At the wedding, my wife's first love interrupted our vows.

"If I were to propose to you in front of everyone right now, would you marry me?"

Without hesitation, my wife took off her wedding ring and said, "Yes!"

Then she left with her first love without a second thought.

Everyone was waiting for my reaction, but I said.

"Everyone, since you're here, please enjoy the meal."

Later, my wife sent me a message.

[You can live well without me, but he can't!]

——

[Helena Acevedo, let's get a divorce.]

After sending this text, I threw my phone aside.

I had pursued Helena for four years and been with her for three. She was the acknowledged campus beauty, the most brilliant flower of my youth.

She was the brightest sun in my memory. I loved her deeply, cherishing her as if she was the only treasure in my life.

She said that boys in white shirts looked good, so my wardrobe was filled with white shirts. She liked my hair parted a certain way, so I styled it that way and never changed it for years.

But she was always busy, with many social events. She said it was part of her job and asked me not to complain, telling me that she wasn't serious with those people.

Even though I was deeply hurt, I didn't do anything because I knew how hard it was for me to be with her. She was the campus beauty, and I was just an ordinary one among her many admirers.

I always thought that if I treated her well enough, she would eventually fall in love with me. I even imagined us growing old together in the future.

But even if I didn't speak up, I still feared losing her because she had someone in her heart, someone she would drop everything for at the ring of a phone.

That person was Beckett Werner, her first love.

The few arguments I had with Helena were always about Beckett.

Last time, Helena even said to me, "Marques Reese, please understand my situation. Beckett has a heart condition. He can't live without me, and you are a healthy person."

I tried not to care about it, but it only became a reason for Helena to hurt me. Any sign of dissatisfaction from me was seen as unreasonable.

I took out the divorce agreement and the wedding rings, putting them on the table.

This pair of rings was custom-made urgently for us. Helena had two rings, which I had chosen after much deliberation. She said she was very pleased with them. However, not long after I bought them, that ring disappeared. Helena, looking as if she might cry, asked me, "Honey, will you blame me?"

"Of course not. If the rings are gone, we can get another one. I never want you to be upset over this," I said, comforting her, and she immediately smiled through her tears.

At that time, I had no idea where the rings had gone.

It wasn't until I had new ones made that I saw Beckett's social media post: [You said I'm always your special one. That's great. Even though you pity me and my illness, I'm content.]

I would always remember that day, my heart felt so hurt.

How could Helena lie to me for the sake of Beckett? She knew how important that rings were to me. They contained gold left by my grandmother for her granddaughter-in-law.

They were significant.

That day, we had a fierce argument.

Helena said to me, "Marques, if it weren't for my parents' disapproval to the relationship of me and Beckett, I wouldn't have married you. You only lost rings, but I'm still here. It's not like I wouldn't marry you, but things are different about Beckett. His life could end at any moment. He just wanted a wedding to fulfill a dream. What's wrong with that?"

She refused to admit any fault. I ended up smashing a vase at home.

Helena became even angrier, pointing at me and asking, "Marques, what do you mean? You smashed a vase in front of me today, and will you resort to physical violence in the future?"

Her questioned angrily, filled with disappointment in her eyes.

At that moment, I was afraid of the woman in front of me, who was smaller than me. I feared that if I continued to be angry, the woman I loved for so many years would not marry me.

That night, I knelt on the floor, clutching her legs and begging, "Helena, I don't want to scare you. If you want Beckett to have a pair of rings, I can get another one made. But that pair means something different to me. Could you discuss it with Beckett... and maybe get them back?"

Helena was annoyed by my persistence. "Marques, can't you act like a man? What's use with all the crying?

"I can't get them back. You know Beckett's time is running out. If you still want them after his death, I can get them back for you."

"Helena!" I couldn't take it anymore and raised my voice.

Helena became even more fierce. "Marques, is this how you apologize? Why do you always nitpick with a patient?"

After that, she pushed me aside and walked out with her bag, saying, "I think you need to calm down."

I knelt in the living room for a long time that day, reflecting on whether I had said something too harsh.

When I finally got up in the dark, I saw Beckett's social media post: [I knew you would always be with me.]

That day, Helena made a fool of me.

