Chapter 2
Large teardrops rolled down my cheeks, falling onto the wedding dress like tiny, silent cries. The lace absorbed some of
them, but a few slipped down, landing on Leon’s hand where he gripped mine. Each droplet seemed to drain what little strength I had left, until every second standing there felt unbearable. My whole body trembled and a wave of nausea twisted my stomach. I used every ounce of strength to wrench my hand free from his grasp, backing away as he stared, bewildered.
With my heart pounding, I stumbled to the roadside, lifting the hem of my gown to keep from tripping. I waved desperately at passing taxis, my arm shaking as I signaled for one to stop. Finally, a cab pulled up and I slipped inside, collapsing onto the seat as I slammed the door shut behind me.
The driver glanced back at me through the rearview mirror, his face a mix of surprise
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and sympathy. He didn’t say much at first, but after a few minutes of watching me decline call after call from Leon, he sighed softly and murmured, “If that were my daughter, I’d be devastated.”
I tried to focus on the passing cityscape through the rain–streaked window, but the memories flooded in relentlessly. Every corner we passed seemed to hold remnants of our relationship–our favorite café, the park where we’d had our first date, the little bookstore where he’d once pretended to be interested in my favorite novels just to impress me. It felt as if the entire city was conspiring to remind me of what we’d once.
been.
I couldn’t bear it, so I put my phone on silent, leaned back and closed my eyes, letting the darkness take over. By the time we reached my apartment, my phone showed over a hundred missed calls. But it
wasn’t just the missed calls; Leon had left a string of messages too, each one colder and more demanding than the last.
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[Are we still doing the wedding photos or not? I’m only waiting here for twenty minutes. After that, forget it!]
[Emily, the bridal shop is making me pay for the dress. What do you want me to do?]
[Transfer me the money to pay for the dress! Emily, you’ve embarrassed me!]
As I scrolled through, my hands began to shake again. Before I could even finish reading, Leon called once more. Against my better judgment, I answered, his voice hitting me like a slap.
“Emily, transfer me the money! Five thousand! Do you know that dress you
walked out with costs five thousand? Hurry
up and send it!”
His words were sharp, relentless, as if the only thing on his mind was the price tag on the dress I’d left in. He didn’t ask if I was okay or where I was and I felt my heart. sink further. Looking down at the now- dirty hem of the gown, I bit my lip, forcing
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Chapter 21
myself to remain calm. With a bitter laugh, I transferred six thousand–enough to cover any extra damage in case the boutique charged him more. The phone chimed as the transaction went through and almost immediately, Leon stopped calling. My phone fell silent.
In the sudden quiet, I glanced around the room. The walls were filled with photos of us–moments I’d once cherished, each now like a thorn piercing deeper into my heart. Slowly, the adrenaline drained from my body and a throbbing pain radiated from the cut on my foot, now fully registering for the first time.
As the reality set in, I broke down, my sobs. echoing through the room. I couldn’t understand how we’d come to this–after
everything I’d sacrificed, all the love I’d poured into this relationship. I’d bent over backwards for Leon, trying to make his life easier. I’d rented an apartment just five minutes from his office, waking up at dawn to commute two hours to my own job so he
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could get a little extra sleep each morning. I’d saved every penny to support his passions, even wearing clothes from thrift stores so I could buy him the latest sneakers. I’d let go of my family’s support, just to ease the insecurity he felt about my background. And still, none of it was enough. He wanted everything–everything but a life with me.
With a heavy heart, I reached for my phone again and found Leon’s number. I called, hoping, desperately, that maybe this time he would answer, that he would care enough to say something more than demands for money. But the line rang until it cut off and I was left with the empty dial. tone. My chest felt hollow, but I forced myself to open our chat window and typed a message, each word burning as I wrote.
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