Chapter 3

Sadie's POV

By the time I made it back to my parents' home, it was already 10.30 p.m.

I pushed open the door and found my parents eating dinner. They were having a few stale dinner rolls. It barely passed as a meal.

I was stunned.

"Sadie? What are you doing here so suddenly?"

They looked panicked. They tried to hide the rolls but had nowhere to put them. In the end, they could only offer awkward smiles.

"In fact, it's perfect timing. You and Trav have been struggling to save for the wedding, right? So, we've been helping your aunt out at her orchard. The pay is 50 dollars a day."

As he spoke, Dad pulled out a bank card and said, "All the money you've sent us over the years is in this card, along with our savings. It's not much, but we did our best."

There was dirt smeared across the card from Dad's hands. He hadn't even had time to wash up.

My chest tightened painfully. My nose stung, and tears spilled before I could stop them.

They should've been enjoying retirement. Instead, they were still worrying about me and suffering alongside me.

"Mom, Dad, you don't have to do that anymore… The wedding's off."

Both of them immediately tensed.

"What happened, Sadie? Did Trav do something to you?"

"You love him so much. Why would the wedding suddenly be called off?"

Faced with their concern, I simply replied, "I won't be happy if I marry Travis."

After a long while, Dad sighed, then said, "As long as you won't regret it. Whether you get married or not, we just want you to be happy."

Wiping my eyes, I pulled out a small ring box.

"Next month is your 25th wedding anniversary. Let's celebrate at a nice hotel restaurant and treat everyone to a good meal. After that, I want to go abroad for two years to get more experience. I want to do this while you're both still healthy and able to take care of yourselves."

Originally, my wedding had been scheduled on the same day as their anniversary. Now, I could focus on them instead.

On Friday, I took the day off work and went back to the apartment to collect my things.

The moment I opened the door, I noticed a thin layer of dust on the entryway cabinet, and Evelyn's bedroom door was still shut. Clearly, she hadn't been home the past few days.

Looking at the space they'd generously left for me to "cool off," I let out a bitter laugh.

After packing everything, to my surprise, I only had two suitcases' worth of belongings.

Once I finished moving out, I headed to the hotel to pay the deposit for my parents' anniversary dinner. That was where I ran into Travis and Evelyn.

The instant she saw me, Evelyn smacked herself on the forehead and whispered to Travis, "Oh no. We got so caught up gaming that we forgot you were supposed to make up with Sadie!"

Guilt flashed across Travis' face, but only for a second before he stubbornly spoke. "Have you finally cooled off? You kept saying the wedding is off, yet here you are booking the venue anyway."

He held out a bank card and said, "You've probably run out of money by now. Use mine for the deposit."

I looked at the card, then at him. I asked, "How much is on it?"

"The same 800 dollars from the ring budget."

I almost laughed from exasperation. Pushing his hand away, I handed my own card to the receptionist.

"Ms. Cotton, the total is two thousand dollars. Please sign here."

Travis looked puzzled. "Did you borrow money from your parents? How do you still have cash after buying the ring that day?"

"It's my own money."

Over the years, I worked hard and managed to save 50 thousand dollars. I'd planned to use this money for our wedding, but there was no need for that anymore.

"That's impossible. You—"

"Travis," I cut him off. After signing the receipt, I stood and spoke. "Since you were so sure I had no money left, why did you insist I pay for dinner that night?"

His expression froze. He couldn't find the words to speak.

I walked away.

Moments later, he chased after me and softly apologized. "I'm sorry—"

But I shrugged him off. Some wounds couldn't be erased with an apology.

The anniversary celebration arrived. Relatives, neighbors, and family friends filled the hotel's restaurant.

Dad wore a tailored suit, while Mom was dressed in a white gown. The smiles on their faces were bright. It had been years since I saw them so happy.

Whispers drifted through the crowd.

"Wasn't today supposed to be Sadie's wedding?"

"I don't know. She looks exhausted. Maybe something happened."

I smiled stiffly, pretending not to hear.

Then, my parents suddenly stepped onto the stage.

"Friends and family, we have wonderful news. Our precious daughter has received sponsorship to continue her studies overseas. We hope you'll join us in wishing her success."

The room fell silent for a second, then applause erupted. I blinked rapidly as tears slid down my cheeks.

Suddenly, my phone vibrated. I stared at the familiar number on the screen for a moment before walking to a quiet corner to answer the call.

Travis' voice was hoarse, carrying a trace of nervousness and remorse. "Sades, I'm sorry. I accidentally overslept. Even if I leave now, I won't make it in time."

Travis always called me by my actual name. This was the first time I'd heard him call me "Sades." It made me feel sick.

Carefully, he asked, "Can we move the wedding to tomorrow?"

Evelyn's sleepy voice sounded in the background. "Keep quiet…"

Travis quickly shushed her. Then, as if not to disturb her, he lowered his voice and repeated, "Sades, can we move—"

"Sure," I interrupted softly.

Travis let out a sigh of relief, then said happily, "I have a surprise for you."

I replied, "I have a surprise for you too."

I hung up, then blocked him on every possible method of communication.

There would be no wedding tomorrow. There would never be a wedding.

In three hours, my flight would be taking off.