I brushed Philip's hand off lightly and climbed into the backseat.

On the road, I stared out the window, then suddenly called his name. "You'd already reserved that dress for her, hadn't you?"

Philip's hand trembled ever so lightly on the steering wheel.

After a moment of silence, he replied without denying it. "Actually, the one you originally picked wasn't really suited for you. It would only highlight your figure's flaws. You're much better suited for a mermaid cut. So, there's no harm in letting her have the dress, right?"

When I didn't respond, Philip sighed. "Elyse, it's just a dress. If you're not happy, we can go pick another one later. You can choose whatever you like. Be the bigger person. Don't sweat the small stuff."

That same line again.

I should be the bigger person and overlook Jane ruining my engagement party.

I should be the bigger person and ignore her openly challenging me in front of my friends.

I should be the bigger person and let her have my wedding dress.

I sat up, my eyes falling on Philip's face in the rearview mirror. "I won't have time to pick a new dress, Philip."

The wind rushed through the window, brushing against my slightly red eyes.

"My mom won't be around for that long."

The first year Philip and I were together, Mom's condition suddenly worsened, and she was admitted to the ICU.

The doctors issued a critical warning, and I was completely lost. Sitting in the hospital corridor, I cried until I couldn't breathe.

It was Philip who arrived first. He held me tightly and told me not to be scared because he was there.

He dropped his work and moved mountains to bring in the best specialists in the country for her.

He even personally arranged her ward and hired caretakers. Every day, as soon as he finished work, he'd rush straight to the hospital. He'd bring me food and stay by my side to watch over Mom, never even stopping to take a single sip of water.

During those days, his eyes were bloodshot from exhaustion, but he never complained. He'd always stroke my head and say, "Elyse, your mom will get better. Don't worry. I'll take care of both of you."

At that time, I looked at him and thought I was the luckiest person alive to have him. He was all I needed in life.

It was because of that favor that I kept excusing his neglect and forgiving his indifference.

Even when he showed favoritism toward Jane, I told myself I was just overthinking it. He was simply being compassionate for his employee.

But now, everything he had done felt like a hammer, slowly breaking all my expectations and fantasies.

In the heavy silence, Philip gripped the steering wheel tighter and tighter.

Finally, he seemed to give in and nodded. "We'll go tomorrow, okay?"

His tone was colder than usual. "Tomorrow, I'll go with you to pick a new one. We'll make sure you like it."

He didn't speak after that, and the car fell into complete silence.

But the car sped up. When we turned a corner, we nearly scraped past another vehicle.

I was exhausted too. I leaned back in the seat, not wanting to say a word.

After dropping me off downstairs, Philip made an excuse about work and drove off.

I went up to my room, unpacked the wedding dress I had reluctantly chosen, and hung it in the guest room closet.

Staring at the white fabric, I felt a deep emptiness within me.

Suddenly, my phone rang. When I saw the caller ID, I took a deep breath before answering. "Hey, Dad."

"Elyse, how's the wedding planning with Philip going?"

I pressed my lips together. Just as I was about to voice the hesitation I'd been feeling, I heard a soft sigh on the other end.

Dad's voice softened. "I know this is a big deal for you, Elyse. You've got to take your time to prepare for the wedding. But… this afternoon, the nurse said your mom's condition has gotten worse. Her stats aren't looking good. She might not—"

"No!" I cut him off immediately and forced a smile. "Dad, no matter what, I will make sure Mom attends my wedding."

There was a crackle on the line, then Mom's voice came through. "Sweetie, I don't need to attend your wedding. I just want to see you happy. Philip is a good man, and he treats you well. Only if you're happy can I leave in peace."

I blinked back my tears and promised her, "Mom, I will be happy. I promise. You need to promise me that you'll take care of yourself too."

When I hung up, the room felt utterly dark and silent again.

I wiped my eyes and sent Philip a text. "Don't forget to pick the wedding dress with me tomorrow."

He didn't reply.

The next day passed with no sign of him.

It wasn't until the afternoon that Philip finally called. He sounded apologetic as he said, "Elyse, an urgent meeting came up. I can't go with you to pick the dress. Can we postpone it for a few days? I—"

"We can't," I cut him off softly.

There was a pause, then his tone softened. "Elyse, don't be difficult. I really can't leave now. You know I've been swamped—"

"I'm going today to pick the new dress. I'm not changing the wedding date either. It's the day after tomorrow," I said.

He froze for a moment. "Wait, what?"

I replied, "I've already started notifying friends and family. We're getting married on February 23rd."

