All Chapters of The Day I Marry Without You: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

"My mom picked this date after endless research, consulting a fortune teller, and even praying in church. I don't see what's wrong with it. It's always you and Jolene's group coming up with one excuse after another," I said.Edward Colton had a friend group made up of two men and two women, with their own private group chat. Every time a wedding date was suggested, Edward would send it to the group, and suddenly, they'd have some plan pop up on that exact day—tickets to a musical, a yearly getaway, or a group vacation.They'd have a plan for anything on that date, except a wedding.Over two years, ten carefully selected dates had all ended with Edward saying, "Pick another date. We'll do it next time."Watching me set my phone down after replying to my mom, Edward stood up from the couch. As he walked past me, he ruffled my hair in a patronizing way. "Good girl."I suddenly felt the urge to ask, "Can you really never turn them down? Are your plans so important that you can't even

Edward had claimed to be working overtime every night these past few days and never came home.At noon, our client treated the entire department to lunch. Coincidentally, Edward and Jolene were dining in the private room right next door with their other two friends, Charles Jansen and Lynn Monroe. An elderly woman sat at the head of the table, whom they addressed as Mrs. Hobart.Edward and Jolene sat side by side, and he was asking a server to replace her drink with a cup of hot tea. "You're on your period. You shouldn't be drinking cold drinks."Mrs. Hobart watched them with a warm smile. "You've been together for so long, yet your bond is still so strong. I still remember back when you two were dating. Everyone said you were such a striking pair."I froze mid-step.Charles chimed in, "That's right, Mrs. Hobart. I've still got so much to learn from Edward. Lynn nags me all the time for not being as thoughtful and romantic as he is with Jolene. Honestly, I don't think I could ev

Edward stepped out of the airport. The wait was longer than he had ever known, every emotion tangled up inside him, close to breaking point.Finally, his people tracked down the hotel where the wedding was being held.It was a small ceremony, attended only by close relatives and friends. By the time Edward arrived, the ceremony had already ended.My mom and grandmother spotted him first. Mom nervously smoothed her hair. She had never been particularly close to Edward, after all. "Ed, you've come too? Oh, thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to be here."This is the first time I've seen you since you and Ally broke up. There were some things I never got the chance to say to you back then. Parents try not to meddle in their kids' affairs. If Ally ever did you wrong in any way, please forgive her."Edward gulped, his voice slow and strained as he spoke. "Mrs. Moore, Alison told you we broke up?"Mom was taken aback by his question."Mrs. Moore, Mrs. Moore Senio

"Edward, speaking without thinking only makes you look like an asshole. And Brandon is neither some random man nor the disgraceful man you described. He was my first love."We only reconnected privately after I ended things with you. Our relationship is normal. The term 'hookup' is more suitable to describe you and Jolene. I've said everything I need to. You can do whatever you want now. But you're not welcome here."I gestured for Brandon to take me away. But Edward blocked our path again, his eyes suddenly bloodshot. "Alison, I never agreed to break up, nor did I give you permission to marry someone else."I smiled faintly. It was as if I was facing a child throwing a tantrum to get their way. I said, "I don't need your permission. You were never qualified to be a boyfriend."Several people stepped in to escort Edward away.That night, we held a fireworks show. As bursts of color lit up the sky, Edward tilted his head to watch, listening to the cheerful chatter coming from the

Mom told Edward she understood that his rare visits and repeated wedding delays were because work had kept him swamped, that I had already explained this to my family on his behalf. And though he barely dropped by in person, he never skimped on gifts.As Mom recounted all of this, Edward couldn't bring himself to admit the truth. He knew full well I sent all those gifts in his name to preserve a favorable image of him in front of my relatives.He forced an awkward smile. "Mrs. Moore, actually…"The tall man hung his head low, looking like a lost child who'd done something wrong. "There were misunderstandings between Alison and me. I want to win her back."Mom's hand jolted, spilling the glass of water beside her. She grabbed some paper towels to mop up the mess, staring at the absorbed water until she composed herself. Finally, she answered awkwardly, "Ed, what are you saying? Alison is already married. They've gotten their marriage certificate and said their wedding vows. Don't