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Home / Romance Short Story / The Wedding That Freed Me / Chapter 1 - Chapter 8

All Chapters of The Wedding That Freed Me: Chapter 1 - Chapter 8

8 Chapters

Chapter 1

I didn't stick around.I went home.My neighbor did a double take. "Jared? Why are you home? Wasn't your wedding today?"I'd been planning that wedding forever. Everyone knew.So yeah, getting ditched at the last second? Not exactly easy to hide.I didn't stop unlocking the door."We're not getting married. She's busy."Busy giving her ex a wedding.Pity flickered across my neighbor's face, but she was nice enough not to ask.I shut the door and rushed to the bathroom.The second I opened my mouth, I puked hard.When there was nothing left, I slumped onto the floor.Sleeping pills hit me badly.Yvonne knew that.She gave them to me anyway.Honestly, waking up at all was pure luck.As I got up to rinse my mouth, my phone suddenly blew up with notifications.It was a group chat Yvonne and I were both in.[Yvonne's unreal. Did you guys see that? Jared showed up and didn't say a word.][Seriously, how did she tame him? Dude's way too obedient. That's a one-in-a-million f

Chapter 2

I dried my hands, and my phone rang too.[Monday morning. Let's get the marriage license.]I replied: [Okay.]Then I went to the bedroom to pack.In the closet, I found a shirt that wasn't mine.Wrinkled. Crumpled.Like someone had shoved it in there fast.A closer look showed dried stains on the fabric.The door creaked.Yvonne walked in.The second she saw my red eyes, she knew.She calmly took the shirt from me."Maybe Ava or one of the girls left it here when they brought their boyfriends over."I lowered my head, hands shaking.Not from sadness.From disgust.Yvonne clearly got the wrong idea.She lifted a hand and brushed my cheek, almost compulsively."Jared, know what I like most about you?"Before I could answer, she answered herself."Obedient."I'd heard that word more times than I could count.Obedient.Reasonable.Well-behaved.Like a cat.Like a dog.Anything but a person."Tony's in the past. I gave him the wedding as a way to make it up to hi

Chapter 3

After the hospital, I put some of my luggage in storage.When I got home, Yvonne was already there.Tony walked over like he owned the place."Jared, we're out of slippers. Use the disposable ones."I looked down.My slippers were on his feet.Yvonne had bought them for me.Size nine.Tony's feet barely filled them.They didn't fit him at all.But he wore them around anyway.Just to piss me off.I looked past him.Yvonne and her friends were gaming like they hadn't heard a thing.I said nothing.Just bent down and changed into the disposable slippers.The second I stepped inside, cold air slammed into me.My allergies flared, and I sneezed three times in a row.Someone had dropped the thermostat from seventy-seven to sixty-four.This time, Yvonne noticed.She took the remote from my hand."Tony runs hot. He can't handle it any warmer. Just deal with it for now."It sounded like a discussion.But she'd already decided.Then she turned back to her game.Tony glan

Chapter 4

Third-Person POVThe room exploded with a crash as Yvonne slammed her favorite game console to the floor.Silence.Then she cursed under her breath, ripped the door open, and stormed out.Too late.Jared was gone.One of her friends shifted nervously. "Yvonne, should I go get him?"Yvonne stared into the dark, frustration choking her.She never thought Jared would actually leave.She gave a sharp, cold laugh. "Why bother? Give him three days. He'll crawl back."And if he misses the marriage license appointment? That's on him."***Jared's POVWhile I was checking into a hotel, Tony sent me a voice message.His tone dripped with mockery, like he was trying to shove reality in my face."If you've got a backbone, don't ever come back. But we both know you can't stay away from Yvonne. She's rich. She's gorgeous. Even if nobody wants you there, you'll still cling to her like some stray dog."I knew exactly what he was doing.He wanted to bait me into staying gone.The thou

Chapter 5

Yvonne froze.For a second, her mind went completely blank.She turned sharply toward the speaker."What did you just say?"The room went silent.Yvonne grabbed the phone and opened the post herself.The marriage license was right there in the photo.And the name on it was unmistakable.Jared.All the color drained from Yvonne's face.Tony glanced at the screen and fought back a smile."Guys like him are never grateful. He threw a tantrum over nothing, then ran off and married someone else. Yvonne, let him go. He was reaching way out of his league anyway."The others jumped in fast."Exactly. Maybe he was already messing around with Rachel. Keeping you around while chasing her.""Forget him. There are plenty of guys with his face. He's probably doing this to get back at you and Tony for the wedding. So messed up.""Come on, let's keep drinking. Stop thinking about him!""Ah!"Tony yelped as Yvonne flipped the table.Drinks crashed to the floor, splattering everywhere.

Chapter 6

I went back to Harborview with Rachel.Luckily, I was able to transfer within my company, so the move was easy.Rachel earned her parents' approval through her own accomplishments.In the end, they accepted me as part of her life.Early the next morning, Yvonne found me.She blocked me at the company entrance and grabbed my wrist."Come back with me. Divorce Rachel. I don't care about any of this. As long as you—"A sharp slap cut her off."Awake now?"Yvonne's eyes turned red. "You hit me?" Her voice shook, wounded. "You married someone else, then hit me?"I looked at her and almost laughed."Now you know how I felt?"She froze. Her face went stiff. "That's different. Mine wasn't real. You actually got married!"I nodded. "Exactly. Yours didn't mean anything. Mine did."The color drained from her face. "What?"I repeated it, calm and slow. "Before I married Rachel, I thought it through. Ask me a hundred times, and my answer won't change. I chose this."Her face tighten

Chapter 7

She added, "I would never betray you."I gave her a faint smile. "Haven't you already?"I don't hate you. You only hate someone when there's still love left. Yvonne, I don't love you. Can't you see that yet?""I don't believe you. You're lying!"Her breathing turned ragged. Tears shimmered in her eyes.I sighed.It was time to tell her everything."I got with you to get back at Rachel. To punish her for leaving to study overseas without telling me."Honestly, when I ran into you again, my first thought was that my luck sucked."Back in school, you stood by while people bullied me. Did you really think I'd forget that?"When Tony dumped a drink over my head in front of everyone, did you think I'd forget that?"I shook my head. "I'll never forget it."Luckily, you humiliated me on our wedding day for Tony's sake. Otherwise, I really would've thrown away my chance at happiness."Even now, the thought sent a chill down my spine."Every time I think about how close I came to m

Chapter 8

I slapped her across the face.Yvonne froze.I looked at her, every word sharp."Don't come looking for me again. I've made myself clear. And don't go near Rachel. If this happens again, I'm calling the cops."Then I grabbed Rachel's hand and got in the car with her.In the rearview mirror, Yvonne stood there, frozen in place.She kept staring after us.Then she disappeared from view.Rachel grabbed my face and turned me toward her."Keep looking at her, and I'm gonna get jealous."I looked at her and gently wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth."You're a grown woman. Why are you getting into fights?"Rachel snorted. "Hmph. I wanted to beat that bitch's ass. Smacking her was the only way to get all that frustration out. And she actually had the nerve to come after you. There has to be something wrong with her."I watched her rant and couldn't help smiling."I know you were standing up for me. Thanks, babe."Rachel's face slowly reddened.She quit complaining, to

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