Chapter 4

Tyler's POV

I got up to return home after having lunch.

Yvonne hurried out to see me off. While we were in the elevator, she suddenly said, "Mom didn't do it on purpose, Tyler."

I asked, "What do you mean?"

Yvonne remained silent for a moment before replying, "Mom didn't mean to have Harry call her 'Mom'."

I smiled faintly, lifting my hands to examine them repeatedly. "Your mother praised me for being a good guy the first time she met me, saying that I was tactful and looked as though I had never endured hardship.

"After that, whenever I went to your place, as soon as I sat down, your mother would instruct me to assist in the kitchen. Over the past seven years, I have washed the dishes at your place 78 times. But during lunch just now, your mother wouldn't even let Harry pour a glass of water."

Yvonne's expression shifted slightly. "Harry is a guest here, Tyler."

"So she just allows their guest to call her 'Mom', huh?"

Yvonne fell silent.

I asked again, "Whose idea was it to bring me wedding favors?"

Yvonne was stunned. "It was Harry's idea to share some of the wedding bliss with you."

"You didn't stop him from doing that even though you knew it would be bad for couples who are about to get married?"

"I didn't think that much about it…"

I smiled faintly again. I had heard those exact words from Yvonne countless times during the past seven years.

I remembered it happening during my birthday. When she missed it, she said, "I was too busy with work. I didn't think that much about it."

For our anniversary, Yvonne gave me the exact same watch she got for Harry and said, "It's just the same brand. I didn't think that much about it."

Even when she proposed to me, she bought a ring that was one size too big. Then, she said, "I don't keep track of these small details. I didn't think that much about it."

I couldn't tell if she genuinely hadn't thought things through, but at this point, I couldn't even be bothered to care. I merely said, "If you're having second thoughts about marrying me, it's not too late to change your mind, Yvonne."

Yvonne's expression instantly shifted, becoming completely serious. She grabbed my wrist hard with her left hand, exclaiming, "You'd better not spout such nonsense, Tyler! We've been together for seven years! Who else are you going to marry if not me?

"If you don't like the wedding favors, I'll throw them out. I really don't like what you just said, though, so you'd better take it back!"

I merely smiled faintly as I looked at her rare display of anger. "Got it."

I stepped out of the elevator and walked away, leaving her behind.

I shipped the last piece of luggage from our marital home back to my hometown that very night. I had just sent a photo to Ruben when Yvonne suddenly messaged me.

"You're not still upset with me, are you, Tyler? I've already spoken to Mom, so she won't ask you to wash the dishes anymore."

I didn't reply to her message.

Yvonne sent me another message. "There are only 12 hours to go before the wedding. Are you looking forward to it, Tyler?"

I sat in the middle of the empty living room, a space completely devoid of any festive atmosphere. I hesitated for a moment but ultimately chose not to respond.

Ruben forwarded a news article to me, exclaiming, "Those cheating bastards! How dare they? You've got to take a look at this right now, Tyler!"

I clicked on the link and found out that it was a local news article from Alveria. "The Wedding of the Century for the Caldorian Couple—Bride Claims, 'True Love Is Priceless'."

In the article, the reporter went on at great length, using a full two thousand words to describe Yvonne and Harry's wedding. There was also a video of Yvonne being interviewed by the reporter.

The reporter asked, "Why did you choose to have the wedding in Alveria?"

Yvonne replied, "It's because my husband wanted it."

I downloaded the news article on my phone, then opened my chat with Yvonne and replied, "I'm looking forward to it."

After sending that message, I slipped off my engagement ring and placed it on the coffee table. Yvonne's laptop was right beside it. I moved the mouse, clicked on the link Ruben shared with me, and left the news article on Yvonne and Harry's wedding open in the browser.

Then I took one last look at the room, turned off the lights, and walked out.

Ruben was already waiting downstairs in his car. "Where do you want to go, Tyler?"

I replied, "The airport."

I didn't look back as Ruben drove us out of the neighborhood. I switched my phone to silent and mentally bid goodbye to my seven-year relationship.

…

Third-Person POV

It was 8:00 am the following morning when Yvonne showed up at her and Tyler's marital home with Harry and several of the Mullen family's relatives.

The moment they pushed the door open, they were all dumbfounded.