Chapter 2 A Wedding Without Me

The next morning, Gabriel Fletcher showed up at my house.

He was a wedding planner and had been handling every detail of my wedding. With only two days left until the big day, all the decorations were already in place.

Yet there he was, sitting on my couch, saying he wanted to replace all the flowers.

"The roses and peonies we picked before are too tacky," he said. "How about purple hydrangeas instead? They'd give the place a more dreamy, sophisticated feel!"

He excitedly showed me his new design.

But the moment I saw those pictures, I thought of the potted hydrangeas on Derek's bedroom windowsill. They were his favorite flowers.

"And I've added a few more dishes to the reception menu." My mother came out of the kitchen. "Cilantro beef, steamed crab, red grouper…"

I could not stand cilantro, and I was allergic to seafood. Every one of those dishes was something Derek liked.

They discussed the changes enthusiastically for quite a while. Only when they were nearly finished did they remember to ask what I thought.

"Harrison, what do you think?"

I did not answer. I just looked at them and smiled. "So, are you planning my wedding or Derek's?"

Everyone's expression changed instantly.

"What nonsense are you talking about?" Allison was the first to speak, but she avoided my eyes.

"Harrison, I'm sorry." Derek's eyes turned red. "Mom and Dad just feel bad for me. They want to take better care of me. I know I'm useless. I'm always dragging everyone down."

His words came faster and faster until he started struggling to breathe. Soon, he collapsed to the floor.

The house erupted into chaos.

Vivian rushed over first, supporting him as she gave him water and medication.

Allison pointed at me, furious. "You know Derek is still sick! How could you provoke him like that?"

"You're a rotten excuse for a person. Get out!" my father roared.

"Harrison, don't be so hard on him. Derek didn't mean any harm." Gabriel was the one muttering those words under his breath.

Looking at them, I found the whole thing ridiculous.

My parents and sister had favored Derek over me for more than 20 years. I had accepted that.

I had been foolish enough to trust Vivian too. I could accept that.

But Gabriel?

When his stepfather used to beat him, I had stood in front of him and taken the blows myself. When he was in a car accident, I had donated so much blood that I nearly passed out.

He had once put an arm around my shoulders and promised that even if the whole world turned against me, he would always have my back. But now, even he had turned against me.

They were all on the other side.

I suddenly felt tired of all of it.

"Fine," I said calmly. "Change whatever you want about the wedding. It doesn't matter to me anymore."

I turned and walked away.

A flicker of guilt crossed Vivian's face, and she hurried after me up the stairs. "Harrison, that's not what I meant."

I smiled faintly. "Isn't it? Then leave the wedding as it is."

"No!" she blurted out, frowning. "Gabriel's ideas are pretty good. We might as well add those dishes. It's not like money is an issue."

I smiled faintly and let go. "Suit yourselves."

"Harrison!" When Vivian realized I was not going to give in, her expression darkened. "Can you stop being so passive-aggressive? Even with depression, Derek is more emotionally stable and better behaved than you!"

With that, she turned and stormed off.

I calmly took out the camera and snapped another picture of everyone in the living room.

Three days later, on the day after the wedding, Vivian and Derek were raising their glasses with my parents, celebrating together as one happy family.

Gabriel—the man who had once promised to be my wedding photographer—was busy editing Derek's wedding video.

Everything looked picture-perfect. And I was not even a shadow in the picture.

That was fine too.

I sent a message. "Once you pick me up, let's head straight to the airport. Let's have the wedding overseas. I don't want to stay here anymore."