The Bride He Threw Away A Billionaire's Regret

The day before the wedding, my fiancé skipped the rehearsal.

That evening, I received his text:

Nellie has a terminal illness. She doesn't have much time left.

She loves me so much. I can't go through with a wedding right now and break her heart.

I need to go abroad with her for treatment. A year at least, two at most. I promise I'll come back and marry you.

I need to focus on being there for her during this time, so I might go off the grid. Make up whatever excuse you want for postponing the wedding. If you're worried about how it looks, put the blame on me.

I replied with one word:

Okay.

If this engagement continued, that would be the real embarrassment.

……

Almost simultaneously, Nellie Simmons posted on social media.

The photo showed the two of them with freshly shaved heads, cheeks pressed together. In their clasped hands were two plane tickets to France.

The caption read:

He said he'll never let me die, because love can cure anything.

In the comments, Mark Rowe's friends lined up to like the post, praising his selflessness and pledging to do whatever they could to help with Nellie's illness.

Not a single person mentioned me.

As if tomorrow's wedding was never supposed to exist in the first place.

I gave the post a bitter smile, then hit "like."

And left a comment:

Wishing you a speedy recovery!

My comment blended right in among the flood of well-wishes. Nothing out of the ordinary.

But a second later, it was deleted.

Mark's call came immediately after, his voice dripping with impatience.

"Grace Thornton, what the hell was that? You left that comment on purpose just to start something?"

I was speechless.

"I wasn't starting anything. I genuinely wished her good health."

Mark had already made up his mind that I was causing trouble.

"If you were genuine, you'd do what everyone else did and just send money instead of sitting there being petty and jealous!"

"Nobody brought up the wedding because they didn't want to make Nellie uncomfortable, and then you go and pop up with that 'speedy recovery' nonsense, rubbing salt in the wound!"

"Apologize to Nellie! She can't stop crying because of your comment!"

A woman's sobbing drifted through the phone:

"Mark, forget it! I shouldn't have told you about my diagnosis. The doctor said I don't have long. I need to stop clinging to unrealistic fantasies! I'll cancel the tickets right now. I can't be so selfish as to ruin your wedding just because I'm dying!"

Mark's voice softened instantly, coaxing her like a child:

"Nellie, just because they can't treat it here doesn't mean there's no hope overseas! How could a wedding be more important than your life? No matter how long treatment takes, I'll be right there with you. Until you're better."

Nellie only cried harder:

"But what about Grace? She must be so heartbroken. I'll just go abroad alone. You two can have your wedding tomorrow as planned..."

His voice grew even softer, edged with urgency:

"You think I'd let you go alone? The surgical consent forms need a family member's signature. Who would you have?"

"I already worked things out with Grace. She just has to wait two years, tops, and then she gets what she wants. It's not like I'm going to run off and disappear."

"Stop crying, okay? You're going to make yourself short of breath again."

"And if your eyes are all swollen tomorrow, what happens at the airport when they check your passport and say the photo doesn't match?"

Nellie laughed through her tears.

Mark let out a breath of relief, then turned his attention back to me, his tone marginally less sharp:

"Grace, why aren't you saying anything? Hurry up and apologize to Nellie!"

My nails dug into my palms. I cursed myself for ever clicking on that post, for ever leaving that comment.

But I wasn't wrong. Why should I apologize?

"Mark, what if I say no?"

He faltered for a beat, then his voice rose in disbelief:

"Grace, keep this up and you're only making yourself look bad! Nellie is sick. The last thing she needs is emotional stress, and you're deliberately making her cry. Do you have any idea how selfish that is?"