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Penulis: Primapoint
The wedding never happened.

The Greyson family told everyone I wasn’t feeling well, but the group chat still hadn’t quieted down.

Some people joked about the “romance surprise.”

Some said I looked innocent but was secretly wild.

Others felt bad for Sophie.

“She helps out with one errand, and the bride goes after her like that. What bad luck.”

I didn’t explain.

Explaining was useless.

That evening, the hospital sent a text.

Patient’s vitals are unstable. Family members, please come to the hospital immediately.

I grabbed my bag and headed for the door. Ethan blocked my way.

“Where are you going?”

“The hospital.”

He glanced at the bag in my hand.

“Dr. Harris is still working on the expedited assessment.

“Even if you go now, you might not get to see anyone.”

I stared at him.

“Move.”

He didn’t.

“Let’s deal with the hotel situation first.

“Her parents have already called asking questions. If there isn’t a reasonable explanation soon, she won’t dare go home.”

I let out a bitter laugh.

“So my mom’s vitals are unstable, and she still has to wait in line behind Sophie?”

Ethan’s expression hardened.

“I’m pulling strings at the hospital for you.

“Don’t use my connections on one hand and undercut me on the other.”

I gripped my phone.

It wasn’t that I didn’t want to go.

It was that my mom’s expedited assessment was still in his hands.

“Fine. The hotel.”

I wanted to see the original records.

He probably thought the thirty thousand had bought the hotel’s silence, so he grabbed his car keys.

The girl at the front desk recognized me.

She saw the hem of my wedding dress and the dried blood on my palm, and she angled her computer screen slightly toward me.

“The manager told us to say the surveillance was broken and there was no memo.

“But the backend records are still there.

“Ms. Shaw, I can only let you look for a moment.”

The room was booked by Sophie.

Payment method: Ethan Greyson’s joint account.

The memo was written by Sophie herself.

Below that was a hidden line in the booking notes.

Guests at check-in: 2.

I took a photo of the records and showed it to Ethan.

“Two guests at check-in.

“Who was the other one?”

Sophie’s call came through right then.

“Ethan, Derek says if I won’t see him, he’ll go to the Greyson house and make a scene. He’s threatening to post everything in the group chat.

“I was scared he’d do something crazy, so I booked the room at the last minute.”

I scoffed.

“So she used your joint account to book a love hotel, met up with her ex-boyfriend, and I’m the one paying the price.”

Ethan said, “Sophie, apologize.

“You really crossed the line this time.

“She’s my wife. Today was supposed to be her wedding.”

After he hung up, he took my hand.

“Amber, this was her fault. And I should’ve had better boundaries.”

My chest still ached.

I asked, “What about the group chat?”

His thumb was still tracing circles on the back of my hand, but his voice slowly shifted.

“The group chat can’t be changed.

“If we correct the story now, everyone will know it was Sophie.”

The brief warmth that had risen inside me went out in an instant.

I pulled my hand away.

“So that whole lecture you just gave her was to get me to soften up?”

He frowned.

“I was genuinely upset with her.

“But if the truth gets out, how is she supposed to face anyone?”

I picked up my phone.

“Then I’ll post it myself.”

Ethan slammed his hand over mine.

“If you insist on posting, I’m calling my assistant right now.”

He lowered his voice.

“Your mom is still waiting on that expedited assessment.”

Ethan texted Sophie.

Come to the hotel.

You made this mess. You clean it up.

About fifteen minutes later, Sophie arrived at the hotel, still wearing his suit jacket.

The room hadn’t been checked out yet.

When the door opened, a sickly-sweet fragrance wafted out.

On the nightstand sat an opened box. On the table were two wineglasses. Behind the bathroom door hung a black silk negligee.

Sophie said quietly, “Amber, I wore that.”

Ethan cut her off coldly, “Get out.

“She’s my wife, not your entertainment.”

Sophie bit her lip and walked out.

The door closed, and I almost believed him again.

But then Ethan came back holding that negligee and held it out to me.

“Put this on.”

I froze.

“You want me to wear something she wore?”

Ethan swallowed hard.

“If she really wanted to do something with her ex, she wouldn’t be stupid enough to use my card.”

“So you believe her?”

He looked away.

“She can’t function without me. She wouldn’t have the nerve.

“I know this isn’t fair to you.”

“And you’re still doing it?”

That flicker of guilt didn’t stop him.

“Sophie can’t be saddled with this kind of reputation.

“She’s not married yet.”

“I am married to you, so it’s fine for me to take the fall?”

He said quietly, “You’re my wife. People crack a few jokes, and it blows over.”

I laughed.

“So you protect her and make me take the fall?”

Ethan’s face darkened.

“Don’t put it like that.”

He gripped my shoulders and steered me in front of the mirror.

“Put it on yourself. Save yourself some dignity.”

I looked at my reflection.

The wedding makeup was half wiped off. My eyeliner had smeared.

I didn’t ask any more questions. I reached out and draped the negligee over my wedding dress.

Ethan picked up his phone.

“Smile.”

I looked at the camera.

“Ethan, I hate you.”

His hand faltered, but he still hit send.

The group chat erupted again.

“So it really was the bride’s idea.”

“That’s bold. No wonder she was embarrassed.”

“Poor Sophie, taking the blame for nothing.”

Sophie posted a blushing emoji.

“Amber’s just shy. Don’t tease her, everyone.”

Ethan walked over and tried to hold me.

“It’s over.”

I raised my hand to block him.

“Don’t touch me.”

“Amber, I already shut the whole thing down for you. What more do you want?”

So that was how he saw it.

