Chapter 3

3.

Not long after they left, I received a call from UberEats. "Hello, I have left the condoms you ordered at your door."

I had received calls like this several times before. Every time such a call came, the next day I would definitely see a photo on Genevieve's Instagram of her snuggling against Callan's shoulder in a hotel bed.

I felt completely exhausted in body and soul. After some thought, I went online and applied for a volunteer teaching spot in the Appalachian Mountains.

I took my meds, but I still couldn't sleep all night. The next day, I was woken up by Genevieve's loud laughter coming from the living room.

"Callan, you're so naughty. Leighton is still in her room, and you're already this impatient."

I listened quietly as their noises faded before getting up to get some water in the living room. Callan hadn't even wiped the lipstick off the corner of his mouth.

He looked a bit unnatural when he saw me. Seeing that I had no expression, he tried to explain.

"Genevieve and I went to pick out wedding dresses last night. I knew you were having a breakdown, so I didn't call you. Just go change into it yourself, a professional photographer is coming later."

My eyes fell on the two large bags of dresses on the sofa. One was an extremely luxurious dress covered in diamonds, and the other was a plain and simple white dress.

Genevieve was holding that luxurious dress in her arms, looking at me with triumph. "Sorry, Leighton. I was so scared by you yesterday, so Callan bought this for me as an apology. Yours is the other one!"

Her harsh words were full of mockery. I stood still and looked at the dress meant for me, which wasn't even good enough to be a bridesmaid's dress.

Seeing I wasn't moving, Callan's face darkened, and he urged me impatiently. "What's with that look? I only spent a fortune on this dress for Genevieve because of you!"

"Hurry up and change, the photographer will be here soon!" He was always like this, blaming me for everything just to make me feel guilty.

I walked over to that dress and lifted it. There were some unknown stains on the skirt. It went without saying what that was.

A flash of panic crossed Callan's face. Genevieve immediately smiled shyly and explained. "Oh my, Callan! I told you to wash it last night, why were you so lazy!"

"Sorry, Leighton. I just had a sudden urge to try it on for you last night. You don't mind, do you?"

Callan's eyes darted around, and when she finished, he just glared at me. That look seemed to say I better not be ungrateful and just believe her.

I let out a mocking laugh. Genevieve did this just to make me fight with Callan and ruin the wedding photoshoot. I felt very calm, without a single trace of emotion.

I didn't even want to fight with Callan. I sat on the sofa calmly and smiled. "I don't mind, you guys go change first, I'll do it later."

There was only half an hour left until the exact time Callan and I got together nine years ago. I thought to myself that staying for this last half hour would be a complete farewell to these nine years.

Soon, Callan and Genevieve came out in their suit and dress, and the photographer arrived too. He praised them immediately, saying they looked like a perfect couple.

Callan was visibly awkward and looked at me with pursed lips. But I sat there without a word, my face completely unchanged. Genevieve was smiling happily and asked the photographer to take a few shots of them first.

Callan acted unusually and didn't agree to her request this time. He looked at me with a dark face. "Leighton, go change your dress now! If you don't, I will take the photos with Genevieve!"

He kept his eyes firmly on me, as if expecting me to say something. Genevieve held his arm and looked at me mockingly.

"Oh, Callan, Leighton must be trapped in her dark phase again. Anyway, it's the same if we shoot first. You promised to take a wedding shoot with me before, right? Are you backing out again?"

Callan's gloomy expression vanished. He rubbed her head affectionately. "Of course not, let's take them together. If she doesn't want to, then forget it."

"We can just hang our photos on the nightstand in the master bedroom. It's Leighton's own choice, she can't blame anyone else!"

I sneered coldly and said indifferently, "Go ahead, you two were always meant for each other anyway." Callan's face turned green, and he was pulled by Genevieve to take the photos.

Holding hands, grabbing waists, kissing. Every pose was incredibly intimate. Seeing Genevieve's deliberate provocations, I didn't feel the agonizing torment I used to.

In fact, I even took a short nap. Finally, the moment the photoshoot ended, the half hour was up. I stood up, patted my clothes, and walked towards the door.

Callan stopped me, growling impatiently. "Where are you going! Are you really not taking the wedding photos?!"

I pulled out a polite smile and seriously announced it to him. "I won't take wedding photos with you, because we won't have a future. Callan, let's break up."