Semua Bab The Unfulfilled Wedding: Bab 1 - Bab 9

...My boss gasped, "You're quitting?"His surprise was reasonable since I had just led the team to nail a big project. A promotion and raise were on the horizon."Yeah, I am," I replied calmly."Well then, I respect your choice. Is it marriage?" he said.I shook my head and walked out.There was no marriage, just an empty promise that kept me waiting infinitely.Yesterday, I stumbled across Desmond Maynard's stash of love letters.Each one was carefully preserved in a box with moisture-proof packets.I counted them and found a total of 103 letters. The earliest was from two years ago, while the latest was last Friday.I sat on the floor, opening them one by one.The paper came in pink, blue, and green, smelling faintly of gardenias. Emotions flowed from those beautiful poems, passionate lyrics, and heartfelt confessions.I recognized Desmond's neat handwriting. Writing love letters was his thing.Back in college, he wrote me some, too. Those old letters were still lying i

...That night, I scrolled through Megan's social media.A video showed a plate of neatly-cut steak and a glowing scented candle nearby.The vibe was romantic, and the caption was ambiguous.[Can't cut this steak. Good thing Desmond is here.]A familiar voice sounded in the background. It was none other than Desmond.Soon, Megan posted again.Her manicured fingers held a glass jar of candy, her excited squeals filling the air.[OMG! Thank you for the gift!]I knew that brand. It was very expensive.Years ago, on my birthday, I saw it while shopping with Desmond, but the price stopped me cold.Desmond cupped my face, promising he'd buy it for me someday. He kept that promise, but it was for another woman.I scrolled through her posts again and again until Desmond came out of the bathroom, his face darkening at the sound.He snatched my phone and tossed it onto the pillow. "You freaked Megan out today with your attitude. I just took her to dinner to apologize. That candy is

...I took one last look at the city.Although my relationship with Desmond didn't end well, this place held my 13 years of my youth.When the plane landed, my mother and brother were scanning the crowd.Excited, Harriet rushed over and hugged me tightly. "Sweetie, I missed you so much. Why didn't you come home sooner? With me around, no one is gonna hurt you again."Her tears soaked my collar, and my nose stung with bittersweetness. "I missed you guys, too. Where's Dad? Doesn't he want to see me? Is he still mad?"Harriet wiped her tears, tapping my head. "Don't be silly. He could never be mad at you. He got home at six this morning and crashed. He's sleeping now."I caught Wilbur Reed's gaze and opened my arms for a hug.My quiet brother leaned in and whispered, "I'm sorry."I understood what he meant.He was the one introducing me to Desmond, his college buddy. By the time he saw the red flags, I was too deep in love to listen.Wasting 13 years on Desmond hurt him as much

...The wedding was set for the 28th of next month.A bit rushed, but not crazy.I hadn't seen Ezio since that video call. Harriet told me he was grinding through work to clear his schedule for the wedding and honeymoon.I wasn't sure if I bought it.I kept hearing about Desmond through friends. He and Megan posted a couple's photo online, then deleted it a week later.A friend vented, "I bet he's trying to get your attention. Guys like that are immature, thinking they can make you jealous with that."She paused and added, "And Megan? She's the worst, acting all high and mighty. Even after deleting the post, she is still shacked up at Desmond's place. She even brought Desmond's grandpa back from the nursing home to care for him. Three days later, the old man ended up in the hospital because of her clumsiness. That's when Desmond finally kicked her out. Those two are my soap opera now."Not the punchline anymore, I found the gossip juicy.Late at night, I was half-asleep when m

...Megan pleaded, "Please, let go of Desmond. I can't live without him. You've got everything—looks, money, and men. You can't be so selfish and greedy."She looked wrecked, her old smugness was gone, but her goal to draw a crowd was as clear as the day.Sure enough, the passersby halted and looked over.Almost instantly, I saw through her scheme of using public opinion to work against me.When I didn't react, she stepped forward to grab my hand. "Please! You're done with Desmond and have got a new guy. Can you stop messing with him? He's all I have."A bystander chimed in, "Lady, you can't play two guys at once."Another echoed, "Be decent."Megan's smirk didn't escape my eyes. I grabbed her hair and slapped her across the face."Yeah, I'm done with Desmond. So, why can't I shake you two?" I spat. "I was with him for 13 years, ready to get married. You stepped in, so I walked away. Now he's done with you, and you're here blaming me? When I was sick, you called him away on pu