A Wedding With Another Bride

A bitter ache rose in my chest. I remembered the time I'd passed out from a heatstroke while working in the field.One moment, I was inside the tractor, and the next, everything was fading. Right before I blacked out, I called Leonard. My voice was weak as I tried to tell him I was dizzy due to the heatstroke.But all I got in return was his furious cursing. "Can't you take care of yourself? I'm busy! If you think you've got heatstroke, see a doctor. I'm not one!"A few hours later, my coworkers finally found me passed out from the heat. If they'd shown up any later, it could've developed into full-blown heatstroke, which could be fatal if it wasn't treated. I didn't find out what really happened until later.When I called Leonard, Selene had just cut her hand on a thorny leaf in the greenhouse. He was busy cleaning the wound and pressing a bandage over it.I tried to tell myself he was just being considerate to one of his employees. Maybe he didn't realize how serious heatstroke

The heart monitor beeped steadily next to me in the emergency room.My body felt weightless like I was floating in an endless dark space. Then, a faint glimmer of light broke through the shadows, and I reached for it.In my dreams, the last eight years flashed like scenes from an old movie. Every moment was vivid, as if it had happened to someone else. The memory of eight years ago surfaced. It was back when Leonard and I had just started dating.He was my senior in the agricultural science program, and we were both the professor's star students. Somehow, without even noticing, we fell completely in love.He'd already moved on to a research institute, working relentlessly while I was still in graduate school. My own research kept me just as busy, and sometimes we'd go days without seeing each other.Every single day, Leonard left 99 roses at my doorstep. He promised that after three years of this, we'd get married. But when I turned down job offers from big companies to join his r

Leonard was sitting by my bed when I woke up again. He grabbed my hand, his face lighting up with relief. "Mae, you're finally awake! I was wrong about everything. I'll never argue with you again. Let's fix this!"I frowned and tugged my hand free. "Enough, Leonard! I already told you. It's over.""It's all my fault. Please forgive me."I didn't feel like talking, so I shook my head firmly.He ignored me and held up a bag. "Mae, look. I got you that creamy chicken potato soup you love."I sighed under my breath. "Leonard, I hate that more than anything."He never remembered a thing about me. But when Selene asked for a promotion, he did everything he could to make it happen. It never even crossed his mind that it cost me months of sleep, or that the research meant just as much to me.Maybe he just never cared."I'm sorry, Mae. I should have done better," Leonard said quietly.However, I was past caring. After everything we'd been through, whether he loved me or not didn't ev

Leonard said, "Don't worry about losing the bracelet. We can always get a new one. Honestly, I've never really gotten you anything nice before, so next time, just say the word, and I'll get it for you."He pulled his hand back, nervously brushing against the edge of his pants."I can't stand things other people have touched," I said.Our eyes locked, and the pain in his was impossible to miss. His eyes grew red. Then, someone shouted my name from the field's entrance before he could find the words to make me stay.I turned to see Spencer running toward us.Leonard frowned. "You? What are you doing here?"The second Spencer noticed Leonard standing beside me, his face twisted in disgust as he spoke to me. "What's your clingy ex doing back in your life?"I shrugged, helpless, as Spencer shoved Leonard aside and wedged himself next to me, raising an umbrella to shade me from the sun.Leonard's voice was a sharp hiss between clenched teeth. "Say that again, I fucking dare you!"Th

Selene's face went pale as she finished reviewing the evidence.After a moment of silence, Mr. Hudson turned to me, his expression softening just a little. "Mabel, it seems we were wrong about you. The lab just confirmed your findings—the pollen was defective. Do you have anything to say for yourself, Ms. Latham?"Panic flickered across Selene's face as she stammered, "Mr. Hudson, t-this was an accident! I'd never sabotage the enhanced pollen! No… Someone is framing me! Mr. Jacoby, you have to back me up!"She turned to Leonard, tears brimming as she clung to his sleeve.Leonard yanked his hand away from her, his face twisted in irritation. "'An accident'? After everything the institute has worked for all this time, do you think calling it an 'accident' fixes anything?"Do you have any idea how much damage you've caused? Ten of you wouldn't be enough to clean up this mess!"Selene's face twisted with rage. She jabbed a finger at me, her eyes burning. "This wasn't me! Mabel's behi