My fiancé stood me up seven times
on our wedding day, so I chose to
leave him
Chapter 1
I stood at the altar, waiting for Ashton. Again.
This was the seventh time he’d bailed on our wedding.
I decided I was done.
From now on, if he was at a party, I wouldn’t be.
He was invited to perform at our college
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reunion? I left early.
My company decided to partner with his? I quit.
Even on New Year’s Eve, when he came to my house, I made an excuse to visit friends.
Blocked his number, deleted him from social media. Clean break.
I wouldn’t contact him, and he wouldn’t see
- me.
I’d spent most of my life obsessed with him, taking care of him.
く
Seven missed weddings later, I finally woke
- up.
I didn’t want this life anymore.
Being alone was better than spending every
night in an empty house.
I waited at the courthouse marriage license
office until the clerks went home.
At first, when I called Ashton, he just said he
was busy, told me to wait.
Two hours later, his phone went straight to
voicemail.
L
The marriage license application in my hand
was crumpled into a ball.
“Miss, we’re closing. Are you still planning to
get married today?” the clerk asked gently.
I shook my head.
“No, thank you. I’m not.”
As I left, I heard the clerks whispering.
“I’ve seen her here a few times. Always
alone.”
“Yeah, me too. Always waiting. And he never
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shows.”
My face was blank, but inside, my heart was
bleeding.
I hurried away, ashamed.
This was the seventh time I’d waited for
Ashton at the courthouse.
As I stepped outside, about to call a cab,
Ashton appeared.
He jogged over, slightly out of breath,
apologetic.
“So sorry, El. Something came up at work. Am
<
I late?”
I laughed silently.
Last time, it was work.
The time before that, work.
Every time, work.
I didn’t bother arguing.
“You’re late. They just closed.”
Ashton looked at his watch, indignant.
“Seriously? They couldn’t wait a minute?”
<
He took my hand, placing it on his chest.
“Traffic was crazy. I ran all the way here. I’m exhausted.”
I stared at him, fighting back tears.
No one’s that stupid.
I knew he hadn’t run.
“If you ran all the way here, why aren’t you even sweating?”
His forehead was dry.
Not a single drop of sweat.
Join the bookeb te
<
Ashton’s face changed.
He frowned, his voice rising.
“What’s that supposed to mean? Are you
calling me a liar? Saying I deliberately avoided
you?”
“I ran all the way here, and you don’t believe
me? El, I can’t believe you’re so heartless!”
He was a master at turning things around.
His outburst just confirmed my suspicions.
I rubbed my temples, suddenly exhausted.
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“Ashton, you know the truth.”
I turned to leave.
His cold voice followed me.
“Fine! I do know the truth. Then don’t come crawling back, begging me to marry you!”
“Let’s see how long you last this time!”
I didn’t look back.
My lip was bleeding where I’d bitten it.
My phone buzzed.
<
A text message.
El, no wedding again? Too bad. Don’t worry, you can ask Ashton for wedding number eight!
2
I read the text three times.
Even I wasn’t dense enough to miss the taunt.
I’d suspected why Ashton had bailed, but
seeing Layla’s text still felt like a punch to the gut.
Ashton and I were childhood sweetheart-
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Ashton and I were childhood sweethearts.
I’d always dreamed of marrying him.
I remember telling him that in elementary
school, our parents laughing.
He’d always treated me like someone special.
Then, in college, he brought another girl
home.
Layla.
The way they interacted made me realize that
maybe Ashton’s affection wasn’t love.
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I panicked.
After graduation, half–jokingly, I suggested
we get married.
Our parents were thrilled, but Ashton refused.
Flat out.
