Love and Lies

Eve

I never imagined my wedding day would begin like this. If someone had told me that my fiancé of three years would reject me on this day, I would’ve called them insane. Yet here I was, standing in the cramped dressing room, layers of silk clinging to my suddenly trembling body, staring at the man who was supposed to be my future.

He wouldn’t even look me in the eyes.

“Eve… I can’t do this,” Nate said quietly, almost as if he hoped the walls would swallow his voice before it reached me.

My smile froze. “Can’t do what? We’re about to walk out in ten minutes.”

He finally looked up, and something in me broke at the emptiness in his gaze. “I can’t go through with this wedding.”

For a second, the world tilted. “What?” My voice cracked. “Is this some kind of joke? Why would you—”

“I never loved you, Eve,” he cut in, rubbing the back of his neck as if he was the one stressed. “I actually already have a family. A real one. Out of the country.”

The words hit me like a slap. My lips parted, but nothing came out at first. I didn’t breathe. I didn’t blink. I just stared at him, clutching the bouquet so tightly the stems dug into my palm.

“You… you have a family?” I whispered. “Then why bring me this far? Why plan a wedding with me?”

He shrugged, cold and careless. “I was after the money, obviously. I mean who wouldn’t want to marry the heiress of the Onyx Empire. But now?” His mouth twisted. “Now there’s no chance. Not after what I heard.”

A cold shiver spread across my skin. “What you heard?”

“That you caused your parents’ and siblings’ deaths,” he said bluntly. “That you’re cursed.” He didn’t even hesitate. Didn’t even soften it. “I can’t be with you, Eve. I don’t want to die just like how you killed them all.”

My stomach churned. Heat burned behind my eyes, but I bit my lip hard enough to taste blood, desperate not to let my wedding makeup run.

“Please,” I whispered, voice trembling. “What am I supposed to tell them? My relatives and friends are already waiting. Everyone’s seated. What do I say to the invitees? How do I explain this?”

He sighed, as if irritated. “That’s your business. Not mine.”

My breath hitched. Each word was another crack in my chest. “So everything… everything we shared—”

“Eve,” he cut in sharply. “I said what I needed to say.”

And just like that, he jerked his arm out of my grasp, so harshly my hand swung back and hit the side of my gown. He didn’t look at me again. Didn’t offer comfort or apology. He simply turned, opened the door, and walked out.

Leaving me standing there in my wedding dress, broken, humiliated, and praying the floor would just open and swallow me whole.

My throat tightened, and before I could stop it, a sob escaped me. Then another. The tears I’d been fighting finally spilled over, warm and humiliating on my cheeks.

I pressed both hands over my mouth, trying to muffle the sound, but my shoulders shook uncontrollably. My wedding dress felt heavier, and tighter, as if it was suffocating me.

The door suddenly burst open, and Mia walked in. She wasn’t just my personal assistant, but she was also my best friend.

“Eve?” Mia’s voice filled the room, breathless with worry. “You’ve been gone too long, I was—” She stopped abruptly. “Oh my God, Eve…”

I turned to her, tears streaming without restraint. She hurried to me, panic all over her face, but before she could touch me, I reached up and yanked the veil off my hair, tossing it onto the vanity. The pins snagged painfully, but I didn’t care.

Mia froze. “Eve! Why are you doing that? What happened?”

My breath hitched as I tried to speak. “He… Nate…” The name felt poisoned on my tongue. “He ended it.”

Mia blinked. “What?” Her voice shot up. “Ended what? What are you talking about?”

“He said he doesn’t want the wedding to hold anymore,” I choked, wiping my cheeks with shaking fingers. “He never loved me. Mia, he—” My voice broke. “He already has a family. Out of the damn country.”

Mia’s mouth fell open. “He what?!”

“And he only wanted me for the money,” I continued, voice trembling harder. “Then he said he heard I caused my family’s death and that I’m cursed. Can you imagine? Mia, he said all that to my face.” My chest tightened painfully, and the tears came rushing again. “I can’t believe I almost married that stupid man.”

“Eve…” Mia whispered, pulling me into a tight hug. I clung to her, burying my face in her shoulder as she rubbed slow circles on my back. “I’m so sorry. I’m so, so sorry.”

We stayed that way until my sobs weakened into quiet hiccups. My head felt heavy, my makeup ruined, my heart raw. Mia finally pulled back gently, cupping my cheeks.

“What now?” she asked softly. “Everyone is waiting in the hall.”

I swallowed, wiped my eyes again, and shrugged weakly. “What else should we do? We’re sending them home. The wedding is over.”

Mia sighed, her shoulders falling. “It’s embarrassing, Eve. Your relatives… you know how they are. They’ll talk. They’ll laugh. They’ll tear you apart.”

“I know,” I whispered. “But I can’t magically fix this. And honestly… I’m just unhappy things had to be this way.”

Mia looked at me for a long second, then nodded, accepting the reality neither of us could change.

***

After I changed and refreshed, we walked out to address the hall, and everything felt blurry. Hundreds of eyes turned toward us. Whispers erupted immediately. Faces twisted with surprise, confusion, and curiosity.

Mia stepped up to the front of the hall with her arm still around me. “We would like to apologize,” she began gently. “Something personal came up, and we hope you can understand. We have to call off the wedding for today.”

People murmured, exchanged glances, leaned closer as if trying to sniff out secrets.

Then she appeared.

Aunt Clarissa. The wicked one who’d hated me since I lost my family that rainy night. She strolled forward with a smile so sweet it felt venomous.

“What happened, dear?” she asked loudly, drawing even more attention. “A cancelled wedding? At the last minute? We finally get to see your man for crying out loud. Surely something serious happened. Do tell us.”

My stomach dropped. The hall went silent. Every gaze sharpened on me.

My cousin, her harsh-mouthed daughter, stepped forward too. “Yes, Eve. Speak up. What really happened?”

My throat tightened. I opened my mouth but no sound came out. My hands trembled at my sides. Even breathing felt like a struggle. I tried again, but the words stuttered out, broken and weak. “I… I… it’s just—”

Mia stepped forward instantly.

“There’s no problem,” she lied smoothly, her voice strong enough to override my shaking one. “Like we said before, something urgent came up for the groom, and he had to attend to it immediately. The marriage still stands.”

More whispers. Suspicious looks. But Mia held her ground, her hand slipping into mine, squeezing firmly.

And all I could do was stand there, wishing the day would end and take every piece of humiliation with it.