My niece, Lily, brought home a document she had picked up at her school’s charity flea market. “Look, Sienna. Look what I bought at school today.” I teased her, laughing, “Whose kid is so clueless that they sold their parents’ property deed? Their parents are going to lose their minds when they find out.” I smiled and opened the folder. But my smile froze. The address on the deed was identical to the house I had bought a year ago in preparation for my wedding. 101 Bayview Drive. But the owner’s name written on it was Nadia. My palms began to sweat. I unlocked my phone and sent a Snapchat message to my fiancé, Ashton. “Who is Nadia?” The screen showed “typing…” for a long time. “Just a single mom from my company.” “A colleague, that’s all.” Giving the house I bought to his “colleague.” Just a colleague? Since this colleague was apparently so important, maybe it was time for me, the fiancée, to step aside. “Oh.” He replied with just one word. Then he sent nothing else. I took a picture of the deed and saved it to my phone. But I didn’t confront him. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to. It was just that there was no point anymore. If he could casually give away a whole house to another woman, his heart was already gone. A few minutes later, Lily’s teacher posted in the class Snapchat group. She asked if anyone had seen a missing property deed and shared the contact information of the parent who lost it. I looked at the profile picture of the parent, a family portrait of three. I sent her a friend request. She accepted almost instantly. “Hi! Did your child happen to take a folder with a property deed to school? Let me know when is convenient for you, and I can come pick it up. I’m so sorry for the trouble. Kids really don’t know any better.” She was extremely polite. I didn’t reply right away. Instead, I tapped on her profile picture. The man in that happy family portrait of three was indeed my fiancé, Ashton. I had scheduled our wedding photoshoot three times, and he had flaked every single time. He was always “too busy at work” or “forced to do overtime.” Our wedding day was just around the corner, and we hadn’t even taken a single engagement photo. Yet, he had plenty of time to play family with someone else. I scrolled through her feed. The header photo on her profile was the exact same family portrait. Her latest post was from two days ago. “Leo had his school field day today. Huge thanks to a certain someone for taking a day off just to be there for him.” Attached was a photo. Ashton was lifting a little boy high in the air, his face glowing with a brilliant smile I hadn’t seen in months. That was the exact day I had asked him to try on wedding suits, and he told me he was too busy and told me to just go by myself. The post before that was from three days ago. “It’s my birthday today! I finally feel pampered and loved.” The photo showed a mango crepe cake. There was a handwritten card next to it. “Don’t just love our boy; remember to love yourself too. Happy birthday. I’m always here.” There was no signature. But I would recognize that handwriting anywhere. How ironic. That was the exact day Ashton brought home a small cake to apologize to me after we had a huge fight. Even my apology gift was just leftover scraps from another woman’s birthday. My eyes stung with tears. But I didn’t stop scrolling. I kept going until a photo from two weeks ago caught my eye. It was a random weekend. In the middle of the night, I had woken up with sharp, agonizing stomach cramps. I had called Ashton repeatedly, but nobody answered. In the end, I had to call an ambulance alone, endure a lonely ride to the hospital, and undergo emergency appendicitis surgery by myself. He hadn’t replied to a single text all night. He only sent a casual message the next morning. “Got too drunk last night and crashed at a hotel. Is something up?” But in this photo, the hospital wall clock clearly read 3:00 AM. Ashton was sitting by a hospital bed, gently holding a little boy who was hooked up to an IV. A hot tear dripped onto my screen. I sniffled, wiped the screen, and kept scrolling. I scrolled for a long time. An hour passed, and I had only made it through the last six months of her life. In every single post, they looked like a deeply devoted, loving family. And I was just a thief, lurking in the shadows, spying on their happiness. “Are you there?” Nadia messaged me again on Snapchat. “Yes, I am. Do you live at Bayview Drive now? I can drop the deed off to you sometime soon,” I replied. She replied