All Chapters of The Illusion of Happiness: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

10 Chapters

Chapter 1

When I woke up at four in the morning, I was planning to call the makeup artist when I noticed that my room was exceedingly silent.When I called, the makeup artist appeared perplexed and asked me, "But your fiance informed us last night that the wedding will be cancelled… You didn't know?"I rushed out of my room to find that Sean Wickham was leading his parents outside, and quickly asked, "Where are you going? Why didn't you tell me that you're calling off our wedding?"However, not only did he refuse to explain himself or apologize, he instead shot me an accusing glare. "I have to make amends to my friends since I had to call off the wedding. Would they have traveled all this way for nothing if not for you?"Sean's parents, both of whom were dressed sharply in new clothes came over, echoing, "We're cancelling the wedding for your own good, since you suddenly got pregnant and you'd have to lie your way out of it."You'd have to move so much during the wedding. It won't do if you

Chapter 2

I was just pregnant for a month, and the abortion procedure was painless and quicker than I thought.It was only then that I remembered adding Sean's number in the next-of-kin section the last time I came for a checkup—the hospital might inform him that I came for an abortion!As such, my heart skipped a beat as several voice messages came all at once."What is this text I received?! You were just fine in the morning, and now you're sending me lies?!"I know you're upset about the wedding being cancelled, but you didn't have to go that far."The endless blaming and lecturing left my eyes welling up with painful tears.I had learnt his family's rules and housework, taking good care of his family just to deserve him.But in his mind, I was always at fault.When I returned home exhausted, he was already sitting on the living room couch, clearly having waited for some time.However, I demanded before he could, "What's the deal with the party? Is a wedding something you can cancel

Chapter 3

I was planning to visit my parents' grave before I left, and was returning with their favorite flowers the day after I booked my flight.That was when I heard a child's laughter in my bedroom, and opened the door to see a sight that sent my breath rushing out of my lungs.My parents' favorite fruit I prepared was knocked over, and Sean's son had nibbled on every single fruit.Sally was laughing and clapping for the boy, and bringing him more fruits that he hadn't nibbled."Eat up, baby! It's free anyway!"I saw red, and didn't hesitate to rush up, pushing her off. "Stop! I bought those for my late parents! You have no right touching my stuff!"Hearing me yelling, Sean—who had been outside chatting with our neighbors, rushed inside and pushed me to the floor, snapping impatiently, "Stop being so stingy! It's just some fruits—forget starting a fight for money, you're now doing the same over a few fruits?"Seeing that Sean was leaping to her defense, Sally didn't snap at me. She so

Chapter 4

I thought I could at least take a bridal photo with Sean to remember it by, only for him to call the next day, saying that he was busy and I should go alone first.Three hours after he was supposed to show up and even the staff started gossiping quietly about me, my phone shook as a friend in the City Hall sent me a photo.It was a concealed angle, but I still remembered that this was the most expensive bridal gown that I had seen the other day. And the photo was captioned: [Is that your fiance? I saw him here getting registered with someone else, and the broad's wearing a gown worth a few hundred grand!]Devastated, I started to take off my wedding dress and turned towards the cameraman, shaking my head awkwardly. "I'm sorry. My fiance isn't coming."-When I arrived at the City Hall, I found Sean holding an arm around Sally, endlessly intimate and the envy of many.I stood at the doorway, looking completely like I didn't belong.Fighting back the tears in my voice, I growled

Chapter 5

Sally's foot was still bandaged as she asked from the living room, "Sean? What are you talking about?"Hearing her, Sean strode out and held up the receipt right in front of her.Sally sighed after seeing it. "Oh, calm down—it's fake. Rachel must be upset about what happened today, so she faked that report to make you worry."Then, her voice turned tearful as she continued, "I'm sorry, Sean… I was secretly in love with you even after I went abroad, but I couldn't confess to you because I know you have someone else."I was just deceiving myself that I'm your true love… but in the end, I still caused you trouble.""I'll pack up and leave with the baby now. He's just a month old, but I've been surviving alone for years anyway."The baby's wails grew louder as Sally kept her back to Sean while packing out.Seeing how miserable she looked, Sean relented and gently picked up her clothes and put them back on the shelf, before picking up the baby and coaxing him. "It's not your fault,

