Chapter 4

Isaac's POV

A few hours before I was supposed to leave, I took a cab to the psychiatric hospital to visit my dad. When I walked into his room, I was stunned to find a man and a woman standing beside his bed.

As I got closer, I realized it was Sherry and Cole.

A bad feeling immediately rose in my heart.

"Why did you bring him here?" I asked Sherry.

Cole pursed his lips and answered for her. "I'm not some kind of monster. Why can't I come visit Mr. Jahn? I even bought him a new outfit."

I turned around.

Dad was wearing a white burial robe. He was clapping happily at his reflection in the mirror and saying, "Looks good."

My mind went completely blank. "What the hell is wrong with you two?"

I was about to confront Cole, but Sherry immediately stepped in front of me. "Cole meant well. He just didn't know what it was. He thought it symbolized a long and healthy life."

Cole raised an eyebrow and nodded. "I didn't know what a burial robe was. I just thought it looked elegant, so I bought it for Mr. Jahn. After all, his son is getting married. He should wear something befitting the occasion, right? He can wear it to the wedding."

I was so enraged that a numb feeling spread across my scalp, and I looked at Sherry with bloodshot eyes. "He didn't know, but are you equally clueless?"

Sherry's expression darkened. "Watch your tone. He bought the wrong thing. So what? Just take it off. Besides, Cole has always loved playing pranks. I've been used to it since we were kids. If you want to marry me, you'll have to learn to get used to it too."

She expected me to get used to Cole having no boundaries. I was supposed to get used to his stupid pranks.

Nevertheless, I no longer had the strength to keep bending myself backward to fit into their world.

A wave of exhaustion washed over me.

"Sherry, I'm breaking up with you."

She froze for a second, staring at me in disbelief. "Is our relationship really that worthless to you? Are you seriously throwing it away over something this trivial? Don't ever say we're breaking up again. You're not a teen anymore. That kind of joke isn't funny."

Only then did I realize that neither my family nor I had ever truly mattered to her.

I was about to push her out when her phone slipped from her hand and hit the floor with a sharp clatter. Her lock screen showed a photo of Cole kissing her.

Dad was about to look over. I held my breath and instinctively tried to kick the phone away. However, it was too late.

For a moment, Dad stared at the photo. Then, he suddenly lost control.

He pointed frantically at Cole and screamed, "You're the other man! You're the homewrecker!"

My mother's affair was what had driven him into this state. No one hated cheaters and homewreckers more than he did.

Sherry stepped in front of Cole to shield him. Disgust flashed across her eyes.

She scolded, "We lost a dare, Mr. Jahn. That was our punishment. Please watch your language."

She grabbed Cole and started walking away.

At the door, she looked back at me. "Don't bring your dad to the wedding. Let him stay at the hospital. Otherwise, the guests will laugh at him."

The door slammed shut with a thunderous bang.

Dad became even more agitated. He grabbed a knife and started trying to hurt himself. I desperately held him back and wrestled the knife from his hand.

In the end, I couldn't stop the tears from falling.

I comforted him. "Don't be scared. Don't worry, Dad. I'm not marrying her anymore."

Once I made sure Dad had calmed down, I went home to get my luggage.

Sherry's laptop that was on the table suddenly chimed. I looked and realized it was a group chat that didn't include me.

"We finally found a chance to have a beach trip together. That guy who always tags along better not come with us again."

"I checked the return flights. It overlaps with the time the wedding starts. Is Sherry okay with that?"

Cole replied with a laughing meme. "She's a coward. I'm just worried she won't even dare show up a minute late when the time comes."

Sherry immediately replied, "Don't underestimate me! Isaac can wait a little longer. Who else could he marry if he doesn't marry me?"

I smiled bitterly and closed the laptop.

"I won't wait for you anymore, Sherry," I said softly.

I grabbed my passport and luggage and left the home covered in wedding decorations.

In the end, Sherry didn't stay with them until the end of the trip. She cut the trip short. She caught the earliest flight home and brought back a beach souvenir I loved.

But the moment she pushed open the bedroom door, she froze where she stood.