Chapter 2

Now that the harsh reality was right in front of me, I felt light-headed. I could barely think.

All around me were couples with bright, happy smiles. I was the only one sitting there alone.

On my phone, Kevin's video about their beautiful love story kept looping over and over.

The background music was Tessa's favorite song. She used to wrap her arms around my neck and say she wanted this song to be played at our wedding.

She even told me with a smile to learn it so I could sing it to her someday. As such, it became a song I listened to all the time.

However, now the song I'd heard countless times suddenly sounded unbearably harsh.

The staff called my number three times, but I didn't hear anything at all.

A staff member walked over and tapped my shoulder.

"Sir, is your fiancee still not here?"

I nodded mechanically.

Pointing at the ticket in my hand, she kindly said, "You've already missed your turn. You'll need to take a new number if you still want to get married."

Looking down at the ticket I'd been holding so carefully, I abruptly snapped out of my daze. As bitterness spread from my heart to every corner of my body, I clenched my fingers hard, crumpling the ticket into a ball.

"There's no need. Given that she's already someone else's wife, she's not coming."

After saying that, I stood up and tossed the crumpled ticket into the trash.

As I walked out of City Hall, I was met with couples coming and going.

Some were entering with looks of anticipation, while others were leaving with marriage certificates and smiles of joy.

I couldn't help thinking about the previous 17 attempts at tying the knot as I watched them.

Every time, it was always me walking in full of hope before walking out alone with disappointment.

It was as if a place that should have been all joy and smiles had only brought me endless negative feelings.

First was the disappointment of not being able to get married before. Now, it was anger and hurt from being betrayed.

For the past three years, all 17 attempts had ended in failure, but I stayed optimistic. I always believed that Tessa and I had plenty of time ahead of us, and that it was only a matter of time before we got married.

But when I saw Kevin's video today, I felt something inside me break.

As my heart shattered and ached, I knew then that Tessa and I no longer had a future together.