Sienna sniffled, "I hate him."I propped my chin in my hand, unsure how to respond. I just hoped she would not blame things on me.Sienna seemed to have been holding back for a long time, and now she was spilling her heart out to me. I tried to stay focused but only got sleepier.Finally, she asked, "Do you think you could ever forgive me? I fought with you for Rory. I took him away from you and broke your heart. I was wrong."I pondered. "I don't really care. If you can fix the wedding dress, I'll forgive you."Six months later, Sienna returned my wedding dress. The lace that had been ripped was replaced with a finer, more delicate version, and the pearls that had fallen off were sewn back on.It looked as good as new, and this was not a bad thing for her. At least, in the past six months, she hadn't had time to wallow in self-pity.During this time, two major things happened.The girl who had accused my dad of sexual harassment was sentenced, and he was reinstated as the CEO.
I ignored Sienna, focusing on the tiramisu in front of me.Maryam Kinchin chattered, "She divorced a playboy and married a rich CEO. What more could she want?"I pondered. "Who knows?"I handed Maryam a macaron. She sat down, and we enjoyed our afternoon tea together. The sweet aroma of the pastries filled the air, adding a touch of warmth to the auction.Maryam couldn't sit still. After a couple of bites, she got up to take photos.Sienna approached me and spat, "Tiffany, this is all your fault."I was puzzled. "My fault? Not again."I might be young and healthy, but I couldn't bear all kinds of accusations.She huffed, "If you hadn't married Rory, he and I would have been together five years ago. I wouldn't have suffered so much, and he wouldn't have you on his mind. We wouldn't be in this situation, tired of each other."I pressed my temples, feeling a dull ache. "Why don't you blame him?"She was speechless, and I went on, "His family was broke. To save the day, Rory woul
Sienna was just a lingering obsession from his youth.Rory had always believed he married me because of family pressure.He thought he should hate me, keep his distance from me, and make amends to Sienna. But after spending day after day with me, he couldn't deny his feelings anymore.Now he finally understood. Without me, his life was devoid of all color....I thought I'd stay abroad for a long time, but two years later, my father was promoted to the deputy president of the company.The crisis had been resolved, and he'd won the lawsuit against the sexual harassment allegations. The scandal surrounding him vanished overnight.The people who helped him gather evidence weren't just his brother. Rory had helped too.My father's tone was bland when he mentioned Rory.To Rory, my father was both a former father-in-law and a benefactor who had supported him when he was in need. His concern for my father's situation, in hindsight, seemed natural.That spring, my parents and I retu
I could taste fruits that weren't available and see landscapes that were impossible back home.The sunlight and the sea breeze were liberating. I found myself falling in love with this new life.The bits and pieces of my time with Rory started to fade away. The occasional moments of warmth, the rare bursts of happiness, the long, lonely nights, the silent, unasked-for waiting were all behind me now....I returned from a wedding. The bridegroom was the son of my father's friend.My mother took my hand and asked, "I saw you zoning out earlier. Were you thinking about him again?"I blinked. "I was just wondering how they made the fish at the banquet. It tasted different from the ones you make."She laughed, "I'll have your dad ask them."I snuggled up against her. It was a peaceful, loving moment....Before the wedding began, Rory stood outside my room for a long time.He wanted to explain himself. This wedding wasn't about love. It was just to make up for Sienna's regrets.
The guests attending the wedding were all headed in the opposite direction. I lowered the sun visor and stared blankly at my feet.Three years ago, I married Rory. There had been a time when we respected each other.Back then, I was naïve enough to believe our marriage could last since Sienna had married someone else. I thought if I gave him my heart, he would respond in kind.Everything changed when Sienna suddenly contacted him a year ago.After our marriage, Rory's business bloomed. The market value of the Lawson Group increased several times.I loved him, and my father supported him. His career was flourishing, even more successful than when he first started.In contrast, Sienna was not faring well. Her husband cheated on her, and she lived in constant pain, pining away at only 25.She couldn't help but confide in Rory. Those messages and phone calls made this pair of lovebirds feel worlds apart.Fate had played a cruel joke on her. They had dated in college. She should have marrie
There were two days to go before Rory and Sienna's wedding.The villa was decorated with festive ornaments, so much so that even my secluded room seemed to have caught the cheerful atmosphere.I pushed open the window and looked outside. There was a banner with bold and elegant handwriting on it. I recognized Rory's handwriting, and it wrote, [Hold your hand and grow old together.]No such things were there when I married him three years ago.My eyes then landed on Sienna, who was at the far end of the corridor. Her steps were brisk as she walked toward my room. The white wedding gown she wore swirled around her like a patch of cloud.She stopped at my door and asked warmly, "What kind of necklace do you think I should wear for the wedding?"She wore the dress she had just tried on. Her hair hadn't been done, and she looked like a naïve girl.I answered, "You're not a first-time bride. Don't you know it well? Why bother asking me?"Her smile froze. She wanted to say something, but no