Chapter 2

When I got home, the table was piled with wedding favors and colorful balloons. Everywhere I looked, there were signs of all our planning.

A few pots of withered jasmine swayed in the breeze on the balcony.

Alan had made a special trip to the flower shop for them when he saw how stressed I was at work.

He said having flowers around would make me feel better.

But no one had been taking care of them lately, and they'd wilted.

I went to the bedroom and started packing.

When I opened the top drawer of the nightstand, a photo album fell out.

I picked it up and turned to the first page. There was a photo from the day we'd moved into the house.

Alan and I stood in the middle of the living room holding hands, smiling sweetly.

He'd given me a soft kiss and said with a smile, "Flora, I've finally given you a happy home."

How ridiculous.

So this was what our love had come to.

I didn't turn any more pages. I threw the album in the trash.

I couldn't sleep that night. My phone kept buzzing with social media notifications.

I opened the app. Serena had posted, "Thank you, my love, for staying with me all night. I love the gift you picked out for me. Happy one-year anniversary."

The photo showed their clasped hands, each ring finger sporting a stylish new diamond band. It was a matching set.

The DR logo was clearly engraved on both.

They were the brand's famous "true love" rings.

A man could only ever buy one in his lifetime, as a promise that he would love just one woman.

I remembered that on our tenth anniversary, Alan had promised to go with me to order one, but he never did.

So he hadn't forgotten. He'd just made his promise of forever to someone else.

Tears stung my eyes.

Then Serena sent me a video.

My hands shook as I played it. Alan lovingly slipped the ring onto her finger while she nestled happily in his arms.

Next came clips of the two of them, from childhood to the present.

Hiking together. Camping together. Traveling together.

I watched numbly. They looked as sweet as newlyweds.

Finally, the video froze on Alan kissing her.

Is this what Alan calls putting on a show?

My stomach clenched. I ran to the bathroom and was violently sick.

It was a long time before I recovered.

I threw out everything that reminded me of Alan.

By the time I'd finished packing, it was 11 p.m. Alan still wasn't back, and by now, I was used to it.

At seven the next morning, just as I was getting ready to go to the office, Alan finally came home.

He came over and gently put his arms around me. The heavy scent of lily perfume clung to him.

I knew exactly whose perfume it was. My stomach turned again, and I pushed him away.

Alan froze for a moment, then stepped forward again. "Still mad?"

He pulled a box from his pocket and held it out to me.

Inside was a bracelet set with tiny diamonds.

"Flora, I know I let you down." He fastened the bracelet around my wrist. "Tell the team to put the decorations back. We'll have our wedding next week, just as we planned."

I glanced down and saw a tag dangling from it that read "DR Free Gift."

It must have come with the matching rings he'd bought for himself and Serena.

I scoffed and tossed the bracelet back to Alan.

"Give it back to Serena. I'm not that desperate for freebies." I looked up and glared at him. "And no matter what you do, the wedding decorations aren't going back up."

"We have 300 guests about to arrive. If you take everything down now, you'll ruin the company's reputation. Don't put me in this position, okay?"

He lowered his voice, still patient.

"The hotel can still host a basic reception. They just can't use my design," I said again.

When I still didn't give in, he wrapped his arms around my waist and rested his chin on my shoulder.

"A wedding lasts one day. You'll spend the rest of your life with me." He rubbed my hand as if I were a child throwing a tantrum. "Don't fight me over something so small, okay?"

He said it with total certainty, as if the rest of my life were already in his hands.

"Have the team put the decorations back up right now. And change the planner's name to Serena too. I'll make it up to you with a better wedding next week."

My heart sank. I stared at him.

This was the man I'd spent ten years with. His eyes looked as sincere as ever, but his words cut deep.

Then my phone started buzzing like crazy.

It was my assistant, Helen. She sounded anxious.

"Flora, Serena's trying to take your wedding dress. We can't hold her off much longer."

Over the phone, I heard a loud ripping sound, then a chorus of gasps.

"Flora, Serena ruined the dress... Please come back." Helen sounded like she was about to cry.

My hand went limp. The phone fell to the floor, and I swayed.

Alan quickly helped me to the couch and said softly, "Don't panic. It might be a misunderstanding. Let's talk at the office."