Chapter 5: There Won't Be Any Wedding

(Vivian's POV)

The bright morning sun cast light shadows through the window, brushing softly against my face and forcing me awake.

I slowly opened my eyes, my head throbbing as I stared at the familiar room.

My bedroom.

I remembered that I had driven home straight from Ronald's office after overhearing his conversation with his friend yesterday.

I had locked myself in my room and cried for hours until I was completely exhausted. I had cried myself to sleep.

Now it was morning, but the pain hadn't gone away. It was still there, weighing heavily on me.

I couldn't tell what hurt more. Was it the fact that the man I was supposed to marry in a week's time hated me so much that he wanted to trap me in a miserable marriage?

Or was it that I had just lost the relationship I had devoted five years of my life to?

My phone beeped on the nightstand, pulling me out of my thoughts. I quietly reached for it.

It was a message from the bridal shop.

>>> "Dear Ms. Sterling, this is a reminder that your final fitting for your wedding gown is scheduled for this evening. Please ensure that you are available. Thank you for choosing us."

I stared at the message for a long time.

Before, a message like this would have made me happy, but now, all I felt was pain.

A bitter taste filled my mouth, but I swallowed back the pain and checked my call logs.

There were no calls from Ronald. Not even a single message. Nothing that showed he was even a little worried about me after the way he had left me at the jewellery shop.

And honestly, I should have gotten used to it by now. I should have gotten used to him not calling or texting me anymore. He had even stopped taking my calls.

Before, I had thought he was simply too busy, but now I understood better... He had stopped calling because he hated talking to me. And he couldn't stand it when I called him either.

I let out a deep breath, trying to calm the hurt. I gently stood up from the bed and walked into the bathroom.

My face was swollen, my eyes were red from crying so hard yesterday, and my hair was messy.

I stared at my reflection in the mirror, suddenly realizing that the woman in the mirror looked nothing like that carefree young woman who only wanted a happy home with the man she loved.

That woman had been replaced by this broken, tired, and worn-out woman standing here.

And in that moment, I could feel my decision strengthening.

"Sometimes, letting go is the first step toward healing."

I whispered the quote once again, the same quote I had read somewhere as I drove back home yesterday.

Then I freshened up, changed into a casual outfit, and walked out of my bedroom.

"Good morning, young miss," Susan, the housekeeper, greeted me the moment she saw me.

"Is there a specific dish you would like for breakfast?" she asked politely.

I didn't answer. Honestly, I wasn't thinking about food right now.

"Where is my father?" I asked calmly.

Susan paused for a moment, surprised that I was suddenly asking about my father, but she still answered anyway.

"He's in his private study, miss," she answered.

I furrowed my brows.

Private study? Wasn't he supposed to be resting, considering he was on medical leave?

He had suddenly suffered a heart attack some days ago and had been told to rest for several more days.

The family doctor said it could have been caused by stress from working too hard.

So why was he in his study now? Was he still working?

I walked quietly to his study. After the second knock, I gently opened the door.

Dad was sitting in his executive chair, going through some files.

"Vivian," he called, surprised to see me.

"Good morning, Dad," I greeted him warmly.

"I never knew you were home," he said, setting aside the document he was holding.

"I've been home since yesterday," I replied.

"Is that so?" He chuckled softly. "You've been so busy lately with the wedding preparations. You hardly stay home."

That was probably the safest excuse he could give for not knowing whether his daughter had been home or not.

But I didn't hold it against him. I was an adult, and I could take care of myself. Besides, he hadn't been doing well either.

"So tell me..." Dad said, relaxing his back against the chair. "...how are the wedding preparations going?"

I swallowed hard.

How were they going?

When Ronald proposed, I had been the happiest woman in the world. But after my school reunion, everything about the wedding preparations had started to feel wrong.

And he had just confirmed it himself yesterday.

He wasn't marrying me because he loved me anymore. He no longer loved or trusted me. He was only marrying me to torture me.

Dad raised an eyebrow, waiting for me to answer.

I exhaled silently, pushing down the pain in my chest, and simply looked at the document resting in front of him. It was the same document he had been reviewing before I walked in.

"Is the International Sales Department still struggling?" I asked instead, my eyes narrowing as I looked at the document.

"Oh, this?" he said as he picked up the papers.

"Yes, Vivian. The department is still struggling," he said, letting out a weak sigh.

"We haven't actually found anyone capable of managing the department," he added.

I swallowed repeatedly, my heart pounding so hard that it felt like it would jump out of my chest.

"Then I'll do it," I finally forced out before I could change my mind.

Dad froze.

For a moment, he simply stared at me as if he wasn't sure he had heard me correctly.

"What did you say?" he asked.

"I'll take up the position and manage that department," I repeated calmly.

His eyes widened. "You?"

I nodded.

"Yes, Dad," I answered. "I am finally ready to work at the company."

A huge smile suddenly spread across his face.

"Vivian..." He slowly stood up from his chair, looking at me with a mixture of surprise and excitement. "Are you serious about this?"

I swallowed and gave a gentle nod. "Yes."

He let out a delighted laugh, almost as if he couldn't believe what he was hearing, and I completely understood why.

Dad had always tried to persuade me to join his company, but I kept turning him down.

He had been worried about who would succeed him after he retired since I wasn't even interested in the business.

Hearing that I was finally ready to join must have excited him so much.

"That's great, Vivian," he said happily. "The CEO position has been open for so long, waiting for you..."

I shook my head instantly. "Not the CEO position. I want to manage that department."

Dad blinked, completely caught off guard.

"The management position?" he asked, furrowing his brows slightly.

I nodded gently.

"Vivian, that's a completely different responsibility," he said, his voice filled with concern.

"The International Sales Department has been struggling for a long time. That's why we've had such a hard time finding someone capable of turning things around," he added.

"I know."

"And you still want it?"

I remained silent. Dad studied my face carefully for a moment.

"Why?" he asked, his voice filled with concern, as though he could tell that something was wrong.

I took a deep breath, pushing down the sadness in my chest.

"Because I want to prove that I can do it," I answered.

It wasn't completely a lie. I did want to prove that I could do it. But that wasn't the only reason.

I needed something to keep me busy. If I stayed at home with nothing to do, I knew I would spend every waking moment thinking about Ronald, the wedding, and everything that had gone wrong between us.

I needed something else to focus on. Something that would keep my mind occupied while I tried to get through the pain.

Dad remained silent for a moment before his expression finally brightened.

"What about Ronald?" he suddenly asked.

My heart sank at the mention of his name.

"You two are getting married next week," he continued. "And you've always wanted to be nothing more than a devoted housewife."

I remained silent, my chest tightening with every passing second.

"Is he the one who talked you into changing your mind and joining the company?" Dad added.

I lowered my gaze, staring at my trembling hands.

"I know he did." Dad chuckled softly. "He's the only person who could change your mind after all. He's really the best son-in-law I could ever ask for."

Then he looked at me. "I'll make sure to reward him after the wedding."

Yes, Ronald was what pushed me to take on this position, but not because he had talked me into it. Dad had completely misunderstood.

Hold on... After the wedding?

What wedding? There wasn't going to be a wedding anymore.

"There won't be any wedding, Dad," I said quietly.

His expression changed immediately. "What?"

"Ronald and I aren't getting married."