instantly. “Yes, we do! That would be amazing. Thank you so much!” My heart sank. She had already moved in. Yet Ashton had told me the renovations weren’t finished. Every time I wanted to go take a look, he would say he wanted to keep it a surprise for when it was completely done. Once, he even snapped at me. “Sienna, do you think I’m trying to steal your house? Do you really trust me that little? If that’s how you feel, maybe we shouldn’t even get married!” I had apologized profusely and even bought him a pair of limited-edition Nike sneakers to make it up to him. But in reality, another family was already living in my house. “Your family must be doing really well. I could never dream of living in such an upscale neighborhood,” I messaged her. That neighborhood was the most exclusive area in the city. It had the best amenities and was zoned for the top-rated elementary school. “Oh, it was actually my partner’s idea to buy it! He surprised me with it, and honestly, I was shocked too.” Her happiness practically radiated off the screen. My lips curled into a bitter smile. “When are you free tomorrow? I’ll bring it over.” “We both have weekends off, so we’ll be home all day. Just shoot me a text before you come over!” They had weekends off. But Ashton had told me he had to work every Saturday. Where that extra day went was now painfully clear. “Sounds good.” I really wanted to see what my house looked like now.
The next morning, I dropped Lily off at my sister Claire’s house first. Then, I parked my car near the entrance of Bayview Drive and texted Ashton. “Where are you?” He took forever to reply. “At the office. Didn’t I tell you I have to work Saturdays?” His impatient tone practically screamed through the text. I looked up and saw Ashton walking out of the building. He was holding Leo in one arm and holding Nadia’s hand with the other. I let out a silent, bitter laugh. I typed a message to Nadia. “Hi, I’ll be there in about half an hour.” “Great, see you soon!” she replied. Thirty minutes later, I watched Nadia get out of the driver’s seat of a sleek Volvo. Seeing that familiar car, I couldn’t help but sneer. Six months ago, when I was away on a business trip, Ashton texted me saying he got into a massive pileup on the highway and the car was totaled. At the time, I was just relieved he was okay. It never crossed my mind how he could have survived a “totaled” car accident with only a tiny scratch. And within three days, he claimed he had sold the scrap metal. It turned out he didn’t sell it. He gave it to her. I took a deep breath, waited ten minutes, and walked up to the apartment. “Thank you so much for making the trip. Come in, have a glass of water!” Nadia welcomed me warmly. It was probably just polite small talk, but I walked right in. While Nadia was pouring water in the kitchen, I looked around the living room. It was decorated exactly like the mood boards I had spent hundreds of hours putting together. The cream-white sofa. The geometric black-and-white rug. The spacious balcony with a small swing and pots of colorful flowers. “Have a seat,” Nadia said, handing me the water. My hands shook slightly as I took the glass. “Your place looks amazing. Which interior design firm did you use? Could you recommend them to me?” I asked, pretending to be casual. Nadia tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Oh, I actually don’t know. My partner handled all of that. I can ask him for their business card later and send it to you.” I barely heard her. My eyes were locked onto the small four-leaf clover stud earrings she was wearing. Noticing my gaze, she touched her earlobe, looking a bit shy. “They look a bit old, don’t they? My partner gave them to me. He said they bring good luck.” A sharp, dull ache squeezed my chest. It didn’t make me cry, but it made it hard to breathe. Those were the very first birthday gifts Ashton had ever given me. I remember how gently he had put them on my ears, wrapping his arms around my waist. “Sienna, a four-leaf clover represents luck. I’m giving you all the luck in my life.” I had lost them a year ago and felt incredibly guilty about it. I forced myself to speak. “Your husband treats you so well.” Hearing this, her expression shifted slightly, looking a bit uncomfortable. “Actually, we aren’t married yet.” I pretended to be surprised. “Oh? But isn’t your kid already in elementary school?” She took a sip of water, trying to compose herself before speaking. “Leo is from my previous marriage. I was young and foolish back then.” She reached