my suitcase.

“Almost,” I said, as something inside of me snapped. I turned back toward the bed, my eyes falling on Brandon’s neatly folded clothes lying there, his suit jacket draped over a chair, his dress shoes lined up perfectly by the nightstand like his mother had taught him.

It was too much for me. The sight of his personal things, all so carefully bought to prepare him for the life with me that was never going to happen, it all stirred a whirlwind of emotions inside me—anger, betrayal, and a deep sense of injustice. My dam broke, and before I even knew what I was doing, I was grabbing Brandon’s clothes, yanking them off the bed, and tossing them across the room.

“Lila, what are you—” Jenna started, but she didn’t get a chance to finish her sentence. I had already thrown open the window and was furiously hurling Brandon’s clothes out of it, watching as his shirts, pants, and ties fluttered down to the street below.

“Take that!” I shouted, my voice shaking with rage.

“And that! And that!” Each item of clothing seemed to carry a piece of my anger with it, and it felt oddly satisfying to watch them disappear into the street.

Jules and Jenna exchanged a look, both taken aback by my sudden outburst, but then Jules started to grin.

“Honestly, I can’t say I blame her,” Jules said with a shrug, picking up one of Brandon’s socks and flinging it out the window.

“I mean, who needs this many socks anyway? And they’re all the same boring color.”

Jenna let out a laugh, joining in as she grabbed a pile of neatly folded shirts from the cabinet and tossed them out after the socks.

“This is actually kind of therapeutic. Out with the old, right?”

I was breathing heavily now, my face flushed with the effort of emptying Brandon’s side of the closet. I threw one of his shoes out the window, watching it spiral down to the pavement below.

“Here’s your stupid shoes!” I yelled, grabbing the other one and launching it out.

“And your stupid ties! And your stupid—” I paused, looking around for something else to throw, but they had already cleared out most of Brandon’s belongings.

Jules picked up one last item—a hideous tie that I had always hated, a gift from Brandon’s mother. Jules dangled it from her fingers, looking at me with a raised eyebrow.

“Shall we do the honors together?”

I smiled, a wild, gleeful feeling bubbling up inside me. I grabbed one end of the tie, and Jules grabbed the other. Together, they heaved it out the window, watching it flutter like a ribbon on the wind before disappearing into the street.

For a moment, we stood there in stunned silence, staring at the empty closet and the open window. The room felt different now, lighter somehow, as if we had purged it of the past.

But then my adrenaline began to fade, and my sense of triumph was quickly replaced by a wave of panic. My breath started coming in short, shallow gasps, my chest tightening painfully.

“I—I can’t breathe,” I choked out, clutching at the bodice of my wedding dress. The fabric suddenly felt suffocating, like it was constricting my chest, squeezing the air out of my lungs.

Jenna was at my side in an instant, her hands on my shoulders.

“Lila, it’s OK. You’re OK. Just breathe with me, okay? In and out, nice and slow.”

But I couldn’t focus on anything but the overwhelming need to get out of the dress. I clawed at the lace and tulle, desperate to be free of it.

“I can’t—I need to get this off. I need to get out of this dress!”

“OK, OK,” Jules said, her voice calm and steady as she moved to help.

“Let’s get you out of this thing. Jenna, unhook the back.”

Jenna quickly worked on the buttons and hooks, her fingers nimble as she loosened the dress. Jules helped me pull it over her head, the fabric sliding off and pooling on the floor like a discarded shell.

Once the dress was off, my breathing began to slow, the panic ebbing away. I stood there in my underwear, feeling strangely exposed but also relieved like I had finally shed the last remnants of my old life. My old life that now seemed like nothing more but a lie.

“Here, put this on,” Jules said gently, handing me a pair of soft sweatpants and a hoodie she had grabbed from my suitcase.

“You’ll feel better once you’re out of that thing.”

I nodded, too exhausted to argue, and slipped into the clothes. The fabric was warm and comforting, a far cry from the constricting wedding dress. I took a deep breath, feeling a little more like myself again.

“Thank you,” I whispered, tears pricking at the corners of my eyes.

“I don’t know what I would have done without you guys.”

Jenna pulled me into a hug, holding me tightly.

“You’re not alone in this, Lila. We’ve got your back, OK? No matter what. We have all felt alone at some point in our lives, but now, you have us to help you.”

Jules joined the hug, wrapping her arms around both of us.

“And hey, if nothing else, you’ve got one hell of a story to tell. Not many people can say they threw their ex’s clothes out a hotel window.”

I laughed through her tears, the sound shaky but real.

“I guess that’s one way to look at it.”

After a moment, we all pulled back, and I wiped at my eyes, feeling a little more composed.

“OK, let’s get out of here before someone notices the pile of clothes on the sidewalk.”

Jenna grabbed my suitcase, and Jules picked up my purse, making sure we hadn’t forgotten anything. As we headed for the door, I took one last look around the room.

I didn’t feel the same anger I had before... or the joy. Right now, all I felt was empty. And so, so tired. And without saying another word, the three of us left the hotel room and walked out of the hotel like three thieves in the night, with me not having one clue about what was next.