He Said He Never Loved Me at Our Wedding

Oliver Henson and I were childhood sweethearts. But he hated me.

On the day of our wedding, his student Alberta Rodriguez poured half a bottle of liquor down his throat, and then, in front of every single guest, he announced that he didn't love me.

The next morning, Oliver sobered up.

His explanation was flat, almost bored.

"I was drunk last night. Don't take it seriously."

"Alberta's young and likes to stir things up. She didn't mean any harm."

He turned away and stared out at the cold, empty streets in the early morning light, his thoughts somewhere I couldn't reach.

"Even if she did have feelings for me, I'd never let her interfere with our marriage. You can rest easy."

I stood behind him and, without a word, slipped my wedding ring back into its box.

Oliver didn't know yet.

Our marriage certificate was fake. This marriage was void.

And I'd already booked a flight out of Capital City.

——

On the first morning of our so-called honeymoon, Oliver got up at five, same as always.

Same black dress shirt, buttoned all the way to the collar.

After those two sentences of explanation, he grabbed his coat and headed for the door.

"There's an emergency at the hospital."

"Alberta can't handle it alone. I need to go help her."

Before, I would have found every excuse to stop him. I would have demanded to know why, when the hospital had plenty of attending physicians, Alberta couldn't ask someone else instead of the man who was supposed to be on his wedding leave.

But today, I just nodded. "Okay."

Oliver's hand paused on the door handle. He turned, as if he wanted to say something.

His phone rang first.

Alberta's voice came through, frantic and tearful.

"Dr. Henson, the patient is threatening to file a complaint. What do I do..."

And just like that, Oliver left without another word to me.

I took my time finishing the last bite of my fried egg.

This kind of thing had happened countless times over the years. I was used to it.

Ever since Alberta Rodriguez appeared, Oliver had slowly changed.

He used to stop me from eating a single potato chip, lecturing me about nutrition.

Now he personally cooked instant noodles, packed them into the insulated lunch box I'd given him, and carried it to the hospital for Alberta during her shifts.

He took her to street fairs. Took her to the movies.

He smoothed over every obstacle in her career and her studies, promising her a future without a single bump in the road.

He was even afraid that, coming from a poor family, she'd skimp on herself, so he personally bought her everything from head to toe. Down to her sanitary pads.

My twenty-fifth birthday party.

My parents had invited every powerful family in Capital City.

They were ready to officially announce my engagement to Oliver.

But Oliver walked out the moment Alberta called. Just like that.

Leaving me as the biggest joke in the entire city.

Last New Year's Eve, at the Henson family dinner.

Oliver lied to his family, told them I'd been in a car accident.

Then, under the pretense of rushing to my side, he actually drove halfway across the city to buy Alberta the egg crepes she was craving.

I fought with him about it. Many times.

Demanded that he keep his distance from Alberta.

Every time, he'd press his fingers to his temples and sigh, as if I were the unreasonable one.

"Alberta is my student. I'm just looking after her."

"You wanted this marriage, and I gave it to you. What more do you want?"

One sentence. That was all it took to shove every grievance I had back down my throat.

And he was right, wasn't he? Everyone in Capital City knew I'd been in love with Oliver Henson for years.

Everyone in Capital City also knew he'd despised me for just as long.

So what should have been a mutually beneficial arrangement between two families became, in everyone's eyes, a charity the Hensons bestowed upon me.

I thought I could keep lying to myself forever.

Until this time. At the wedding I'd spent two months pouring my heart into.

Alberta Rodriguez walked up to him, eyes rimmed red, holding out a full bottle of liquor.

"Just this once, the last time. Can't you even grant me this one request, Dr. Henson?"