Heartstrings on Fire (Agnes and Jared)

Old Mr. Bartley had always been rather stiff about the whole affair.

Rumor had it that not a soul from the Bartley clan would acknowledge the marriage, let alone attend the wedding.

But Ivan and Mamie's ceremony wasn't the least bit dampened by the lack of family presence.

The tabloids were having a field day, covering every juicy detail of the nuptials.

Hans, bubbling with excitement, chimed in, "It's gotta be because of Agnes' article that they're in the clear! After all the flak their romance took, Agnes' piece turned the tide. Now their love story's set the bar for celebrity romances. Everyone's green with envy!"

Ramona rolled her eyes at Hans, "Agnes' tight with them, always has been. How else could she spill the beans like that, if not from the horse's mouth?"

Hans looked genuinely hurt, "And here I thought it was just some PR fluff. Agnes, you're actually buds with the diva Mamie? I'm her biggest fan!"

Agnes merely hummed in response, nonplussed.

Ramona and Hans seemed even more thrilled than Agnes herself.

"What's in the box, Agnes? It looks so fancy! Could it be a present from Mamie herself? Come on, open it up!" Ramona urged.

Curiosity got the better of Agnes too.

With Agnes' nod, Ramona tore into the package with the eagerness of a child on Christmas morning, yet with the delicacy of handling an ancient artifact.

The box revealed its treasure, prompting a simultaneous shriek from Ramona and Hans.

A gown, ethereal as if touched by the fairies themselves, lay within.

Ramona cradled the dress reverently, "This is too gorgeous! Is this from Granny's Boutique's latest collection? I heard it's a limited edition, not even out yet! Did Mamie send this to you, Agnes?" A gilded card nestled amongst the folds of the dress.

"To my dear bridesmaid, can't wait to see you in this dress at my wedding. Love you forever," it read.

Ramona could hardly believe her eyes. Agnes wasn't just invited to Mamie and Ivan's wedding; she was a bridesmaid.

Everyone around was dripping with envy.

Agnes, however, glanced at her watch.

The wedding was tomorrow! Good heavens, talk about short notice!

Agnes had thought she had at least a month. But a promise was a promise, and she couldn't bail on being a bridesmaid.

The next day, Agnes took a half-day off work.

By the afternoon, Mamie had a car sent especially for her.

What Agnes hadn't anticipated was that she would be the only bridesmaid.

In contrast, the groomsmen...

There were eighteen of them, all sizzling hotshots from the entertainment industry.

That lineup was enough to make any woman swoon.

When the media revealed this groomsmen squad, they hailed it as "the most formidable entourage in history."

Nearly every one of them was an A-list heartthrob.

The bridesmaids, however, remained a mystery.

There were speculations that they might not be from the industry at all.

But nobody guessed that there would only be one bridesmaid, and it was Agnes.

Speaking of Agnes, she had become quite the topic. Old stories from the past five years had been dug up, and everyone was talking about her once again.