our wedding, she said her ass

grandmother was suppo

me, his cat

fiancée. I swallowed the disappointment and told everyone we would reschedule. I believed her because I loved h

upposed to

urth attempt at

d through the stained-glass windows, painting the marble floor in jewel tones. My parents were in th

the charm, righ

ything was perfect. Chloe had sworn to me last night, her eyes wide and sincere, t

choing through the cavernous space. This was it. The

oe wasn

e pale and etched with worry. She clutched her phone in her hand. She d

t a cold dread creep up my spine, a familiar,

o their parents. My own mother leaned forward, trying to hear

ted in my pocket. A

m C

rk needs me. He' s at the hospital.

ws felt harsh, the scent of the flowers suddenly nauseating. He was in a car accident. The same excuse he used to get her to abandon

re of pity and morbid curiosity. This wasn't just a postponement. This was a pub

n. The love I had nurtured for a decade felt like a joke. My patience, my forgiveness, my unwavering devotion-all of

own my cheek. I didn't bother to wipe it away.

my side, his hand

ow and full of a pain that

d over the past year, finally snapped. I looked at the expectant faces, the whisperin

the microphone. The soft feedback screeched for a

with us," I began, my eyes scanning the crowd. "It se

rough the church. Chloe's

en to be with someone else.

, a brilliant, mocking star. It was my great-grandmother's ring, a symbol of a love that had lasted a lifetime.

the stunned silence. I didn't look at anyone. I just kept walking, past th

d against the cold stone wall of the church, gasping for air. My d

ing began to surface beneath it, something

urpose. I scrolled past Chloe's name and found another, a

ra

lead architect position for a massive project in her firm oversea

ed on the

everythi

e hoarse. "Is that job o

her voice came back, warm and steady. "Fo

a second of hesitation. "I