into a drawer, pulled out a thick photo album, and handed it to me. “But we’re getting married very soon! Here, look at our wedding photos.” I took the album. My fingertips were ice-cold. There, on the cover, was the groom in a sleek white tuxedo. It was Ashton. And the bridal boutique… it was the exact one I had chosen. The one he had stood me up three times for. I blinked hard, forcing the tears back, and flipped through the pages. “We actually just took these last month,” Nadia murmured happily. “He picked out the bridal shop himself. I didn’t have to worry about a thing.” Of course he didn’t have to worry. After all, I was the one who spent an entire week researching and planning every detail of that booking. The gorgeous, dramatic white ballgown with the long train, the dream dress I had fallen in love with, was now draped over another woman. I had shared that exact dress with Ashton. The message was still pinned in our Snapchat chat history. “Ashton! Look at this dress, it’s so beautiful! I absolutely have to wear this when I marry you!” His reply, sent hours later, was a simple: “Whatever you want.” I took a quiet breath. “Have you set a date? When is the wedding?” “In two weeks.” Ha. The day before my own scheduled wedding. Ashton, you really are a piece of work. “Can I come?” I asked. 3 Nadia looked taken aback. “I’m getting married soon too, and I’m super nervous. I’d love to watch a ceremony beforehand to get a feel for how it goes,” I lied smoothly. “And about the deed…” “Don’t worry, my niece just brought it home by accident.” Nadia smiled in relief. “Of course! You’re more than welcome to come.” I smiled back. “I’ll make sure to bring you a very special wedding gift.” She made some more polite small talk, but I didn’t stay long. I excused myself and left. As soon as I got home, I downloaded all of Nadia’s social media posts onto a USB drive. Then, I sat alone in the dark, staring into space. Ashton and I had been together for five years. He always told me that his twenty-something years of being single were just a prelude to meeting me. And for a long time, I believed him. After all, he remembered every single thing I liked. No matter how late or how far, a single phone call would bring him to my side. Whenever I traveled alone for work, he would stay on FaceTime with me until I fell asleep. I thought I could finally let my guard down and rely on someone. But it was all a lie. That evening, Ashton came home carrying a bouquet of blue baby’s breath. “Sienna, I got your favorite baby’s breath! Don’t be mad at me anymore, okay? I booked a bridal appointment for us tomorrow.” It had been months since he last bought me flowers. But even though they were baby’s breath, they reeked of a distinct lavender perfume. How pathetic. I took them and tossed them onto the table. “Ashton, do you really want to get married?” A flicker of guilt flashed in his eyes, but he quickly pulled me into his arms, slipping a necklace around my neck. “Did you hear some stupid rumors or something? Hmm?” “I only love you. No one else even comes close.” I inhaled the faint lavender scent on his collar, and my throat tightened. Just as I was about to speak, his phone buzzed. The caller ID was a red heart emoji. Ashton immediately pulled away to answer it. The price tag on the necklace, which he hadn’t bothered to remove, scraped against my skin. I winced in pain. “What? Don’t open the door! I’m coming right now!” he panicked into the phone. “Put me on speakerphone so whoever is at the door can hear my voice!” He rushed out the door without casting a single glance back at me. I wanted to laugh. But as I looked down at the necklace on the floor and noticed the “Free Gift with Purchase” sticker on the back of the tag, tears began to stream down my face. Five whole years. It felt as though a dull knife was carving slowly into my chest. There was no blood, but the pain was agonizing. I had truly believed I could spend the rest of my life with this man. Ashton didn’t come home that night. And I didn’t bother to ask where he was. The next morning, my phone rang. It was him. I expected him to cancel our wedding dress appointment. Instead, his voice was filled with angry accusations. “Sienna! I just saw your contact info on Nadia’s Snapchat. Why did you add her? I told you, she’s just a colleague! Can you stop being so insecure and dramatic and leave her alone?” I replied coldly, “Did you actually read our chat history?” He paused for a second. “No. But Nadia has had a hard life. If you have a problem, come to