Chapter 6

Asher placed his hand cautiously on Regina's arm. Then, they walked step by step toward the altar under the glare of the bright stage lights.

He was reminded of their own wedding. The setup was much the same, and they had stood so close to each other that he could hear the beating of her heart.

However, the only difference was that he would not be placing a ring on her finger this time.

Asher struggled to suppress the emotions surging within him as he finished with the rest of the rehearsal. Then, he turned abruptly and headed toward the fire exit, leaning his back against the wall in the deserted stairwell.

He had thought he could remain composed, but the moment he got close to her and laid his eyes on her, his entire facade shattered.

It was painful to be near Regina, but if he got too far away from her, it felt as though he were distancing himself from true happiness as well.

After some time, his emotions began to settle. He straightened up, smoothed the creases in his clothing, and was just about to leave when he looked up to find Regina standing before him.

He didn't know when she had arrived. He only knew that the ache returned when they looked into each other's eyes again.

They just continued staring at each other, his eyes filled with sorrow, while hers were unreadable.

A moment later, she reached out and brushed the hair from his forehead, just as she always used to do.

"Asher."

She paused, as if lost in deep thought. "The reality might be cruel, but I won't repeat myself. You're not the childhood friend who needed me to shield him from everything anymore.

"Do you remember what I told you? Everything in life carries some regret, and for us, the only way this can end is through our regrets.

"Don't cry for me anymore. I'm no longer there to see them, as I once always was."

Asher could clearly feel the warmth of her fingertips, yet he also sensed the distance she'd woven in between her words.

He realized, perhaps, it was time to show some discretion.

He took a step back and forced a smile onto his lips.

"Even if you never said any of this to me, Regina, I would have come to that conclusion by myself," he said. "I just got some sand in my eyes. And don't worry. I won't get upset over you anymore.

"Also… Thank you for still trying to preserve my dignity somewhat."

Actually, Asher wanted to say, "Thank you for always showing up to take care of me." But if he really said that, it would make it seem as though he was really trying to ask her if she still loved him.

He didn't want to continue getting entangled with her anymore, so he thought that it would be better for everything to just end on a good note for all.

Asher pulled open the fire escape door to go back to the venue, but he immediately saw Cody standing outside with an extremely dark look on his face. He didn't know how long Cody had been listening to everything, but the rage and jealousy in his eyes were intense.

He didn't even bother hiding his anger, although Regina was there. He raised his hand and immediately struck Asher on the side of his face with his balled-up fist.

Asher's head whipped to the side at once from the blow. The punch had been merciless, and Asher could feel the pain coursing through every nerve on his face. It hurt so much that even he couldn't hold back anymore.

Just as he was about to retaliate with a punch of his own, Regina suddenly stood right in front of Cody to shield him, taking the blow on his behalf instead. And after she was struck, she didn't say another word and simply left with Cody, dragging him off forcefully.

Asher laughed. It was simply too bitter and ironic for him to stomach.

In the past, Regina would always stand up for him whenever Cody made things difficult for him on purpose. But now, Cody was the one who struck him first, and yet, Regina chose to take the blow on Cody's behalf instead.

Asher didn't know if this was simply because the tides had turned against him now or if it was because Regina truly didn't love him anymore, so she didn't even bother protecting him like she used to in the past.

Or maybe Asher was now no longer as important to her as Cody was.

At one point, Asher really wanted to tell her the full truth about everything. But by telling her the truth, he risked hurting Regina even more, and he would be the main reason for her pain.

Yet, if Asher chose to keep his mouth shut, the only one suffering from the pain would be himself.

Regina would still continue living a good life without him, as time went by.

Asher wearily returned to his hotel room to rest. But the moment he lay down in his bed, he got a call from Jerry.

"Asher… Look, I'm sorry, but I might have to make a change regarding the best man. It was Regina's idea. I honestly thought you two were just having a minor spat, but it turns out…

"Please don't hold it against me. My wife relies on the Gleason family's business for her livelihood, so I'm not really in a position to go against Regina's wishes. That said, I've made sure to save you one of the best seats in the house."

Asher recalled, once again, the sight of Regina standing protectively in front of Cody. So, he feigned indifference and agreed to the proposition.

Or rather, he had no right to refuse in the first place.

…

The following day, Jerry's wedding took place as scheduled.

Asher watched as his former close friend exchanged vows, beaming with happiness, and saw Cody take his place as the best man next to Regina.

Throughout the ceremony, Cody kept a firm grip on her arm, casting provocative glances Asher's way from time to time as if mocking him for having lost.

Asher just ignored him and pretended as if he hadn't seen a thing.