Chapter 6

After I flew home, I stared at the farmland in front of my old house.My parents had raised me here, while farming for decades, and the farm was now mine after their passing.Seeing that I had returned, my neighbors happily greeted me and shared the locally grown watermelons with me.Remembering my parents' life, I decided to use the farm.I would remove the weeds by day, while learning how to plant watermelons online by night.Soon, I tidied up the farmland and little shoots of my watermelons were poking out of the soil.However, I presumed that I wouldn't ever see Sean again after I returned, only for him to travel thousands of miles to reach me just a month later.He appeared pained as he saw me clearing weed under the sun, and cried, "What are you doing here, darling? It's such bothersome work. Come home with me already!" "Didn't you know I was very worried when I couldn't reach you?"I frowned and promptly distanced myself. "Don't call me darling—we never had a wedding n

Chapter 7

Just seeing Sean looking like he was compromising left me furious.I had done the exact same thing, prostrating myself and begging him to formalize our wedding when my parents were about to die.Their last wish was for me to marry, but he kept postponing time after time—even when I begged, he never relented and even treated me like a joke.And now he wanted forgiveness? Too late!Scoffing, I told him, "I should thank you for losing interest in me, so that I could see your true nature—self-centered, and full of lies. I really have been blind all these years."Now get away from me this instant—don't let me ever see you again, or I will hurt you each time I do."Once I finished, I picked up my hoe from the dirt and swung it at Sean, who panicked and promptly begged for mercy, "No, stop! I'll leave right now, okay?"He never showed his face for a while after that, but there would be warm breakfast prepared every day outside my door, and any work that needed to be done at the farm

Chapter 8

Before Sean's mother could keep snapping at me, I hung up without hesitation and blocked the number.Later on, I traveled to town for an agricultural workshop on a weekend, and it was past midnight when I got home.The village street was dimly lit, and the occasional dog bark would leave me terrified.That was when I heard a rush of footsteps behind me, and it was getting closer!My heart was pounding even as my nose picked up the pungent scent of alcohol, and at the very next instant, I felt a large pair of arms wrapping firmly around me.He wasn't letting me go, and kept mumbling, "I missed you so much, darling. Come home with me, okay? I swear I won't ever see Sally anymore."I don't blame you for getting an abortion. We will have more children from now on…"Realizing struggling won't work, I screamed on top of my lungs, "Let me go!!! Help!!! Somebody help!!!"It was a quiet night—upon hearing my voice, the neighbors all scrambled outside, hoes and shovels in hand as they wh

Chapter 9

Later on, Sally took her child to the Wickhams' neighborhood and caused a scene, accusing Sean of abandoning his wife and child, even refusing to pay alimony.Under the blazing sun, she cried herself hoarse. "That family deceived me, taking my virginity and my money! And Sean Wickham himself divorced me as soon as I had his child, and he refused to give me a cent!"That's not all—he assaulted me when I asked for money! Please, if there's anyone listening, you have to stand up against this injustice!" She was dressed plainly and standing there in the middle of summer, her son barely breathing under the baking sun.Still, many neighbors sympathized, and soon word of Sean's behavior spread like wildfire.Soon, the neighbors were all treating Sean and his parents with utter contempt."We've been teachers for decades and we have a reputation to maintain! We can't just let her slander us like this!"Their honor besmirched, Sean's parents hanged themselves in their desperation, and ne

Chapter 10

Over the last few months, Sean had been running from the cops.He was living under bridges, scavenging dumpsters for food and drinking from the ditches, afraid to even show up at the hospital to visit his parents.There was nothing resembling his old self, just as there wasn't a part of his face that looked clean.As he crawled out of the bushes, keeping his distance fearfully, he sniffled softly, "Please, Rachel. I really understand that I've made a mistake now, and that I know there's no making things right after what I've done."I'm relieved to see that you're fine… You won't ever see me again, don't worry."I ignored him, while he slowly wobbled past me, ultimately breaking into tears.Just as I was going to hail a cab to leave the graveyard, an ambulance bounded past me.As several pedestrians were standing by the junction and clamoring, I went for a closer look out of curiosity."I heard that a man dumped his wife, and when she found him again along with their child, he p

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