Making me take the fall, then shutting everyone up. That was what he called handling it for me.
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  • He Promised Me Forever, I Said There Was None   10

    Two years later, of all the businesses I could have started, I opened a wedding planning studio on the south side of the city.And yet here I was, determined to make other people’s weddings better than mine had ever been.For every wedding I took on, I asked the groom, “On the wedding day, will anyone the bride doesn’t like be sitting at the head table?“Is there anyone who can override her decisions?“Can you promise that no joke will come at her expense?”Some clients laughed and said I took things too seriously.I laughed too.“A wedding should be taken seriously.”Later, someone sent me a video online.Ethan was a groomsman at a wedding.Some so-called childhood friend of the groom was holding up a glass, demanding the bride toast her first, ahead of her own mother, claiming that was how it was done in their circle.The crowd was egging it on.Ethan suddenly stood, took the glass from her hand, and poured the wine on the floor.He said, “Don’t dress up cruelty as fun.”The room wen

  • He Promised Me Forever, I Said There Was None   9

    Before the trial, Ethan finally signed.Nathan sent me the scanned copy while I was sorting through my mom’s medical records and receipts.The edges of those papers were soft from how many times I’d handled them.I’d been so close to getting her there.On the day the divorce was finalized, Ethan was waiting outside.He didn’t bring flowers. He didn’t bring porridge.Just a bank card.“This is the money for your mom’s treatment.”I glanced at it.“I don’t want it.”His voice was rough.“It’s not compensation. It’s what I owed her.”I looked at the card.“This isn’t my mom’s treatment money.”He blinked.I said calmly, “This is the money you spent on a hotel room for Sophie and Derek.“Don’t use it to disrespect my mother.”His hand slowly dropped.I handed him a copy of the transaction records.“The originals are with Nathan.“This copy is for you.“Whenever you miss her, take a look at exactly who you lost my mother’s last phone call for.”Ethan’s eyes went red.I continued, “You will

  • He Promised Me Forever, I Said There Was None   8

    Later, the full picture came together through materials Ethan’s own lawyers submitted.Derek’s text screenshots, what Sophie shouted outside the law firm, and the hotel’s records. Pieced together, they filled in every gap.The day Ethan went to confront Sophie, she was standing outside Derek’s apartment building.Derek had already called her three times.The transaction records showed she’d just bought Derek a new phone.Charged to a supplementary card Ethan hadn’t gotten around to canceling.Ethan stood by his car. For the first time, he didn’t open the door for her.Sophie saw him and immediately softened her voice.“Ethan, let me explain.”Ethan tossed the statements in front of her.“Explain.”Sophie’s tears fell instantly.“We broke up a long time ago.“He keeps coming after me. I was just trying to give him some money so he’d leave me alone.”Ethan looked at her.“So the love hotel was also just money?”Sophie’s mouth opened.“That night... I’d had too much to drink.”A text noti

  • He Promised Me Forever, I Said There Was None   7

    Ethan started looking for me.He went to the apartment I used to rent, to the hospital, to the street below my uncle’s place.I wouldn’t see him.He kept transferring money. The memos went from “paying you back” to “please pick up the phone.”I had Nathan return every cent.Before the lawsuit was filed, I handed Nathan everything: the joint account statements, the hotel records, and the audio of him pressuring me to sign the statement.Nathan paused on one page.“Ms. Shaw, a few of these charges are unusual.”I looked.Before that night at the love hotel, Sophie had taken several ride-shares within the city.The destination wasn’t her home.It was a run-down apartment complex.I remembered what the receptionist had said: Two guests at check-in.Nathan said, “The transaction records and hotel booking, we can submit.“The chat logs, let’s hold off on those for now.”I was quiet for a few seconds.“That’s enough. Let’s go with what we have.”On the day of the first mediation, Ethan arrive

  • He Promised Me Forever, I Said There Was None   6

    The day we cremated my mom, Ethan came.He wore a black suit and carried a bouquet of white flowers.In the past, he’d always been the most striking person in any room.Today, all I felt was repulsion.He walked up to the memorial hall, his voice low.“Amber.”I looked at him.“Get out.”Ethan froze but didn’t leave.“I came to see Helen off one last time.”I picked up the flowers he’d set down and dropped them straight in the trash.“She doesn’t want them.”His hand hung frozen in midair.I said, “Her last phone call. You kept it from me.“So don’t bother sending flowers after she’s gone.”Ethan’s throat bobbed.“I didn’t know it would turn out like this...”“You knew.”I cut him off.“You saw the words ‘critical condition.’ You saw that she wanted to hear my voice.“You just thought my mom could wait.“Sophie couldn’t.”His eyes reddened.Ethan said quietly, “You can hit me. You can scream at me.“Just don’t be this calm.”I looked at him.“Do you still think that as long as I cry, y

  • He Promised Me Forever, I Said There Was None   5

    Ethan stared at the joint account card for a long time without moving.Sophie stood behind him, her voice thin.“This time... I think Amber’s really angry.”Ethan picked up the divorce agreement. When he saw the line “Amber Shaw voluntarily waives all marital assets,” his expression darkened.“What is she trying to prove?”He tore the agreement in half.“She’ll come back.”Sophie chewed her lip.“True.“Amber loves you so much. In the past, three days was the longest she ever held out.”Ethan scoffed.“Three days?“She’ll regret it by tonight.”He said it with conviction, but he was already reaching for his phone.The call wouldn’t go through.On the messaging app, a red exclamation mark sat next to his message.He tried his assistant’s number. It rang once, then was declined.He called again. Blocked.In the past, no matter how angry I was, I always left Ethan a way back in.His stomach would flare up. He’d run a low fever. He’d text “Amber, I feel terrible” after a night of drinking,

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