This Time I Choose to Leave

The guests gradually began to leave.

I stood before the cross, looking down at the emblem pinned to my chest.

Just last night, Rossi Matteo had brought me the emblem representing the Donna of the Matteo family and pinned it to my dress himself.

"Emily DeLuca, I can't wait any longer to give this to you. For the rest of my life, I'll be your most loyal partner." He held me in his arms, his deep-set eyes filled with love.

Back then, I had been full of hope for our marriage.

So when Rossi told me he had to leave overnight to handle some family business and promised he would return in time for the wedding today, I believed him.

Even when he failed to show up at the agreed time two hours ago, I still chose to wait.

Rossi had never broken a promise to me. Sometimes, he was simply a little late in keeping it.

But two hours later, I received a message from him.

[Emily, my flight clearance hasn't come through. We'll have to postpone the wedding for now.]

Before I could even process his words, Ava posted a video on social media.

In it, Rossi was dressed in a perfectly tailored suit, dancing with Ava beneath the Northern Lights. One dressed in black, the other in white, they moved together effortlessly, as though they were heading toward their own wedding.

At the end of the video, Rossi dropped to one knee and slipped a ring onto Ava's finger.

Ava covered her mouth, feigning astonishment. "Oh my God, is that the gemstone ring your family passes down exclusively to the Donna?"

Exclusively to the Donna?

A buzzing filled my head as I stared at the ring.

Half a month ago, when Rossi had taken me to try on the wedding rings, I'd asked him about the ring that supposedly represented the Donna of the Matteo family. Why hadn't he given me that one?

Rossi had only laughed and told me it was a rumor. His family didn't even have such a ring.

I'd believed him.

Now, the scene playing out in that video felt like a brutal, stinging slap across my face.

Rossi nodded. "I once promised you that I'd put the ring belonging to the Donna on your finger beneath the Northern Lights in Aurorheim."

Ava's eyes filled with tears of excitement. "Rossi, I finally got to see my wish come true. If possible, could you stay and spend one more day with me? I promise it'll be the last time."

Rossi fell silent. Then someone off-camera cautiously reminded him, "Don Matteo, your wedding is tomorrow."

A few seconds later, Rossi looked up at the camera, his voice calm. "Postpone the wedding. We'll discuss it when I get back."

"But..."

"No buts. I've already made Ava wait too long. As for Emily, she's been waiting for five years. One more day won't make a difference."

The video ended, freezing on Rossi's face.

The emerald-green eyes that had once made me feel so safe now looked unfamiliar and utterly heartless.

His words kept echoing in my ears. "One more day won't make a difference."

The first time he said those words was on my birthday.

I had spent hours getting ready that day, putting on the expensive dress he bought me and eagerly anticipating the surprise he'd promised.

But Rossi had looked at me apologetically and said he might not have time to celebrate my birthday with me after all. He had to pick someone up.

Disappointed, I'd asked if he could send someone else.

Rossi had answered gently but firmly, "I have to go myself. I'll make it up to you tomorrow. One more day won't make a difference."

It was only many days later that I learned he'd gone to pick up Ava, his former lover.

Ever since Ava had returned, Rossi had repeatedly put me second.

Every time he told me that one more day wouldn't make a difference, those words drove another wedge between us, pushing us farther apart.

And now, he'd used the same excuse to postpone our wedding.

I finally understood that he would probably never put me first.

Fortunately, I'd already bought my plane ticket. In three days, I would leave him for good.