Having already made up my mind to cancel the wedding, I knew I had to handle the hotel arrangements.

Without wasting a second, I jumped into my car and sped toward the banquet hall.

As I stepped inside, the venue was already alive with the glow of wedding decorations, the air thick with the kind of festive atmosphere that made it all feel sacred.

My gaze lifted to the stage at the front.

To my shock, Elliot was already there.

Dressed impeccably in a suit that seemed to have been tailored just for him, he stood like a prince from some long-forgotten fairy tale.

Beside him stood Tessa, clad in a wedding dress.

Seeing them together felt like the weight of a thousand stones crushing my chest.

The moment Elliot saw me, his face twisted with contempt. “What are you doing here?”

I froze for a second before forcing a bitter smile. “You're right. I shouldn’t have come to disturb you.”

I turned to leave, but just as I did, Tessa burst into tears.

“Leah, are you blaming me?” she sobbed.

“I just wanted to experience what it felt like to marry Elliot.”

“Even if it’s fake... even if it lasts only a day, I could die with no regrets.”

Elliot rushed to her side, holding her tightly. His voice shook with distress.

“Tessa, don’t say that. You have to live; you have to live well.”

Tessa buried herself in his embrace, her tear-filled eyes meeting mine.

"Leah, can I be Elliot’s bride today?" she asked, her voice trembling.

I barely looked at her as I replied, "You can. You can be his bride every day from now on."

"I’ve broken up with Elliot. You two can get married."

"I spent 200,000 dollars decorating this wedding. Just send me the money."

"Elliot is yours now. So is this wedding."

I thought those words would be enough to silence her, that she would finally find peace.

But to my surprise, Tessa cried even harder. "Leah, I know you're mocking me."

"But I just want to have Elliot for one day. One day is all I ask."

"Leah, please, can you give us your blessing?"

"Just pity me and lie to me, even if it’s a lie."

I rolled my eyes and turned, walking away.

But before I could escape, Elliot’s hand shot out, grabbing my arm.

His expression was dark, his eyes filled with something I couldn’t quite read.

He snatched a shopping bag from the floor and shoved it into my hands.

"Put this on," he ordered.

I opened it and found a bridesmaid dress inside, its fabric mockingly elegant.

Suppressing the rising tide of anger, I looked at him coldly. "Sorry, I’m not interested in playing along with your little game."

Without warning, he shoved me hard, forcing me into a corner.

He growled in my ear, his breath hot against my skin.

"Leah, Tessa is already begging you. Why are you still pretending?"

His words dripped with contempt. "Are you really going to push her into another depressive episode? To the point where she might harm herself?"

"How can you be so heartless?"

"I'm warning you, put on that bridesmaid dress, give her your blessing and help her recover."

I wrenched my arm from his grip, my chest tightening.

"So being sick gives her the right to hurt others?"

"Elliot, we’re done. We’re not bound to each other anymore. Don’t touch me."

"I wish you both a lifetime of happiness. Goodbye."

The finality in my voice echoed between us as I turned away, feeling the weight of his eyes burning into my back.

Like an enraged lion, Elliot lunged at me, his grip tightening around my throat.

"Leah, if you walk out that door today, you’ll be condemning Tessa to her death."

"I won’t let that happen."

"You’re going to be the bridesmaid today, whether you like it or not."

He shot a cold, commanding glance at the attendants. "Ten thousand dollars each. Get her into the dress."

Greed gleamed in their eyes as they grabbed me, pulling me into the dressing room and forcing the bridesmaid dress over my body.

Tessa stood nearby, her smile like that of a triumphant queen. She dipped her head slightly, her voice dripping with saccharine sweetness. "Leah, thank you. Your blessing makes me so much happier."

But Elliot, his voice thick with disdain, sneered. "Tessa, why are you thanking her? This is what she owes you."

They forced me into a seat, making me a spectator to their twisted wedding ceremony.

Though I had already made up my mind to end everything with Elliot, the sting of humiliation still made tears well up in my eyes.

