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All Chapters of The Marriage I Never Had: Chapter 1 - Chapter 9

9 Chapters

Chapter 1 The Ninth Wedding

I looked up and scanned everyone in the room.They laughed and joked as they surrounded Brianna and Leon, silently agreeing to keep the two of them at the center of attention.In the middle of the laughter, Brianna and Leon bumped into each other. She naturally reached up to straighten Leon's tie, and he gazed at her tenderly.Everyone watching wore the knowing, delighted smiles of people enjoying the sight of the two of them together.Before I could look any longer, Dominic pulled me into the dressing room, unable to bear it."Enough, Harrison. Leon and Brianna knew each other first. They didn't tell you because they were afraid it would hurt you. We weren't deliberately keeping it from you. Besides, Leon doesn't mind. Why do you have to make such a big deal out of it?"My parents came in through the door a moment later."Harrison, you're living in a multimillion-dollar house and enjoying the glory of being Brianna's husband. Leon and Brianna have already treated you well enoug

Chapter 2 The Birthday That Didn't Matter

Playing in an international violin ensemble had always been my dream.Starting at 22, I'd spent eight years waiting for a marriage certificate that had never really been mine.But now, at 30, I decided to stop waiting.My phone chimed. It was a message from Leon. Even through the screen, I could tell he was nervous."Harrison, did you see my post?"Less than a second later, Brianna's message came through."Harrison, I'm really sorry I can't come home to spend our wedding night with you. Are you okay there by yourself?"Their perfectly timed probing sat side by side on my screen, making the messages all the more painful to read."I'm fine.""When are you coming back?"I sent the two messages separately."Harrison, you know I need some time to calm down. I might not make it back for your birthday this year.""Harrison, I'm on a business trip this week. I've already mailed your birthday present. Is that okay?"They'd both missed my birthday every year for the first seven year

Chapter 3 Too Late

"Is there something you don't want me to see?"Leon shook his head, startled. "Of course not, Harrison. Let me explain!"He reached for me in a panic.I shifted slightly to the side, and he stumbled forward, losing his balance."Leon!" Brianna quickly caught him and steadied him, then turned to me furiously. "Harrison, what the hell are you doing? You know Leon has a heart condition. Why did you push him?"I met her furious gaze without explaining.It wouldn't matter. She wouldn't believe me anyway.He seemed to realize what had happened and grabbed my arm with an uneasy smile. "Stop. This is my fault. I lost my balance. Don't blame Harrison."Then, he looked at me. "Harrison, we were just saying that I'm going to be a father.""Who's the mother?" I asked Leon, but my eyes stayed on Brianna.The anger on Brianna's face vanished, and she avoided my gaze. "Obviously, Leon's girlfriend. I was just at the hospital for therapy to overcome my fear of marriage. I happened to run int

Chapter 4 Forgiveness

"Harrison, you knew all along! You just pretended you didn't so you could get back at me and Leon, didn't you?"Brianna was breathing hard, her eyes bloodshot. "It was you! You ruined Leon! If anything happens to him, I'll never let you get away with it!"I pressed my lips together and met her accusation head-on. "It wasn't me.""Harrison, why have you become like this?"Leon grabbed my shoulder, just as he had countless times when we were kids, rushing to my side and helping me fight off the people who bullied me.But this time, his hand was ice-cold."I know Brianna and I have wronged you, but I couldn't control how I felt. I know I shouldn't have kept it from you and secretly gotten together with her. That was my fault. I admit it."With every word, the guilt in his eyes deepened. "Harrison, if you'll forgive me, I'll get on my knees and beg you." Then, with a heavy thud, he dropped to his knees in front of me.Brianna hurriedly bent down to pull him up, but he wouldn't bu

