Chapter 3

They both turned to stare. The air went still.

Daisy quickly walked over to me, smiling.

"You're getting married over Memorial Day weekend, Sera? Then, as your bestie's brother, Chad definitely has to come to the wedding, right?"

"I'll catch up with Chad another time."

After Daisy left, Chad walked over to me. His proposal trip ruined, he'd completely lost his gentle facade.

"Why did you follow me here?"

"Are you that desperate to get married? Do you have to force me into it?"

Desperate. Force.

My mouth opened. My chest felt like it was caving in.

"Enough." Chad let out a cold laugh, his eyes drifting to the window. "Just go home."

I paused, then realized—outside the window, Daisy and several coworkers were staring in.

I looked down.

I'd come to tell him we were done officially.

But suddenly I realized there was no point in saying it.

Breaking up requires having been together.

And in his eyes, we probably never were.

The last thread of hope inside me snapped. I turned and left.

After that, Chad never came back to our apartment.

I thought about all the times we'd fought before. I was always the first to apologize.

He always said it was because I was the more mature one in the relationship.

But I get tired too.

So much so that these past few days, beyond the hurt, I actually felt... relief.

Meanwhile, Maya enthusiastically helped me prepare everything.

"The timeline's tight, but you're getting everything a bride deserves!"

She dragged me to try on wedding dresses. That night, she posted photos of us at the bridal shop.

Then, at the bar, I got the first message from Chad in days.

[You really dare to try on dresses with my sister? You think you can actually tell her about us?]

I lifted my drink and drained it in one go.

"Maya."

"Yeah?"

"If I told you I dated your brother... would you be upset?"

Maya stared at me for a long time, then smiled.

"Actually, I suspected before. He chased you, didn't he?"

I nodded. Maya suddenly threw her arms around me tightly.

"It's all in the past now. You're getting married. He's about to propose. It doesn't matter anymore."

Right. It doesn't matter.

Five years of suppressed emotions suddenly burst through like a dam breaking.

I didn't know how long had passed before I heard Maya's husband arrive. "Why'd you drink so much..."

Another pair of hands lifted me up. I opened my eyes. Chad stood in front of me, brow furrowed.

They left first. Outside, only he and I remained.

I crouched by the curb, arms wrapped around my knees.

Chad tossed his jacket over my head and half-dragged, half-carried me toward his car.

But the next second, he suddenly let go.

I stumbled. My knee hit the ground. I hissed in pain.

A group was walking toward us—Chad's friends. Daisy was with them.

Chad hesitated, then helped me up again.

When they asked, he paused.

"This is Seraphina. You've met her—my sister's best friend. She had too much to drink."

I suddenly wanted to laugh. But then I remembered he once said my laugh lines were too deep when I smiled.

So I just nodded, playing along. Cutting ties.

"Here's my wedding invitation. You're all welcome to come."

I pulled out the invitation we'd just printed yesterday. Inside were both the bride's and the groom's names written out clearly.

The moment I handed it over, Chad's hand shot out.