Chapter 1

On the eve of our wedding, I saw a post on my fiancée Jade's assistant's social media.

He was wearing the custom wedding suit that was supposed to be mine. He was pressing his face close to Jade's in a cozy selfie.

The caption read: "My bride is so beautiful today." I clicked like and left a comment wishing them a long and happy life together.

Jade called me immediately. She scolded me with an impatient voice, calling me petty.

"You two are roughly the same size. What's the big deal if I let him try the suit on for you? Stop overreacting. It's not like I'm not going to marry you."

In the past, I would have ordered ninety-nine roses and traveled any distance to apologize to her.

But now, I felt it was unnecessary.

Whether it's a suit or a relationship, once it's been tainted, I don't want it anymore.

……

1

When Jade returned, I had just finished tearing down all the wedding decorations in the house. Our wedding was only three days away. Our friends had specially decorated this place as our new home to set the mood.

I had originally planned to give Jade a surprise. I prepared a candlelit dinner and her favorite roses. Instead, I spent the evening looking at her intimate photo with Silas Thorne.

She kicked off her high heels carelessly and walked up to me. She glanced at the ribbons and streamers scattered on the floor.

"I was only gone for one night. Where did all this junk come from?" Jade had a touch of OCD and couldn't stand a messy house.

However, she never cleaned up after herself. Ever since we started dating, I was the one who kept the house spotless.

In the past, I would have pulled her into my arms and explained everything gently. I would have produced a surprise gift like a magician. Today, I said nothing. I simply packed the "trash" into a storage bin.

While I was cleaning, Jade was on the phone with Silas. She acted as if I wasn't even there. She let out a flirtatious laugh. "It's just a suit. If you like it that much, you can keep it."

Then, the person on the other end said something, and she teased back, "Oh, shut up, you're terrible."

It wasn't until I accidentally knocked over a water glass that Jade turned around in a fright. She hung up the phone hastily and looked at me with dissatisfaction.

"When did you get back? Why didn't you say anything? Were you eavesdropping on my call?"

I didn't want to argue with her. I turned to head for the door, but Jade blocked my path. She pouted at me.

"Didn't we agree to get our marriage license today? I specifically skipped the company's annual gala for this. Don't you dare flake on me."

It was strange. I didn't feel the excitement or joy I had imagined. On the way to the courthouse, my face remained cold. I stared out the window, my mind a complete mess.

We had been together for five years. I wondered when exactly we had started drifting onto different paths.

A familiar ringtone snapped me out of my thoughts. I saw a contact name flashing on the dashboard screen. It said: "Handsomest Husband in the World."

That used to be my exclusive ringtone and nickname. Now, it belonged to another man. It was obvious who it was.

Jade fumbled to silence the call. She turned to me with a hurried explanation.

"During the last company retreat, I lost a game of Truth or Dare. The nickname was just a joke for the game. I totally forgot to change it back."

I gave a curt nod and looked back out the window. Suddenly, I saw my own heart clearly. "Pull over," I said.

Jade looked at me, confused. "What now? It's just a nickname. Even if you're jealous, you should pick a better time and place."

So, in her eyes, this was just me being petty and jealous again. Before I could speak, her phone rang again.

She answered it immediately. Silas's weak voice came through the speakers. He said he might have caught a cold from the breeze by the river last night and was now at the hospital on an IV drip.

Jade slammed on the brakes. She asked him frantically if it was serious. Then, she shoved the car keys into my hand and ran toward the opposite side of the road without looking back.

"I can tell you're not in the mood for the license today anyway. I have something urgent to handle. Let's just go another day."

I watched her figure disappear in a hurry. I looked down at the keys in my hand and shook my head with a bitter smile.

The traffic light turned green. The driver behind me honked his horn like a maniac. I simply stepped out of the car with a blank expression. I left the sedan sitting in the middle of the road and walked away.