Chapter 1

On the eve of our wedding, I found a secret digital diary my girlfriend had written for her first love.

I was about to confront her when my phone buzzed. It was her.

"Wyatt, I'm going to be late coming home from the reunion tonight," she said, her voice casual.

A second later, a notification popped up on my feed from her obsession, Jasper.

The caption read, "A candlelit dinner just for the two of us."

In the photo, Selena was draped across Jasper's lap, lost in a passionate kiss.

I didn't cry. I just smiled and called the wedding planner to change the groom's name to Jasper's.

On our wedding day, while Selena was frantically looking for me, I was already on a plane to London to start my PhD.

1.

I read every single word of the ten-thousand-word love letter Selena wrote to Jasper.

Every line was dripping with a raw, unfiltered devotion she had never shown me.

I always knew she was a talented writer, but I didn't know she could be this poetic.

It was beautiful enough to make my eyes sting and my heart feel like it was being shredded by a dull blade.

Everything she mentioned in that letter was a memory we had never shared.

When we first started dating, I bought tickets for the High Roller Ferris wheel.

I wanted to kiss her at the very top and promise to love her forever.

But when she realized where we were, she didn't smile.

She tore the tickets to shreds and slapped me across the face, calling me childish and pathetic.

I was devastated back then, but I actually spent months reflecting on whether I was too immature for her.

Now, I finally see the truth. It wasn't about maturity.

The Ferris wheel was their special place, a memory reserved only for Jasper. I wasn't worthy of stepping into it.

Jasper's Instagram was still blowing up with updates.

He posted photos of their gourmet courses and the expensive gifts Selena had handpicked for him.

Every post was a public declaration of how much she adored him.

In the comments, our mutual friends were busy wishing them a lifetime of happiness.

Selena's best friend, who usually looked at me like I was gum on her shoe, was cheering the loudest.

She commented about how Selena was finally free from her misery and back with her soulmate.

I let out a hollow laugh.

If Jasper was her soulmate, then what was I?

Was I just the intruder who had been occupying his rightful place for three years?

Maybe I was. Selena had gone all out to plan a romantic candlelit dinner for him.

Meanwhile, she told me she was skipping dinner because she was on a strict diet for the wedding.

I clenched my fists until my knuckles turned white. My chest felt like it was being crushed by an invisible hand.

When I saw Selena reply with a simple "Thank you" followed by a heart emoji, I made my decision.

Our wedding was only two weeks away.

The venue was booked, and the catering was paid for.

Since I wouldn't be using any of it, I figured I'd just let them have it.

The wedding would go on, but the groom would be someone else.

I called the wedding coordinator and told them to swap my name for Jasper's on everything.

After hanging up, I immediately called my old college mentor.

"Professor Whitman, I've decided to take that spot in the London program."

Professor Whitman paused, his voice bursting with relief.

"Wyatt! You've finally come to your senses! That's the spirit!"

"You have too much talent to waste on things that don't matter," he added.

Professor Whitman had always been my biggest supporter.

He had begged me to apply for the Ivy Leagues or prestigious European schools because of my grades.

But I had turned him down every time. I wanted to stay here and work a high-paying job just to take care of Selena and her expensive habits.

But a month ago, when he mentioned that I could use my exam scores to fast-track a career move or a PhD, I had hesitated.

Now, I had my acceptance letter in hand. I was going to London.

I remembered when I first told Selena I got a massive raise at work.

She had just sneered at me. "Only an extra three thousand a month? That barely covers one of my dinners. You're such a loser, Wyatt."

Her lack of love was always glaringly obvious. I just chose to be blind because I loved her.

In this moment, I finally decided to let go.

I booked my one-way ticket for the morning of the wedding. Then, I called Selena to end it.

Before I could say a word, Jasper's voice came through the line.

"Is this Wyatt? You can talk to me. Selena's wasted, and she's already crashed in my bed."

His voice was smooth, cold, and utterly calm.

He spoke about my girlfriend spending the night at his place as if he were discussing the weather.

He had all of Selena's love, so of course he felt untouchable.

When I didn't respond, he sent a photo of Selena curled up in his arms, fast asleep.

"Oops, sorry Wyatt. My finger slipped and hit the camera button," he texted back mockingly.

I let out a sharp, cold chuckle.

"No worries," I replied. "Since she's asleep, I won't disturb your night."