Chapter 3 : Leaving

Naomi packed her wedding dress less than twelve hours after becoming Renji Jing’s wife.

She folded it once, pushed it into the open suitcase and forced the zip over the thick fabric. Her long dark-brunette hair spilled in soft waves past her shoulders as she bent over the case. Against her warm olive skin, the shadows beneath her downcast eyes stood out, while her softly arched brows drew together and her full lips pressed into a thin line.

The veil followed. She packed the clothes she had brought to the Jing mansion during the six months before the wedding, then shut the wardrobe on the jewellery and every gift Renji’s family had given her.

Renji entered while she was fastening the second suitcase. He halted beside the door and surveyed the luggage.

“What are you doing?”

Naomi pulled the zip around the final corner. “I’m leaving.”

His eyes narrowed. “You made up your mind.”

“You said you regretted marrying me and didn’t want me as your wife.” She set the suitcase upright. “What did you think I would do this morning?”

“I didn’t tell you to pack.”

Naomi seized the handle. “Say something, Renji.”

“What do you want me to say?”

He kept repeating that question but all she needed was some effort from him to save their union.

He lowered his gaze to the watch in his hand like he had somewhere else more important to be. “I won’t invent feelings because you made a decision to leave.”

Naomi bristled and yanked the suitcase towards the door so sharply that one wheel clipped Renji’s shoe. He jerked his foot back, and she dragged the case past him without apologising.

She dragged both suitcases into the corridor and headed downstairs. Renji descended behind her without offering to help. When the wheels thumped against the final step, Mrs Jing hurried from the sitting room and gaped at the luggage.

“Naomi, where are you going?”

“Back to my father’s house.”

“Back to your fathers house, why? This is your husband’s house.”

Naomi gripped both handles. “Not anymore.”

Mrs Jing glanced between them. “What happened?”

Renji slipped one hand into his pocket.

“Renji,” she demanded. “What did you do?”

“She wants to leave.”

Naomi whipped her head towards him. “Don’t stand there and make this sound as if I woke up bored with the marriage.”

“Then tell her.”

Mrs Jing caught Naomi’s arm. “Come inside with me. Put the bags down first.”

Naomi pulled free. “There is nothing left to discuss.”

“You have not given the marriage one day.”

“I gave him six months before the wedding. Last night, he told me he regretted marrying me and did not want me as his wife.”

Mrs Jing rounded on her son. “You said that to her?”

“She asked for the truth.”

“You could have told the truth without throwing your wife out of this house.”

“I didn’t throw her out. She packed.”

Naomi laughed once, bitter and sharp. “You see? He won’t even admit he pushed me out.”

Mrs Jing seized Renji’s sleeve. “Tell her to stay.”

Renji glanced at Naomi, then removed his mother’s hand. “She has already decided.”

Naomi’s grip loosened on the suitcase handle.

Mrs Jing pointed at the luggage. “Her decision can change if you give her one reason to change it.”

Renji’s mouth tightened. “Mother, stop.”

“Stop what? Asking you to fight for the woman you married yesterday?”

He reached past Naomi and opened the front door. “Don’t make this worse.”

Naomi faced the open doorway, then pulled the suitcases past him. Renji stood beside the door while the wheels knocked over the threshold.

Mrs Jing followed her outside and grasped her wrist. “Let’s talk about these.”

Naomi ignored her and continued towards the door. During the six months she spent at the Jing Estate preparing for the marriage, Mrs Jing had welcomed her like a daughter. Whenever Renji left her alone in the mansion, Naomi would wander over to his parents’ house a few minutes away. Mrs Jing would keep her company, tell her stories about the son she adored and reassure Naomi that he only needed time. Naomi believed her every single time.

Mrs Jing clasped Naomi’s hand between hers. “You are still my daughter-in-law. Whatever Renji said, you have a place here.”

Naomi withdrew her hand and steadied the larger suitcase. “I cannot stay where my husband rejected me.”

She entered the waiting car. Mrs Jing remained near the steps, but Renji had already gone back inside.

Naomi arrived at her father’s house with both suitcases. Her father opened the door, scanned the luggage and reached for the larger case.

“What happened?”

“I left Renji.”

He pulled the suitcase inside. “Come in and tell me.”

Katerina appeared before Naomi reached the sitting room. Her gaze swept over the wedding ring, the creased dress Naomi had slept in and the two cases beside the entrance.

“You came back?”

She ignored the question but her mom approached her with both hands on her hips. “Do you understand what you have done? People have barely stopped discussing the ceremony, and you have returned with your luggage after one night.”

Mr. Bellari stepped between them. “Let her speak.”

“What is there to hear?” Katerina snapped. “She refused to let Phoebe take her place, embarrassed everyone with that delay and has now abandoned the marriage before the celebrations are over.”

“I did not abandon anything.” Naomi lifted her chin. “Renji rejected me after the reception.”

Katerina scoffed. “So a man said something you did not like, and you ran back here?”

“He said he regretted marrying me and did not want me as his wife.”

“Then you should have found a way to make the marriage useful instead of disgracing this family.”

Naomi curled her lip. “Useful to whom?”

“To the name you carry. That marriage was not arranged so you could discard it because Renji hurt your feelings.”

The front door opened, and Phoebe entered wearing a fitted dress and heels, her handbag tucked beneath one arm. She spotted the suitcases and burst into mocking laughter.

“You actually left him.” She laughed

Phoebe sauntered closer and inspected the luggage. “One night. That is all you managed.”

“I’m going out.”

Katerina appraised her dress. “Where are you going dressed like that?”

“To see my man.”

Phoebe flashed Naomi a smug smile, adjusted her handbag and swept out.

Katerina watched her leave with a fond smile.

Naomi’s lower lip quivered, and tears spilled down her cheeks. “Why do you detest me so much and just watch Phoebe do this to me?”

Katerina folded her arms. “There’s so much you do not know, and it’s better off that way.”