A Clean Breakup

From the moment Roxy Vexfire showed up at my engagement party wearing a gown from the same collection as mine, I knew there was no chance in hell my marriage to Ian Wright would go through.

Determined not to repeat my mother’s sad choice in marriage, I tore Roxy’s dress apart in front of the guests and trashed my meticulously planned engagement party.

With emotions running high, Roxy’s mother, Rowena Vexfire, fell unconscious, and Sebastian Vexfire called an ambulance.

My fiancé, Ian, stood in defense of Roxy and Rowena, accusing me of acting out. His once kind sentiments turned into harsh, bitter criticism.

“They just wanted to be a part of your important milestone. The dress was indeed my gift to Roxy. You’re sisters. What’s wrong with matching outfits?

“Roxy and Rowena have gone out of their way to be nice to you over the years, but you’ve always given them an attitude. You’re putting me in a difficult position.

“Your mother killed herself. Her death had nothing to do with Roxy and Rowena. You filed a police report, but the case wouldn’t stick. Doesn’t that tell you enough?

“You can’t expect the world to give in to your every whim like I do. We don’t owe you anything. You need to realize that.”

While the crowd rushed Rowena to the hospital, I packed my bags and skipped town.

It had been ten hours since I crashed my own engagement party. Ten hours later, I stood outside my grandfather’s house in Birchfell.

“Aren’t you getting engaged to Ian today? I told you I wouldn’t be attending. Why did you come to get me?”

My grandfather’s wrinkled face was filled with surprise at my appearance, especially since I looked like I was on the run.

Then, his gaze fell on my suitcase next to my feet, and reality sunk in as he realized I wasn’t there to drag him to my engagement party. Instead, I was seeking refuge from him.

“I told you I’d probably be the one to look after you when you’re old and frail.”

I grinned while blocking the door with my suitcase in case Baron Cedric, my grandfather, planned to kick me out. With Baron caught in a moment, I dragged my suitcase and squeezed through the door.

After Roxy and Rowena drove my mother to suicide, I told Baron that dating and marriage weren’t for me. I’d much rather spend my days caring for him in the quiet of a small town.

Baron took me in for the next three months, allowing me to grieve until the pain became tolerable. Then, he took a cigarette drag and told me to return to the city.

According to him, the small town was no place for a young woman like me. It was a dying town, filled with the elderly and children, with no future prospects. Hence, he went on a hunger strike to make me leave. He also threatened to stop his medication unless I accepted Ian, a young, promising man, into my life.

When Ian first became my suitor, I told Baron my heart was shattered beyond hope. No one could put the pieces back together.

Baron simply stared at my skeletal frame and ignored my pleas. Instead, he got Ian’s number and nagged him to pay more attention to me. He told Ian that I was grieving the recent loss of my mother and that my unenthusiastic behavior wasn’t reflective of my feelings for him.

I had no idea what more Baron said to Ian, but somehow, or rather, Ian and I were together for three years.

My colleagues believed Ian and I were the perfect couple since we never fought. We were always so loving, but little did they know, I was ready to walk away from the relationship at the drop of a hat.

When I saw two of the exact same items sitting in Ian’s shopping cart and delivered to two different addresses, I knew that it was time to drop the charade.