I overheard one of his friends whispering to him, "Elliot, isn’t this a bit much for Leah?"

Elliot’s response was cold, dismissive. "It’s fine. Leah loves me. I’ll explain it to her later."

Of course, he knew how deep my love ran.

That’s why he had no qualms about repeatedly shattering me.

But what he failed to realize was that my love for him had dried up and faded into nothing.

On stage, they exchanged rings and shared a kiss, a scene that felt like acid to my soul.

I stared at them, numb, only realizing too late when my tears had fallen and mingled with the bitter taste in my mouth.

Tessa had always been Elliot’s unreachable "white moonlight," the one he’d worshipped from afar.

He’d chased her for years, but she’d always kept him at arm’s length.

It wasn’t until she left for abroad that he finally allowed himself to accept my love.

I had thought he was over her. But now, it was clear he had only used me to numb his pain.

When Tessa returned and discovered Elliot was engaged to me, she fell into a deep depression.

Elliot, too, drowned his sorrow in alcohol, his voice laced with bitterness as he muttered to his friends, "Fate is playing a cruel joke."

From that moment on, he was convinced I owed Tessa.

He also believed I owed him, though I was still his fiancée.

I became nothing more than an unwelcome third wheel in our own relationship.

Elliot never officially ended things with me and so I kept humbling myself, loving him cautiously, waiting for a future that seemed more distant with each passing day.

Even as he spent entire nights at Tessa’s place, never returning home, I swallowed my pain, my heart heavy with silence.

Back then, I thought loving someone meant enduring everything, no matter the cost.

But with time, I came to understand that loving someone who didn’t love you back wasn’t just painful; it was degrading.

I sat there, lost in thought, my mind a whirlwind.

When I finally snapped back to reality, I saw that Elliot had already carried Tessa into the wedding car.

The staff had begun clearing things away, their eyes filled with pity as they glanced at me.

Suddenly, the weight of everything pressed down on me and I felt utterly drained.

Loving Elliot had drained me for far too long.

It was time to let go, to finally break free.

I hailed a cab, made my way home and began packing up the remnants of a life I no longer wanted.

I called a moving company and watched as they took away everything that had once belonged to us.

Before I left, I placed a note on the dining table, my words brief yet heavy. "Elliot, let’s part ways and move on. Goodbye."

Then, I added a red envelope, its weight more symbolic than anything. "Wishing you and Tessa a lifetime of happiness together."

As I finished, I checked my phone. Tessa had just posted an update.

There she was, lying in bed with Elliot, their fingers intertwined, the diamond ring that once adorned my hand now sparkling on hers.

Tessa proudly captioned her post: [Wedding rehearsal, perfectly completed.]

A flood of people, blissfully unaware of the truth, liked and congratulated her.

I tapped the "like" button without a second thought.

But no sooner had I set my phone down than Elliot called.

"Leah, do you really have to be this pathetic?" he snapped.

"Tessa's condition has just improved and you’re deliberately provoking her?"

I sighed, unable to hide my frustration. "It was just a like. Does that really count as provoking her?"

Elliot's voice was thick with irritation. "From now on, stay invisible when Tessa’s around."

"If you dare mess with her again, we’re done."

I replied, "Okay."

Without hesitation, I hung up, grabbed my bag and booked a flight.

A museum had been inviting me to consult on an art project for months.

But I had turned it down each time because of Elliot.

Now, it was time to stop letting him control my life and start living for myself.

Two days later, I stood in the bustling terminal of the international airport, dragging my suitcase behind me like a heavy weight that mirrored my heart.

After boarding the plane, my phone buzzed with a message from Elliot.

[I only have two hours today.]

[After the wedding, I need to be with Tessa.]

[I won’t be coming home for now. We’ll talk when her condition stabilizes.]

[Just change into something and come straight to the wedding. Forget about the bridal pickup; I don’t have time for that.]

