Chapter 7

The next day—just one day before the wedding—Chandra finally came to Alexa's house with his parents. This time, he formally asked for her hand in marriage in front of her entire family, bringing several engagement gifts with him. There weren't many, since everything had been arranged at the last minute.

"Uncle, Auntie, Exa... I'm sorry I could only bring this much," Chandra said after both families had finished discussing the engagement. "Everything happened so suddenly, so I didn't have much time to choose properly. Once we're officially husband and wife, I'll take Alexa shopping myself and make up for the rest."

Mrs. Nancy and Mr. Lucas exchanged warm smiles.

"Honestly, Chandra, you didn't have to bring anything at all," Nancy replied kindly. "We already have everything she needs. But as a symbol of your sincerity, this is more than enough."

Chandra smiled awkwardly and nodded. Then his gaze drifted toward Alexa, who had remained silent the entire time.

"Exa... once everything is official, if you ever need anything, just—"

Before he could finish, Alexa suddenly cut him off.

"Chan... don't become my husband, okay? Please..."

Silence crashed over the room.

For several long seconds, no one spoke.

Then Mr. Lucas's face slowly turned red. His jaw tightened as his eyes hardened.

"Alexa!"

She immediately lowered her head. Tears shimmered in her eyes the moment her father's voice lashed out at her.

You're so selfish, Dad... You're all so selfish... she screamed silently inside.

"Forgive Alexa, Chandra. Don't listen to what she just said," Mr. Lucas continued after making sure his daughter wasn't going to protest again. "This wedding will go on as planned."

Chandra studied Alexa's face for a long moment before giving a quiet nod.

Across the room, Mr. Damian and Mrs. Rose—Chandra's parents—shared a brief glance before looking at the young woman with unmistakable sympathy. She had just been scolded by her own father in front of everyone.

Had Chandra not already explained everything to them, one of them might have questioned what was really happening. But he had. They understood the situation well enough.

Feeling as though no one had heard her at all, Alexa slowly stood.

She had barely taken a step toward the door when Mrs. Nancy called after her.

"Exa, sweetheart... where are you going?"

Alexa flinched slightly and turned around.

"I was just—"

She never got to finish.

"How rude can you be, Alexa?" Mr. Lucas snapped. "Your future husband and future in-laws are here, and you're just going to walk away?"

Her hands curled tightly into fists at her sides.

Disappointment burned inside her.

Her father always judged first... never asked questions.

"I just need to use the bathroom, Dad. Am I not allowed to?"

She met his sharp glare with one filled with hurt and disbelief.

She couldn't understand him anymore.

The man who should have been her safe place had become the one suffocating her the most.

"That's enough, dear," Mrs. Nancy said softly, placing a hand over her husband's. "Let Exa go. Maybe she needs a little time alone. Remember what Lucia told us last night."

The reminder finally reached him.

Mr. Lucas exhaled sharply before reluctantly allowing his daughter to leave.

After Alexa disappeared upstairs, Mr. Damian cleared his throat.

"Please forgive me for speaking out of turn, Mr. Lucas," he began carefully. "But perhaps... you shouldn't be so hard on Alexa. I feel sorry for her. She's still trying to process everything that's happened."

As the father of a daughter himself, Damian understood.

His own daughter could be stubborn too, but kindness always reached her faster than anger ever could.

Mr. Lucas sighed heavily.

"I just don't want Alexa running away from this marriage, Mr. Damian. Everything has been prepared so carefully, and the wedding is tomorrow. You saw it yourself earlier—even the neighbors have started dropping by to ask about the preparations. Thankfully, the ceremony isn't being held here, so we still have a little room to sort everything out."

Mr. Damian nodded in understanding.

"So your family will head to the hotel this afternoon?"

"That's right."

Mr. Lucas nodded.

"If we leave tomorrow morning, Exa could end up running late because of traffic. Not to mention bridal makeup usually takes hours. It's much safer to leave today."

Then he looked at Chandra's family.

"I hope all of you can arrive on time tomorrow. The marriage ceremony will begin at eight in the morning, followed by the reception at around nine-thirty."

Mr. Damian, Chandra, and the rest of the family agreed without hesitation.

With morning rush-hour traffic almost guaranteed, they would probably leave before seven.

---

Alexa never returned to the living room.

Instead, she shut herself inside her bedroom and picked up her phone.

A tiny, stubborn part of her still clung to the same impossible hope.

Maybe...

Maybe Dr. Robert would call.

Maybe he would tell her that he was the one marrying her tomorrow.

But that hope had already been crushed.

The last messages she'd received two hours earlier read—

> Alexa, the court's decision came out today. Robert still has to serve a two-year prison sentence.

> This was the lightest sentence possible because we agreed to compensate the victim's family. Otherwise, he would have received a much longer term.

> So now, the decision is entirely yours. If you can still wait another two years, Robert will gladly marry you when he's free.

> But if you choose to marry someone else tomorrow, we won't stop you. It's your right. As painful as it is, I'm sure Robert will still be happy... as long as you're happy.

Alexa collapsed onto the edge of her bed.

Her chest tightened until every breath hurt.

Reality had shattered the last piece of hope she'd been desperately holding onto.

This...

This was truly the end for her and Robert.

She closed her eyes, letting memories flood back one after another.

The laughter they had shared.

The peaceful days.

His gentle hands...

Hands that had always held hers with so much love.

At last, tears slipped quietly down her cheeks, each one making the ache inside her feel even heavier.

Robert... please forgive me...

Her phone vibrated again.

Another message.

She didn't even bother looking.

She wanted nothing more than to grieve the life she had dreamed of—the future that fate had stolen from her.

Then, suddenly—

Her ringtone shattered the silence.

Startled, Alexa quickly reached for her phone.

The screen was still glowing.

She looked at the caller ID...

...and froze the instant she recognized the name displayed there.