Chapter 1

Maisie and I promised that on the day of our graduation, we would get married at City Hall with all our friends there to witness it.

Yet on our wedding day, she showed up with her first love and got a marriage license with him instead.

Clutching my aching chest, I asked her why. She snapped impatiently, "Getting married to Colton is just fulfilling a childhood promise. I'll divorce him in a month. You've waited all these years for me, can't you just wait one more month?"

It was absurd. Utterly ridiculous.

After loving her for eight whole years, the version of her in my heart rotted away in a single second.

1.

I watched Maisie and Colton walk out of City Hall, holding their marriage certificate.

Both of them had radiant, joyful smiles, surrounded by Maisie's friends taking photos to celebrate their spontaneous wedding.

Colton glanced at me with feigned embarrassment. "Nate, you're not mad, are you? Maisie and I are only playing husband and wife for a month. When it's over, I'll return her to you."

Maisie tugged at his sleeve, without a hint of guilt in her eyes.

"Colton, don't feel bad. I have the right to marry whoever I want. It's my own freedom."

The person standing next to Maisie today was supposed to be me.

I had loved her for eight years and dated her for four.

When we first started dating, she made a solemn vow to me: "Nate, the day we graduate from college, we'll get our marriage license together. It'll be the perfect ending to our college years!"

She had sounded so firm and sincere back then.

I remembered that promise for four long years, counting down the days and nights just for today.

Every friend around me knew how desperately I anticipated this moment.

I even went on a strict clean diet for a month just to look my absolute best in our marriage photos.

I arrived sharp at eight in the morning and spotted Maisie right away.

She wore a pristine white dress and a delicate veil, her makeup completely flawless.

It was the exact scene I had dreamed of for four years.

Yet she walked out arm-in-arm with Colton, clutching their fresh marriage certificate.

She had completely forgotten her promise to me.

On the day I had yearned for across four years, she handed me this brutal "surprise."

My chest seized with agonizing pain. Clutching my chest, my eyes burning, I looked at her.

"Maisie, you're my girlfriend."

"You promised we would get married today."

"I've waited four whole years for this!"

I had always been emotionally steady, but in that moment, I completely lost control.

Maisie looked at me with pure annoyance.

"Getting married to Colton is just fulfilling a childhood promise. I'll divorce him in a month. You've waited all these years for me, can't you just wait one more month?"

I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

Was marriage just a joke to her?

I knew she had an unforgettable first love, a whirlwind romance in her past.

Back then, they promised that the first thing they'd do after getting married was travel the world together and take thousands of photos.

I foolishly assumed four years with me had erased him from her mind.

Clearly, it hadn't.