Philip laughed, incredulous. "Elyse, do you even hear yourself? Is this reasonable? Designing invitations, booking the venue, and rehearsing with the emcee will all take time. Besides, I've been busy lately and can't afford the distraction. Why can't you ever understand me?"

I closed my eyes, feeling calmer than I thought I would.

"Philip," I said softly, "I told you, my mom can't wait."

There was a moment of silence on the other end, then Philip's voice came through, as cold as ice. "She's waited all these years. Why can't she wait a few more days? Is it her who's anxious or you? You know the answer yourself!"

The line went dead.

I sat on the couch for a full hour.

Finally, I picked up my phone and dialed a number. "The wedding's the day after tomorrow. I need a groom. Are you in?"

That evening, I went to the bridal shop to return the dress I'd reserved the day before.

Through the window, I saw two familiar figures.

The door was open, and their voices drifted in clearly.

"Mr. Dillon, it was already a hassle for you to reserve the dress. Now I'm making you come pick another one too. It's my fault. I've put on a little weight lately. It doesn't fit anymore."

Philip, who always said he was too busy, was leaning against the counter. He replied smoothly, "You're so thin. A little extra weight looks good on you. Cute, even."

At that moment, the sales associate came over with a new dress.

Upon hearing their conversation, she smiled. "Actually, your size is still on the slimmer side. A little weight isn't bad. It just means you're happy with your fiance. We call it happy weight."

Jane looked down bashfully, saying nothing to correct the sales associate's misunderstanding about their relationship.

Philip offered a small smile, nonchalantly moving on. "The bill, please."

When they stepped outside, Jane said carefully, "Mr. Dillon, that day when you gave me the wedding dress, I noticed Ms. Brock didn't look very happy. She seemed to really like the first one. Now that I have a new one, maybe you should—"

"No need."

Philip took a drag from his cigarette, the smoke partially hiding his face. Only his voice cut through the cold wind and reached my ears.

"I don't want to get married so soon anyway."

Every excuse he'd ever given me shattered against that one casual sentence.

Of course. All his excuses boiled down to just one truth—he simply didn't want to. He didn't want to marry me or keep his promise. That was it.

Jane drew in a small breath. "But I think I saw Ms. Brock's Instagram. She's already announced the wedding date. Not just that, but I also heard the invitations have even been made. Is she… trying to force you into this?"

Philip's smile turned cold at those words. "She doesn't have that kind of power. At most, she'll just use her mom to push me."

The wind picked up, and the swirling snow blurred my vision.

I wrapped my coat tighter around me and turned to leave with the wedding dress in hand.

At home, I called the bridal shop to arrange for the dress to be picked up and returned.

After hanging up, I sat at my desk, staring at the wedding invitation template on my laptop.

The gold lettering and delicate designs were everything Philip and I had dreamed of—the perfect picture of warmth and romance.

Except the groom's name wasn't his.

The next morning, I printed the invitations and drove straight to the hospital. I wanted Mom to see them first and put her mind at ease.

But when I reached her ward and pushed the door open, I froze.

Philip and Jane were there, standing by Mom's bedside. They were laughing and talking.

When Jane saw me, her smile widened. "Ms. Brock! We've been chatting with your mom for a while now!"

A sharp gleam of triumph and provocation flickered in her eyes.

A surge of anger and panic shot through me. I was worried about what they might say in front of Mom.

I hurried forward and stood between them and the bed before confronting Philip. "What are you doing here? Who let you in?"

Philip's face flickered with surprise when he saw me, but it quickly hardened into a cold mask. His voice was thick with accusation as he said, "I'm here to see Mrs. Brock. You kept telling me that her condition is getting worse and that she won't last much longer.

"Elyse Brock, what exactly are you trying to do? Are you using your mom's illness to trick me into marrying you? That's some talent you've got."

His words cut like a knife straight into my heart.

Mom's expression changed instantly as well. She looked at me in confusion, then at Philip. Her lips parted as if to speak, but the words never came.

When I saw that, my eyes stung. I shoved Philip, trying to get him out of the ward. "Get out! You're not welcome here. Leave!"

Suddenly, Jane stepped forward and grabbed my arm. Her eyes were red-rimmed as she said, "Ms. Brock, don't be mad. If you're upset about the wedding dress, I can return it to you right now. Okay?"

Her voice was loud, clearly meant for Mom to hear.

Sure enough, Mom's brow furrowed, and she asked with a voice that was frail yet urgent, "What wedding dress? Elyse, what's going on?"

My heart sank. I hurried to block Jane, not wanting her to continue.