Waited

Nicole waited from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the bridal shop. Her stomach churned, but she chose to wait. Her fiancé, Asher Strong, had promised to meet her there that morning. She had just returned from a business summit and headed straight to the bridal shop.

She had called him several times and sent multiple text messages, but he wasn't responding, nor did he return any of her calls. Not sure what was going on, she decided to go to the company and meet him there.

She booked a taxi and headed to the office. Suddenly, a notification popped up on her phone. It was a post from her friend Lisa's I*******m account.

"It's a pleasure to have Dr. Morris as the new Vice President of Creative Mind."

Nicole frowned. She had gone away on a summit for the company, and Asher had already chosen someone else to become Vice President? A position he had promised her?

No. She needed to confront him as soon as possible.

Who was this Dr. Morris?

And how could Asher treat her like this? She was his fiancée and one of the founding members of Creative Mind.

She soon arrived at the company, paid the taxi driver, and dragged her suitcase along behind her. Taking the elevator to the executive floor, she walked toward Asher's office.

Then she stopped.

"...Isn't it going to hurt Nicole, knowing that you gave this position to your old crush?"

It was Khalid's voice. He had been friends with Asher for as long as Nicole could remember.

Nicole froze.

Old crush?

The new Vice President was Asher's crush?

She had been with him for five years, and he still had feelings for someone else?

"Zara is my crush," Asher said casually. "My childhood sweetheart. The one I never got the chance to confess to."

His voice was calm. Sincere.

"And Nicole?" Khalid asked. "Who is she to you?"

Nicole wanted to leave, but Khalid's question rooted her to the spot. She held her breath, terrified that even the sound of her breathing would reveal her presence.

"She's my duty," Asher replied blandly. "We're getting married out of duty and responsibility."

Nicole felt her entire body tremble.

Duty?

He was with her because of duty?

He had never loved her?

Tears instantly filled her eyes.

"If you don't love her, why go through with the marriage?" Khalid asked. "You'll ruin two lives. And what about your feelings for Zara?"

"Nicole would do anything to become Mrs. Strong. That's the reward I'll give her for supporting me these past five years. But my heart will always belong to Zara..."

Nicole heard every word.

Five years.

Five years of devotion.

Five years of sacrifices.

And to him, her reward was simply becoming Mrs. Strong?

As if that wasn't enough, Asher continued.

"...I've never truly been attracted to Nicole. And I'm afraid she'll never have my body either. Only Zara can have that. She has my heart and soul, and giving myself to her would be a privilege."

That was enough.

Nicole didn't need to hear another word.

Her body shook violently as pain ripped through her chest. It felt as though someone had plunged a dagger straight into her heart.

She had only ever loved Asher.

Yet apart from a kiss every few months—or sometimes once a year—there had never been any real intimacy between them.

Once, she had spent the night at his apartment and heard him murmur the name "Zara" in his sleep.

She hadn't thought much of it then.

As always, she had made excuses for him.

Turning around, she walked away, dragging her suitcase behind her.

She was his duty.

Well, she didn't want to be anymore.

He could be with the woman he truly loved.

Nicole had given up a scholarship for postgraduate studies to help Asher build the company he had always dreamed of creating. She had received the admission offer herself—and torn it apart.

She had worked herself to exhaustion to make the company successful.

She had taken out loans and put her own future on the line for the business.

And now that Creative Mind was finally thriving, Asher wanted to reward her with nothing more than his surname while giving his heart to another woman.

She exited the building and booked an Uber to a hotel.

Her mother suffered from hypertension and needed her blood pressure stabilized before undergoing surgery. Showing up at home in her current emotional state would only worry her.

The Uber arrived shortly afterward.

Nicole loaded her suitcase into the trunk and slid into the passenger seat.

Staring out the window, she sighed helplessly.

She should have known better.

There had never been an official engagement.

No proper proposal.

One evening, after she helped him secure a major contract with Aldi Fashion House, he had simply dropped her off and casually asked,

"What do you think about us walking down the aisle together?"

She had been overjoyed.

She had waited years to hear those words.

She hadn't cared that there was no ring.

No grand gesture.

No witnesses.

Then, before she left for the summit, he had told her,

"When you're back, let's visit a bridal shop."

She had been so happy.

Yet today, she had waited for hours in vain while he spent his time with the woman he truly loved.

Her phone suddenly rang.

It was the sales representative from the bridal shop.

Nicole answered.

"Hello, Miss Jason. I'll keep the wedding dress reserved for you. Just let me know when you and Mr. Strong would like to come back and take another look."

Nicole closed her eyes briefly and pressed her lips together.

"That won't be necessary anymore," she replied quietly.

She had chosen the perfect dress and waited for Asher as promised.

But he never showed up.

He had been busy.

Busy promoting his childhood crush to Vice President.

"Oh... I understand," the woman replied disappointedly.

Before she could say anything else, Nicole ended the call.

Glancing at her wristwatch, she saw that it was nearly the end of the workday.

She quickly texted her friend.

Let's talk when you're off work.

Soon afterward, she arrived at the hotel and checked in.

She couldn't go home to her mother while carrying so much pain.

She would spend the night there, calm herself, and return home the following morning.

An hour after checking in, her phone buzzed with a text notification.

Nicole picked it up.

The message was from Asher Strong...