Chapter 1

1.

My fiancé wanted to grant his dying ex a "final wish" to leave no regrets. To do that, he happily gave himself to her the night before our wedding.

That same night, I received a photo of him. He was flushed, his clothes were a mess, and he looked completely spent.

I didn't cry. I just sent a cold reply: "Since he's such a devoted man, you can have him."

The next morning, I announced that the wedding was canceled. Instead, I threw a massive party to celebrate my new life as a single woman.

My fiancé panicked. He showed up in his white tuxedo, his eyes red and his voice trembling.

"Don't you want to marry me anymore?" he asked, choking back tears.

......

The day before the wedding, I was excitedly going over the schedule with my fiancé, Liam.

We had been together for five years. This was supposed to be the moment we finally walked down the aisle. I wanted everything to be perfect.

But Liam seemed completely out of it. I asked him several questions, but he didn't even blink.

I started to worry.

"Liam, what's wrong? Are you getting cold feet?"

He finally snapped out of it and waved his hands dismissively.

"No, Aria. Of course not. I'm looking forward to tomorrow too."

I felt a wave of relief and teased him a little.

"Then you're just nervous. Don't worry, you'll be the most handsome groom there."

He leaned his head on my shoulder, but I could tell he was holding something back.

"Liam, if there's something on your mind, just say it. We're about to be husband and wife. We shouldn't have any secrets, right?"

He hesitated, then seemed to gather his courage.

"Aria, Jade called me. She told me she has terminal cancer. I need to go to the hospital to see her."

The name hit me like a punch to the gut.

Jade was his "white moonlight," his first love and the one who got away.

Years ago, she dumped him out of the blue to move to Europe. I was the one who pulled him out of that dark hole. Naturally, we started dating.

She hadn't been in our lives for five years. I had almost forgotten she existed. Now, she was back.

But even if she was sick, why call her ex-boyfriend?

And why call him the day before his wedding? What was she really trying to pull?

I suppressed my anger and tried to stay reasonable.

"Liam, Jade is nothing to you now. Besides, we're getting married tomorrow. There's so much to do today."

The joy on his face vanished, replaced by sudden rage. He shoved me away.

"Aria, do you have any heart? Jade is still my friend! She's dying, and I can't even go see her one last time?"

"We aren't even married yet, and you're already trying to control me! What's next? Are you going to lock me in the house every day?"

I stared at him, stunned. I couldn't believe such irrational words were coming out of his mouth.

Any woman would be uncomfortable with her man seeing an ex. Yet, he made it sound like I was some kind of warden.

But with the wedding only hours away, I didn't want a fight. I decided to compromise.

"Fine. I'll go to the hospital with you, Liam. Jade and I went to the same college. It's only right that I visit her too."

I thought that would satisfy him. Instead, he jumped up and started shouting.

"What is wrong with you, Aria! You don't trust me? You're trying to spy on me? I didn't realize you were so petty!"