Chapter 2

After I returned to the hotel room, I started to pack my things.

The three sets of wedding gowns and dinner gowns hung in my closet.

The vow that I'd written by hand was on the dressing table.

There was also the ornamental pearl hairpin on the bedside cabinet that my mother left for me.

Before she passed away, her biggest regret was not seeing me get married.

However, Anna was already wearing my gown.

She was also wearing my wedding heels.

The pearl hairpin was the only thing I had left of my mother.

I had just placed it in my suitcase when someone opened the door.

Anna walked in wearing my wedding heels.

A few friends that participated in the game earlier trailed behind her.

"Fiona…"

She walked toward me with teary eyes.

"Are you mad at me?

"I'm just playing along. I didn't think you'd mind."

Even though she was apologizing, she did not take off my wedding heels.

Instead, she twirled before the mirror.

"These heels look really good.

"Too bad they're one size too small, so they're hurting my feet."

She pushed the shoebox toward me.

"Before we do our makeup tomorrow, can you get me a bigger size from the shop?"

I stared at her.

"These are my wedding heels."

The smile on Anna's face froze. Her friends immediately tried to defuse the situation.

"It's just a pair of shoes.

"Anna was just trying to liven things up today. Her feet are sore and red from the shoes. Is it such a big deal to switch the shoes for her?

"Do you really want her to wear an ill-fitted pair of shoes at the wedding?"

For a moment, even I couldn't tell who was actually getting married tomorrow.

Anna saw the hairpin in my hand and her eyes lit up.

"That's very pretty!"

She reached for it but I tightened my grip on the hairpin.

"You can't have this."

The room immediately fell silent.

Anna teared up.

"I just want to take a look.

"Are you saying I can't even touch it?"

Vincent entered the room.

When he saw that she looked upset, he immediately stepped in front of her, shielding her behind him.

"Fiona, she she never said she was going to take it from you. Why are you overreacting?"

I looked at him.

"My mother left this for me."

Vincent knew how important this hairpin was to me.

In the past, he had held my hand and said, "I'll put this hairpin in your hair when we get married."

He was quiet for a few seconds before holding out his hand.

"Let Anna take a look. She'll return it to you after that."

I took a step back and put the hairpin into my suitcase.

"No."

Anna immediately started crying, and Vincent completely lost his patience.

"Fiona, you weren't like this in the past!

"In the past, you never rejected Anna's requests for things she liked."

He was right. I gave Anna my bag just because she liked it.

She liked my studio, so I allowed her to join me.

Even when she was heartbroken after a breakup, I was the one who took her home and introduced her to Vincent and his group of friends.

I once thought that as long as I treated her well, she would treat me as a real friend.

However, I had forgotten that some people began to feel entitled if everything was given to them.

They became so entitled that when one finally drew a boundary, they thought that person was wrong instead.

"The past is the past.

"In the future, I'll no longer give her anything of mine."

Vincent stared at me for a very long time before he sneered.

"Suit yourself."

He held Anna's hand as they left.

When they reached the entrance, Anna turned around to look at me.

Tears still clung to her face. But the corner of her mouth curved slightly.