I froze for a moment, the reality hitting me like a thunderclap. Today was supposed to be our wedding day.

It was clear now: Elliot was utterly consumed by Tessa. If he cared about me, he would have noticed the note I’d left behind or at least tried to reach out.

I pulled out my phone to reply, but the plane had already started taxiing, forcing me to switch it off.

I closed my eyes and let out a breath.

Forget it. He never truly cared about this wedding, about me.

My absence would only lighten his heart.

***

In the hotel banquet hall, Elliot sat, his impatience mounting with each passing second.

He had only two hours.

Yet that damn Leah was nowhere to be found.

Tessa had tossed and turned the night before, barely managing to sleep at dawn. He had just coaxed her into slumber when he’d slipped away.

As he left, he stole one last glance at her curled-up form on the bed. Guilt washed over him and his chest tightened.

He couldn’t help but feel sorry for Tessa. Sneaking off to marry another woman while she slept, he was betraying her, wasn’t he?

Should he cancel the wedding?

A part of him didn’t want to.

Eyes closed, he sat there, lost in thought. Why hadn’t he broken up with Leah yet?

Was it because she was too pitiful to leave behind? Or was it something more?

Had he actually developed feelings for her after all this time?

The emcee approached, leaning in to whisper, “Mr. Amberson, the auspicious hour is near. Have you heard from Leah?”

Elliot opened his eyes, annoyance flickering in them. “She’s still not here?”

The emcee nodded.

Elliot’s face darkened, his irritation flaring as he shot me another message.

[What the hell are you doing? Get to the hotel within fifteen minutes, or this wedding is off.]

Minutes passed, but there was no response.

Fuming, he dialed my number, only to be met with silence.

Nearly yelling, he turned to his assistant. “Find Leah and bring her here! I need to know what’s going on.”

The assistant rushed out, leaving the hall full of guests exchanging puzzled looks.

Then, Tessa appeared at the entrance, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.

Elliot’s panic was immediate.

He rushed over to her, grabbing her hands, his words stumbling. “Tessa, I…”

Tessa choked back sobs, her voice trembling. “Elliot, I wasn’t really asleep.”

“I was only pretending. I know I have no right to stop you from marrying Leah.”

“But I underestimated how much I love you.”

“The moment you left, I couldn’t stay away. I just had to see you one last time.”

“I needed to hug the man I loved before you became hers.”

“After today, you’ll belong to her. And I’ll lose the right to love you.”

Elliot held her close, his face soft with tenderness, as he tried to reassure her.

Suddenly, as though a lightbulb had gone off in his mind, Elliot pulled out his phone and began recording.

“Leah, are you still going to leave me hanging?”

“I’m giving you five minutes. Get here, or I’ll marry Tessa instead.”

“If you don’t show up, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

Tessa’s eyes sparkled with a glimmer of hope, her expression a delicate mix of bashfulness and eager anticipation as she watched him.

Elliot sent me the video and his frustration was evident in every frame.

But once again, no response came.

Grinding his teeth, Elliot muttered through clenched jaws, “Alright, Leah, you’re really testing my limits now, aren’t you? This is your choice. Even if you beg me on your knees later, don’t expect another chance.”

He turned to Tessa, his voice now softening as he held out his hand. “Tessa, will you marry me?”

Tessa’s face lit up as she nodded eagerly, her excitement radiating.

The ceremony unfolded just as they’d rehearsed.

Elliot and Tessa stood before each other, eyes locked, reciting vows of eternal love.

Yet, despite the moment's intensity, Elliot felt an odd sense of distraction.

The woman he loved was right there in front of him, but his mind kept drifting to Leah.

The moment the exchange rings arrived, his assistant burst through the door, breathless.

Without hesitation, Elliot released Tessa’s hand and turned to the assistant. “Did you find Leah?”

The assistant’s face was grim as he shook his head. “President, I went to your house. Leah’s already gone.”

“She left a note. She wants to break up with you... and wishes you and Tessa a long and happy marriage.”