บททั้งหมดของ Almost Perfect, Never Me: บทที่ 1 - บทที่ 10

When I arrived home, I stood rooted to the spot in the entryway without turning on the lights. This was our marital home. From the couch to the dining table, from the color of the curtains to the style of the chandelier, every little detail had been chosen and settled on by Theo and me.We had shared innumerable tender moments in this house. We'd curled up on the couch to watch movies, fumbled around in the kitchen as we tried to cook together, and shared passionate nights in the bedroom, the bathroom, and even in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows. However, without fail, at the height of our intimacy, he would always gaze at my face with a lovestruck look and blurt out something that completely ruined the mood. "We're only one step away from perfection."What were we missing? At long last, I had an answer for the question that had tormented me for ages. We were missing someone, a woman, to be specific. The thought made my stomach churn. I staggered into the bathroom, clutchin

At long last, the gravity of the situation sank in for Theo. He sat beside my hospital bed, cautiously eyeing my cast-bound hand. "The doctor said you'll make a full recovery. Why don't you look at this as a chance to rest? There'll always be other competitions." I closed my eyes. "Get out."His expression froze, but for once, he didn't snap at me. After a moment of silence, his tone actually softened. "Yvette, our wedding is in two days. Judging by your condition, if you really can't manage, we can have Octavia take your place."My eyes flew open, and I almost thought my ears were playing tricks on me. Theo, however, explained in all seriousness. "In any case, you two look alike. Once she's in the wedding gown with full makeup on, the guests won't be able to tell the difference from a distance."The rage I'd been bottling up for days overflowed. "Is this the reason you stayed? To tell me this?""I just have your best interests in mind." He frowned. "Besides, you're not in good

The banquet hall was packed to capacity with guests. When I walked in arm-in-arm with Clyde, quite a few people were astonished. After all, the groom on the invitations was supposed to be Theo. However, I didn't explain myself. Mom and Dad had already known about this ahead of time. Tears welled up in their eyes as they gazed at me.In the end, without asking a thing, Mom simply straightened my veil. "It's your own choice, so don't regret it." My nose prickled. "I won't."The wedding ceremony had been significantly shortened at the last minute. There were no lengthy vows or emotionally charged speeches.When it came time to exchange rings, Clyde didn't immediately slip the ring onto my finger. Instead, he said lowly, "Yvette, you can still back out now." I looked up at him. His eyes were bright, but his expression was unusually solemn. "I only showed up so you wouldn't be humiliated. However, you know me. Once this ring is on your finger, you're the only woman I'll ever cons

After cutting my hair short, my life gradually got back on track. My wrist was still injured, but it no longer interfered with my daily work. I reached out to the competition committee again to explain my situation and picked up right where I left off, refining my design according to the original plan. I simply took it one step at a time and did what I could. After all, I'd spent a whole year on this. I refused to concede defeat before I'd even seen the final result. Clyde didn't push for details. Every day, he simply made sure to scoop me up from the studio on time and take me home. Then, he'd unceremoniously shut my laptop when I tried to pull an all-nighter. More than half a month flew by like that. I had almost grown accustomed to a life without Theo. Then came the end of a workday. The second I walked out of the studio, I spotted him at the entrance.He must've waited for quite a while. His usually pristine dress shirt was visibly wrinkled, and deep exhaustion weighed d

Theo was rendered speechless. After a prolonged silence, he still refused to give up. "So… you're really going to sit back and watch me lose everything?"I almost thought I had misheard him. "Am I the one who's doing this to you, though? Was I the one who made you fall for your student? Was I the one who forced you to update your social media? Or was it me who put your family heirloom on her wrist and let her stand by your side in my wedding gown?"Theo had no defense left. His eyes gradually misted over. "I know I messed up, Yvette. Lately, when I arrive home, everything just feels off. The fridge is missing everything you used to keep stocked. "The files in my study are a mess because there's no one to organize them for me. When my stomach starts hurting, I realize I don't even know where the medicine is because you were always the one who told me where I kept it! "I used to take all of that for granted. However, now that you're gone, I realize a life without you isn't what I