Chapter 1

1

The day before our engagement party, my fiancé promised to take me wedding dress shopping. I waited until the shop lights went dark and the doors were locked, but he never showed up.

On my way home, I finally received a text from him.

"Bianca said she had nothing to wear for bed. I'm out helping her pick out some new silk pajamas tonight."

I called him immediately, but a high-pitched, girly voice answered. "Winslow is in the shower right now. Do you want me to leave him a message?"

We had been together for four years. Every time I had something important going on, his younger protégée always had some trivial crisis that required his attention. And every single time, he chose her. He would drop everything to run to her side, leaving me behind.

Even for a milestone as big as our wedding, he didn't hesitate to abandon me.

I felt a wave of exhaustion wash over me. My voice was calm as I spoke into the phone. "Tell him the wedding is off. I'm done."

...

Just yesterday, Winslow had held my hand and looked into my eyes. He swore he would be there for the dress fitting.

But when the day came, his phone rang. He looked at the screen with a troubled expression. "Sonya, something came up at the office. I have to handle it quickly."

I felt a pang of disappointment, but seeing how rushed he looked, I didn't question him. I let him go.

Before leaving, he told me to wait. He promised he would come back for me.

I waited until the boutique closed, but he was a no-show. I called him dozens of times, but every call went straight to voicemail.

The pitying looks from the salesclerks felt like needles pricking my heart.

One of them walked over and spoke softly. "Miss Reed, would you like us to wait a bit longer?"

I shook my head and forced a tight, ugly smile. "No, thank you. I'm heading home."

On the walk back, I saw a photo on my social media feed. It showed a man in a boutique, carefully selecting lingerie for a woman.

The caption read: 【How close do you have to be for a man to pick out your intimate wear for you?】

I felt a cold laugh bubble up in my throat. I left a comment right under the post. 【Other people's fiancés always seem to have the best taste, don't they?】

Seconds later, I got three texts from Winslow. "Bianca said she had no pajamas to sleep in. I'm helping her shop tonight."

"Stop being so dramatic and making a scene. Just wait for me to get home, okay?"

"Be a good girl."

I stared at those messages and laughed until tears started streaming down my face.

Winslow and I had been a couple for four years. Every time I needed him, Bianca Blair would conveniently have a breakdown or a minor emergency. And Winslow would always drop me without a second thought.

I had fought with him about it before. He would just look at me with disappointment. "If there was anything going on between Bianca and me, you wouldn't even be in the picture."

"She's like a sister to me. She's the one who gave me the courage to ask you out. Why are you so jealous of her?"

So, I forced myself to accept the presence of a third person in our relationship. I forced myself to endure him treating her better than he treated me.

I loved him so much that I had lost myself in the process.

But I'm only human. Everyone has a breaking point.

When he promised to be at the fitting, I had secretly started a countdown in my head. I wanted to see how long it would take for Bianca to start her drama.

When she didn't show up at the start of the day, I was actually surprised.

Now I realize I was just naive. She didn't need to show up; she just needed to call.

And Winslow lied to me again. He chose her, just like he always did.

I didn't even realize I was sobbing until my face was soaked.

I tried calling him one last time, and surprisingly, he picked up.

But it wasn't his voice. It was Bianca's. "Winslow is in the shower. Do you have something urgent, Sonya? I can pass it along for you."

I let out a sharp, bitter laugh.

Today was supposed to be about our future. There were a million details that needed his attention as the groom.

Instead, my groom was taking a shower at another woman's house.

It was almost poetic in its cruelty.

Actually, I felt a sense of relief.

What if she had called him away during the actual ceremony tomorrow? I would have been left standing at the altar alone.

This wasn't the first time he had abandoned me for her.

But I decided right then that it would be the last.

I was tired. I didn't want to play this game anymore.

Bianca's voice continued through the speaker. "Winslow is really exhausted lately. Sonya, stop being so difficult. Can't you just let him have some peace for once?"

I answered with total composure. "Tell him the wedding is canceled. I'm not marrying him."