Chapter 5 No Turning Back

I looked up and met Brianna and Leon's terrified gazes.The next second, Brianna's assistant rushed into the room. "Ms. Everly, I found it! The photos were posted by a passerby!"I pressed a hand tightly against my abdomen, blood dripping between my fingers.Brianna let go of the knife, her hand trembling. It hit the floor with a clang, splattering blood onto her lower leg.Horrified, she recoiled and took several steps back."Harrison, I-I didn't mean to." Her voice trembled.Then, she caught sight of her assistant and suddenly rushed over, grabbing him by the collar. "What did you just say? Say it again! If Harrison didn't post those photos, why didn't you find that out sooner? Why?"The assistant's face was turning pale from the collar tightening around his neck.Brianna didn't seem to notice, as if screaming was the only way she could drown out the panic inside her.I watched her as the voices around me grew faint and indistinct. The strength drained from my body, and I sl

Chapter 6 Eight Years

I paused for a moment as the announcement played on repeat.Frantic shouting came from nearby. It was Brianna, calling my name again and again. "Harrison! Harrison!"Then came Leon's voice, weak but stubborn.I glanced briefly toward the sound, then calmly looked away and boarded the plane.When I landed, I went straight to the accommodations the team had arranged for me.…After two weeks of rest, I had mostly recovered.The entire time, Brianna and Leon kept finding new ways to contact me, sending me messages every day.I didn't open a single one. I blocked them all until I stopped receiving anything from them.My parents and Dominic called and video-called me repeatedly too, all of them trying to persuade me to come home.I never entertained their requests. Whenever they brought it up, I simply changed the subject.Soon, I became busy with my own life.Every day was packed with practice and full run-throughs. Whenever I had time to rest, I went sightseeing, filling my sc

Chapter 7 Nothing Has Changed

Brianna must have been afraid I wouldn't open the cards, because she wrote everything directly on the front.I knew that handwriting all too well. She started with the day we first met and went from there.She remembered everything. From the moment she confessed her feelings to me to something as small as the day I forgot to bring an umbrella, she remembered it all.I hadn't planned to read the cards. The moment I received the gift boxes, I threw them straight into the trash. But I still caught glimpses of the words on the cards.It turned out she remembered every little thing about me.Maybe she had loved me once. But whatever love she had for me had been so fragile that it couldn't withstand what she felt for Leon.The training facility had restricted access, so outsiders couldn't simply come and go.Other than the gift boxes delivered by the courier every day, there was almost nothing left to remind me of Brianna and Leon.…After our month-long training camp ended, the ent

Chapter 8 The Last Attempt

Seeing that I had nothing to say, Brianna opened her mouth as if she wanted to say something, but when she met my steady gaze, she fell silent.Leon's grip on my hand gradually loosened.I turned to leave, but Brianna stepped forward and blocked my path. "Harrison, take my card. My monthly salary is credited here."As if afraid I would refuse, she pushed the card into my hand, then forced a stiff smile."Take it. You'll probably have a lot of expenses while you're overseas. It's just a small way for me to make it up to you."I opened my hand and looked at the card before holding it back out to her. "Brianna, if this is supposed to make amends, then I certainly can't accept it."The smile she had forced onto her face immediately fell. She stared at me helplessly, hurriedly trying to say something to smooth things over. "Just take it. I'm not going to ask for it back. Do whatever you want with it."I looked at her stubborn expression.As she watched in surprise, I slowly loosened

Chapter 9 My Applause

I stared at the stock transfer agreement at the bottom of the stack, momentarily taken aback.But only for a few seconds. I mailed everything back exactly as it was.For a long time afterward, I didn't see Brianna or Leon again. But I heard plenty about them from people who used to be my friends.After filing for divorce, they started fighting again.Then, they began blaming each other over the abortion. Eventually, they even ended up in court over the division of their assets.It was as if the two people who had once sworn eternal love to each other had suddenly become enemies.My parents and Dominic also reached out to me several times, on and off.At first, they tried to convince me to reconcile with Brianna. In the end, they were apologizing and begging me to forgive them.I didn't question or argue with them much, but I never reached out to any of them again.…A month later, I received a thank-you letter from a children's home. It was to thank me for donating $10 millio

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