I sat in the living room all night, but Helena didn't come back.

As I reflected on the years with Helena, I couldn't find a single moment that seemed warm and sweet.

Because there was always Beckett between us.

On the day we first started dating, I watched her walk towards me with her exquisite makeup, and at that moment, I felt like my world had brightened.

I had booked a nice restaurant, hoping to take our relationship to the next level.

But I couldn't compete with Beckett's phone call. I heard him on the other end, coaxing Helena plaintively, "I know I'm bothering you, but I'm feeling a bit uncomfortable with my heart. Can you come check on me?"

Helena looked at me, somewhat reluctant.

How could I bear to see my goddess frown because of my misunderstanding? I suppressed my bitterness and pretended to be generous, saying, "You should go. Don't let his condition worsen."

After that day, Helena started to arrange more meetings with me.

Thinking back, my heart was filled with bitterness.

I tidied up myself and went to work, thinking that even though the wedding was ruined, I couldn't just lose my job.

On the day of the wedding, many colleagues were there. When they saw me in the company, they looked awkward.

Some colleagues who were close to me tried to comfort me but their hesitate, only made me seem even more pitiful.

To be honest, the atmosphere there was stifling, and it was really getting to me.

I applied to be reassigned abroad, and when I spoke to my boss, he hesitated for a moment and asked, "Have you really thought this through? I've always had high hopes for you, but you've been hesitant to go anywhere because of your girlfriend. Have you changed your mind now?"

"Yes. Thank you, sir," I replied, nodding my head.

My boss approved my transfer request quickly. I got through the necessary procedures and started preparing to take on the new project, all the while thinking about how I could divorce Helena as soon as possible.

When I checked my phone, I found there were no messages from Helena.

But Beckett had posted on social media about the two of them enjoying a dinner together.

I let out a cold laugh, tossed my phone onto the bed, and began packing my things.

Actually, our marriage was the result of a huge argument. After the argument, she agreed to get married to appease me. I remembered I was smiling but end up crying, thinking that I had finally married her after all these years.

She told me then, "I know you've been through a lot, but we can't be petty with a patient, right? Let's get married first, okay?"

I was overjoyed to marry her that day, but little did I know, it was all part of her carefully calculated plan.

Three days after Helena went missing, she showed up.

She looked at me and asked, "Marques, I heard you're sent abroad by the company. When do you leave?"

"In two months. Why?" I replied, my face expressionless. She still carried herself with an air of superiority, as if she weren't the one who ran away from the wedding.

I looked at her and asked, "Helena, don't you think you owe me an explanation?"

"What's there to explain? I love Beckett, and I always have. You knew that. The only reason he didn't marry me sooner was because of his illness. But you saw it yourself that day. He was willing to ruin our wedding for me, so I'll love him forever."

As I looked at Helena, who showed no trace of guilt, my heart ached. Fighting back the bitterness, I asked, "Then what do I mean to you?"

"Marques, you need to understand that I was the campus queen. Just being with you all these years was a huge sacrifice for me. But you treated me well, so why can't we part ways peacefully? I'll sign the divorce papers, but I want this house."

Staring at her shameless expression, I asked, "You know this house was left to me by my grandfather."

"If you don't want to give me the house, then fine. This area is about to undergo redevelopment and will increase in value. Just give me half of what it's worth in cash." Helena demanded shamelessly.

I stared at her in disbelief. "Helena, what if I refuse?"

"Then we'll see each other in court. This house is considered marital property now. Do you really think you can keep it from me?" She paused.

But I caught her muttering, "If it weren't for the fact that you had a house here, do you think I would've been with you?"

I grabbed something nearby and threw it at her feet. "Helena, get out. Just get out!"

Startled, Helena screamed but then asked me, "Marques, are you going to kill me now?" she yelled, making a scene.

I watched her pretentious act with indifference.

Finally, she grew tired and left with somewhat fear. Before leaving, she added, "You'd better give what I want, or I won't go easy on you."

Seeing her despicable behavior, I couldn't believe I had once loved someone like her.

That night, I held the divorce papers and cried out for the stubborn young man who had once loved Helena and for the pathetic man I had become.

The next morning, I saw another post from Beckett on social media: [The unloved always end up as a joke.]