Semua Bab Our Final Goodbye: Bab 1 - Bab 7

My fingers slid lightly across the screen as I zoomed in, and I saw the diamond-studded wedding dress on Zoe Bennett.The familiar design and cut pulled me back to countless late nights, to the sight of Adrian Cole hunched over his desk in the study, absorbed in his designs.Eighteen-year-old Adrian had once sworn with complete certainty, "I will make sure the woman I love wears a wedding dress I design with my own hands."I had grown up with Adrian; we had been childhood friends for twenty years. When we played pretend weddings as kids, he always liked to grab my hand and say, "Iris, you'll be my only wife in the future. I'll give you the best food, the most fun, and the prettiest things in the world. If anyone bullies you, I'll beat them up and chase them away."Now, I was his bride.However, it was someone else wearing the wedding dress he designed himself, while standing deep in the snow-covered mountains, and posing for intimate wedding photos with him.Exhausted to the bone

From the time I was eighteen, I had been waiting to marry Adrian.Even after making up my mind to call off the engagement, feelings like that could not be severed overnight.I was just about to speak when the front door was pushed open. Zoe burst in, crying. "Mr. Cole, Iris's wedding dress got stained during transport by accident… The wedding is tomorrow. What should we do?"Adrian could never stand seeing Zoe cry. He pulled her into his arms, full of concern. "Well, if it's dirty, then change it. It's nothing serious.""I happened to pick a simple one for Iris. I'm not sure if she'll like it."I looked at the wedding dress in her hands. The fabric was cheap, hanging loose and shapeless.I could not help mocking, "Is that a wedding dress, or clothes for mourning?"Leaning against Adrian's chest, Zoe's face slowly drained of color. "This is my fault. I shouldn't have decided to change the wedding dress on my own. Don't worry. Even if I scrub my fingers raw tonight, I'll wash the

The instant he heard the announcement, Adrian's expression swung between disbelief and fury. "Iris, are you serious?"I gave a small nod.Everyone present knew that Adrian and I had grown up together for more than twenty years, and that our two families' businesses were tightly intertwined. Every major media outlet had already drafted its coverage of the wedding of the century. No one expected me to call it off on the spot.Adrian stood at the center of the crowd, the regret in his eyes impossible to hide.The media surged forward."Miss Warren, what prompted you to make the decision to call off the engagement?""Was it the financial state of Cole Group, or the involvement of a third party?""Is Zoe Bennett the third party mentioned?"...The noise was overwhelming. Watching Adrian's face grow paler by the second, I quietly left him the last shred of dignity.Under the blinding flashes, my thoughts drifted back to that year.Adrian had attended a yacht gala with Zoe, who had

The wedding venue was only separated from the site Adrian had booked by a single road, yet this was the lawn wedding I had always loved most.All media were stopped at the entrance. The only people seated inside were my family and friends.My father held my hand, tears streaming down his face. "I told you long ago that you deserve the very best, my dear daughter. That good-for-nothing from the Coles was blind. Look at what he put my precious girl through! If it weren't for you, I would have driven the Cole Group to total ruin!"My mother passed away early. To make up for it, my father had given me almost everything.If I had not insisted on marrying Adrian back then, the Warren Group probably would never have partnered with the Cole Group in the first place.Now, Julian stood at the center of the ceremony hall, his eyes filled with nothing but me.Holding my bouquet, I was just about to step onto the rose-lined aisle when someone suddenly grabbed my wrist."Iris, please. Don't m