Chapter 3

When the long wedding finally ended, the door to the lounge opened. Hannah was standing in the doorway.

She pressed her fingers to her temple with exhaustion written all over her face. "I'll make it up to you and explain everything to your parents—"

"No need," I cut in. "They're my parents, not yours."

In other words, Mom and Dad had nothing to do with Hannah anymore, so an explanation wasn't necessary.

She looked stunned and wearily continued, "Don't say that out of spite, Jasper. You know Lucas is suffering from his illness, so what's the big deal if we just let him have this one moment?"

Even now, she still believed she did nothing wrong and made excuses for him. For a moment, I honestly had no idea what there was left to say.

"If you think I'm just being emotional, fine," I said. "I'll pack my bags, move out today, and arrange for someone to sell the apartment. If you don't want to sell it, just buy out my share and transfer the payment to my bank account."

Then, I spotted my parents standing not far away, so I left her with a flat "That's all" and hurried over to them.

My parents were surrounded by relatives. As I approached, I overheard someone say, "He must've gotten dumped."

Aunt Amelia Parks was in full lecture mode. "I've always said a man needs to be tough. Look at him! He's letting a woman walk all over him and swap grooms on the wedding day. What an embarrassment!"

As I pulled my parents aside, my heart ached terribly at the sight of the embarrassment on their faces. So, I ignored the fact that she was an elder who ought to be respected and shot back.

"I'm not sure whose aunt you are, mine or Hannah's.

"Her last-minute switch shows that she's irresponsible and untrustworthy, and the fact that she made a decision without prior discussion with me shows that she's disrespectful. What does that have to do with whether I was tough or dominant enough?

"If I'd known about her plans even a day sooner, she wouldn't have been the bride in the first place!"

Aunt Amelia huffed and wandered off, grumbling.

Mom took my hand, and I could clearly see the worry on her face.

"It's fine," I said reassuringly. "If the wedding isn't meant to be, it's not. I don't care anyway."

After seeing them off, I returned to the apartment to pack my belongings. Though my words were firm, and my head was clear, my emotions were rampaging wildly out of control.

Soon, tears started streaming down my face…

I had decorated the apartment with Hannah, so her presence was everywhere.

There was a small ceramic pot in the kitchen. She bought it because she knew I often had stomach aches after business dinners, so she promised to make me nourishing soup once a week.

The walk-in closet was designed by her, inspired by a video I liked of a girlfriend designing one for her boyfriend.

When it was done, I laughed and said it was overcomplicated, while she clung to my arms and demanded a reward.

Hannah and I met in college before we spent a year apart due to work.

She spent so much effort trying to win me over back then. When she confessed her feelings, she talked about how she fell for me because I looked radiant while arguing on stage at a debate competition.

Back then, I shone in her eyes. Now, she called me controlling. The light she once admired in me had somehow begun to hurt her.

As I packed item by item, I slowly detached myself from the memories. When I was done, I realized that I had packed my seven-year relationship into a single cardboard box that was barely half my height.

While I wondered how I should drag it out and throw it away, the door swung open. Then, my best friend, Darryl Jensen, came rushing in.

When I saw him, the strength I had been holding onto completely crumbled, and my nose stung hard.

He pulled me in for a firm hug and said, "I should've been your best man. At least you wouldn't have to be done out there."

Darryl had hated Hannah for years. He loathed how indecisive she was and the way she could never let go of her ex, so much so that he refused to attend our wedding. He once told me flat out that if I married her, I would regret it.

His exact words were even harsher. "If Lucas lives, maybe you still have a chance. But if he dies, how are you supposed to compete with a dead man?"

We fell out over that, and now, it seemed that his words had hit the mark. I couldn't help feeling grateful to have such a good friend by my side again.

With Darryl around, the days weren't as unbearable.

He had initially requested a business trip just to avoid my wedding, but the second his plane touched down, and he heard what happened, he came straight over. He was terrified I might be so desperate that I would spiral out of control.

He even burned his vacation days just to stay with me, and for that, I was moved beyond words.

While he enthusiastically started setting me up with someone new, Hannah came knocking at my door.

I smirked coldly. Since she had delivered herself right to my doorstep, I was more than ready to tear her up.