Chapter 3

3.

I stood in front of City Hall for a long time before finally dragging myself away.

On the walk back, everything felt like a surreal nightmare.

Just yesterday, Maisie and I were laughing together in the campus library.

She had rested her chin on her hand and smiled at me: "We're getting married tomorrow. I'm so excited."

I thought she was excited to marry me.

Only now did I realize her excitement was entirely for Colton.

When I got back to campus, Maisie was in the middle of taking graduation photos, waving her marriage certificate in the air.

"I'm officially married!" she announced proudly.

"Tomorrow, I'm flying off to travel the world with the love of my life! This is the boldest thing I've ever done in my twenty-odd years!"

A classmate cheered, "Congratulations, Maisie! You're so lucky!"

"Wait, where's Nate? Why isn't he in the picture?"

Everyone on campus knew we were dating.

At the mention of my name, Maisie's smile vanished instantly.

"Who said I had to marry him?"

"I chose to marry the boy I loved from the very beginning."

Just then, she spotted me standing nearby. She walked over and demanded coldly, "Have you calmed down yet?"

I genuinely couldn't fathom how she had the audacity to ask that.

She was the one who broke her promise, yet she acted like the victim.

Seeing my silence, she furrowed her brow in irritation. "Fine, drop the sulking face. As soon as I get back from my trip, I'll marry you right away, okay?"

I used to believe we were soulmates who shared the same values and understood each other deeply.

Now, I finally saw the truth: we were never walking the same path.

"Maisie, do you truly believe you did nothing wrong today?" I asked, staring straight into her eyes.

Her gaze flickered away for a fraction of a second before she hardened her jaw. "I already explained everything to you! Why do you keep digging?"

"Colton and I are basically in a fake marriage!"

"Can't you stop being so petty?"

"Fine," I nodded softly.

I had hoped for an honest conversation, but she was completely beyond reason.