Chapter 1

A few days before the wedding, my fiancée refused to let me come along for her bridal gown fitting.

She claimed she wanted to keep the mystery alive so I would be surprised on the big day.

I smiled and sent her off, filled with pure excitement and anticipation.

But when a sudden downpour hit that evening, I drove over to pick her up.

Through the glass window of the bridal boutique, I saw her first love wearing the custom tuxedo meant for me, kissing her for a romantic photoshoot.

I held back my rage and stayed silent.

On our wedding day, I personally ushered her first love onto the main stage.

By the time she realized the groom had been swapped, I was already on my way home.

1.

“Gabe, rainy days are so moody, so the bridal shop is completely packed. If it gets too late, I’ll just grab a bite at a diner nearby. Don't wait up for me.”

My fiancée Yvonne’s sweet voice came through the receiver.

Before I could get a word in, she hung up.

My fingers gripped the steering wheel so hard my knuckles turned white.

My eyes remained locked on the boutique across the street.

The shop was bustling with couples picking out their wedding dresses.

Only the couple huddled on the plush sofa were locked in a passionate, shameless kiss.

I knew both of them all too well.

It was Yvonne, my girlfriend of three years, and her first love, Zack.

A photographer circled them with heavy gear, snapping shots from every romantic angle.

The photographer’s excited expressions showed just how picture-perfect the couple looked together.

The air inside my car grew suffocatingly thin.

A dull, crushing pain seized my chest, and my eyes burned.

I rolled down the window, letting the icy rain splash against my face.

My hand instinctively reached into my pocket for a cigarette, only to find it empty.

Then I remembered I had quit smoking just because Yvonne asked me to.

I let out a bitter, self-deprecating laugh and dialed her number again.

The phone rang several times before she finally picked up.

Irritation flashed across Yvonne’s face through the boutique window, clearly annoyed at being interrupted.

Zack caught a glimpse of the caller ID, affectionately kissed the crown of her head, and whispered something in her ear.

Yvonne instantly broke into a radiant smile, before turning her voice ice-cold into the phone.

“What else do you want, Gabe?”

I swallowed the lump in my throat, forcing my voice to stay steady.

“Yvonne, it’s pouring outside. Let me come pick you up, okay? We can go to that Michelin-star restaurant you’ve been dying to try.”

“No need! I’m busy right now, stop calling me!”

She hung up again before I could respond.

She never even noticed the slight tremble in my voice.

Tears spilled down my cheeks as an unbearable ache hollowed out my chest.

Yvonne didn't even bother coming up with a convincing lie anymore.

Ever since our startup struck gold, she never touched greasy diner food.

She looked down on any meal under a thousand dollars, demanding organic, imported ingredients delivered straight from specialty farms.

We even had four private chefs on rotation at our penthouse.

Yet today, just to stay with Zack, she used such a cheap lie to brush me off.

If the first disconnected call only made me sad, the second one shattered every remaining ounce of hope.

I finally saw the cold, hard truth.

Even after three years of devotion, I could never compete with her first love.

My phone buzzed in my pocket.

I pulled it out and saw a short video from Zack.

In the clip, Yvonne was dressed in a stunning bridal gown with flawless makeup, straddling his lap and begging for a kiss.

Zack playfully leaned back, teasing her.

Yvonne pouted, wrapped her arms around his neck, and pulled him into a fierce, breathless kiss.

The wet, sloppy sounds of their kissing pierced my ears like needles.

At the end of the clip, Zack stared straight into the camera and smirked maliciously.

The screen went black, and the last spark of warmth in my heart died with it.

I slammed on the gas and surged into the pouring rain.

I drove aimlessly through the stormy city for hours before heading back.

It was past midnight when I finally reached home.

Yvonne was already lounging on the couch, wearing a sheet mask with classical piano music playing softly.

The moment she saw me step in, her face twisted in annoyance.

“So you finally decided to drag yourself home, Gabe? Do you have any idea what time it is? Do you even care about this house or me anymore?”