3: 3

"Bride, where's the groom? He's the only one we're missing."

The wedding host prompted me again.

I gripped the phone that no one would answer.

In the end, I called Alison.

"Something wrong?"

It was Mason's hoarse voice.

"You two are all that's left for the rehearsal."

"Got it."

After the call ended.

I heard the staff whispering nearby.

"They're getting married tomorrow, and they don't even show up for the rehearsal."

"The bride's been here waiting since first thing this morning."

"If you ask me, the groom doesn't want to marry her at all."

The staff had all clocked out, and they still hadn't come.

"I'll send you the run of the ceremony. Just follow it tomorrow and nothing will go wrong."

"Thank you."

They only arrived after everyone was gone.

"Do you two even know there was a rehearsal today?"

I looked at them, my face far from pleased.

"Elaine, honestly, rehearsal or no rehearsal, it's the same. As long as we're both there tomorrow for the wedding, that's all that matters."

"He's right, Elaine. The rehearsal's just a formality. Showing up is enough."

I stepped back, out of reach of the two hands trying to take mine.

"Still upset about yesterday? Next time we'll order the split broth, I promise."

"Don't be angry. Mom's still waiting for us to go book the reception."

Mason's mother had always been good to me.

Every holiday she sent me something.

She often called just to ask how I was doing.

She probably had no idea the two of them had ever been together.

At that thought.

I glanced at the diary I'd tucked into my bag.

What if she found out and couldn't take it, and passed out from the shock.

Better not to bring it out yet.

"Elaine, come look at what dishes you want for the wedding."

"I know both your parents are gone. From now on, I'll be your mother."

At her words, my eyes went red in an instant.

A warmth spread through me.

"Mom, you're so good to Elaine, I'm going to get jealous."

His mother didn't so much as glance at Alison.

She held on to me and went over the wedding details.

"Mom, Ali's talking to you."

Only when Mason spoke did his mother give a flat, indifferent hum.

The whole meal left me uneasy from head to toe.

I didn't know how to bring up calling off the wedding.

Coming back from the restroom, I stood outside the door for a moment.

And heard his mother's cold voice.

"Once you and Elaine are married, I won't interfere with you and Alison anymore."

My hand stopped halfway to the door.

I pressed myself flat against it, straining to make out what they were saying.

"I know, Mom. Elaine's a good person. I like her well enough too."

Alison's crying drifted out in broken pieces.

"Alison can't have children. Playing around with her is fine. Marrying her isn't."

My heart skipped half a beat, and the blood went cold all through me.

So his mother knew about them too.

"Elaine said before that she wanted to start having kids after the wedding. She even turned down an overseas assignment for him."

Hearing that, my whole mind went numb.

Now I knew why Alison kept asking me when I planned to have children.

And why she'd introduced Mason to me.

"Whatever you do, you can't let Elaine find out. The wedding's tomorrow, the invitations are already out. I won't be humiliated!"

"Mom, she's starved for love. She won't leave us."

The world went dark in front of me.

I took a deep breath and pushed the door open.

4: 4

The moment I walked in, their voices cut off.

"Elaine, you're back? See anything else you feel like eating?"

This time I didn't take the menu his mother held out.

I dug the diary out of my bag.

And threw it on the table.

Mason's face went bone-white.

"Call the wedding off tomorrow."

His mother's expression froze, then she smiled. "What's this all about?"

Alison shot to her feet, worked up. "You can't call it off!"

"Is it so bad, me letting you be with Mason?"

Maybe it was the mocking smile on my face that set her off.

Her eyes went red as she stared at me.

"Elaine, don't be so ungrateful. Look at what you've got. How would someone like you ever have climbed high enough to reach our family?"

"If it weren't for us, do you think you'd be at the company you're at now?"

The company had sent me the offer before I'd even graduated.

They actually believed I only got in because of them.

"Sneaking around with Mason every single day. Aren't you exhausted?"

"Elaine, what nonsense are you spouting!"

Mason's shout made me turn to him.

"Mason, in the whole time we've been together, when have I ever wronged you?"

He lowered his head and said nothing.

I went on.

"You deleted the proposal I'd stayed up all night to finish, and I didn't say a word. You said you didn't want to do long distance, so I turned down the company's overseas assignment."

"Elaine, calm down."

I blocked his mother's hand as she reached over to soothe me.

"I am calm."

I let out a breath and looked at them.

"Mason and Alison want each other. Just give them your blessing, and stop letting them ruin other people's lives."

Seeing how set I was, Alison finally started to panic.

"Elaine, you always used to go on about how great my brother is. That's all me, I trained him to be that way, and I don't even mind you enjoying the shade. So just don't make a thing of all this."

"I do mind."

I picked up my bag to leave.

But Mason grabbed me, panic flickering in his eyes.

"You can't go! We're getting married tomorrow."

I looked at the piercing in his ear.

And remembered that a boy who got his ears pierced had made a promise with someone for the next life.

"You and Alison don't need to save it for the next life. I'll hand this one to you both."

Mason went rigid all over, but he still wouldn't let go.

"You're supposed to be marrying my brother, and you'd walk out on us? With a personality like yours, who's ever going to want you?"

"All this time, I've been your only friend. And I'm the only one willing to be your bridesmaid."

Alison edged closer to me.

Every word landing straight in my chest.

I raised my hand and slapped her.

She clapped a hand to her face and stared at me, unable to believe it.

Like it had never crossed her mind that I would hit her.

Then, furious, she ran out.

Mason's face was frantic.

"Elaine, you know how Alison can't stand pain, and you still hit her."

Finally he sighed.

"I'll come to fetch you for the wedding tomorrow."

And with that he went chasing after Alison.

"Elaine, Alison's right. If it weren't for her, you'd never have touched a class like ours. Think it over carefully."

His mother said her piece and left too.

I went home, turning their words over in my mind.

I gave a cold laugh.

Then took my suitcase to a hotel near the airport.

Alison had gotten one thing right.

I was starved for love, and I don't walk away from people easily.

But I'm stubborn too. Once I've made up my mind, I don't look back.

The next day, on the way to fetch his bride, Mason's heart was in his throat.

"Alison, I keep feeling like Elaine's gone."

"Didn't she already turn down that overseas assignment? There's no way she'd leave us."

Seeing how sure Alison was, Mason let out a breath.

He took out the key and opened the door.

The moment it swung open he went rigid all over. There was no one inside at all.