me. Don’t go harassing her.” He was defending her so openly. In the background, I heard Nadia’s voice. “Who is it, babe?” “Nobody, just a telemarketer.” The call went dead. The dial tone echoed in my ear, leaving me completely cold inside. A minute later, Ashton sent a text. “Don’t overthink it. I just feel bad for her because she’s had it rough.” “Something came up at the office, so I have to go on a business trip for a week.” “Go try on the wedding dresses by yourself.” “Okay,” I replied. I immediately called the bridal shop and cancelled my deposit. Then, I texted my parents and Claire, telling them the wedding was off. When they frantically asked why, I only told them that I would explain everything soon. But Ashton, don’t worry. I will definitely show up to your wedding on time. 4 For the next week, Ashton stayed true to his word and didn’t show up. Yet, he still texted me every day, acting like the perfect, caring fiancé. On a rainy day, he texted to remind me to bring an umbrella. But when I opened Instagram, I saw a picture Nadia had posted of Ashton carrying her into his car in the pouring rain. I didn’t say a word. I just saved the screenshot. A week later, Ashton returned home right on schedule, even bringing me local treats from his “trip.” His laundry smelled heavily of lavender laundry detergent. I pretended not to notice. I threw the treats into the trash and kept acting normal. Until the day of their wedding. I didn’t wear makeup or a fancy dress. I dressed casually and sat quietly in a dim corner of the reception hall. From the lighting to the coordinator to the entrance music, every single detail of this wedding was something I had planned. Ashton stood on the altar in a custom-tailored designer suit I had paid for, staring toward the entrance with immense adoration. The heavy double doors swung open. Nadia walked down the aisle in a strapless, diamond-encrusted ballgown with a massive train. It was breathtaking. It was the exact dress I had ordered a month ago. I had spent three sleepless nights adjusting the placement of those diamonds. It fit her perfectly now, meaning she had already altered it to her size. But when my eyes fell on her veil, the blood in my veins turned to ice. I clenched my fists so hard my nails dug into my palms to keep from screaming. That was my grandmother’s veil. The one she had hand-sewn for me on her deathbed. It featured two tiny hand-embroidered figures, representing my grandmother and me. Before my grandmother passed, Ashton had knelt by her bedside, placed that veil on my head, and sworn to heaven that he would love me and only me for the rest of his life. And now, he had put it on another woman. How could he? How dared he do this to me! I squeezed my hands into tight fists as a single tear escaped my eye. Leo walked behind Nadia, holding her long train as they made their way up the altar. Under the glowing lights, they looked like the perfect, beautiful family. The ceremony began. It was time to exchange rings. “This is a custom-designed ring that a man can only purchase once in his lifetime,” the officiant announced. “The engraving of their initials inside symbolizes a love that is truly one of a kind.” The giant projector screen displayed a close-up of the ring, clearly engraved with “N & A”. I slipped off the simple ring on my own finger, squeezing it tightly in my palm until it bruised. Then came the vows. Ashton took the microphone, his eyes shining with tears. “Nadia, after all this time, it’s still you.” “I was young and stupid, and I lost you. I let you suffer so much in this world. But now that fate has brought you back to me, I promise to cherish you forever.” His voice cracked with emotion, and his eyes welled up. The guests around me began to whisper. “Ashton is such a great guy. I heard he even paid to build a house for Nadia’s family back in her hometown.” “Yeah, and Nadia’s ex-husband used to abuse her. Ashton was always there to protect her. One time he almost got seriously hurt defending her.” “They’ve been through so much. I’m so glad they finally got their happy ending.” Sitting in the dark corner, I felt like the villain in a movie, the one trying to steal someone else’s happily ever after. Yet, inside my purse, I still had a stack of wedding invitations with Ashton’s name and mine on them. The lights in the hall dimmed. On stage, Ashton lifted Nadia’s veil and leaned in for a soft, passionate kiss. My hand slowly moved to my chest. To my surprise, it didn’t hurt anymore. Instead, my heart was racing with a cold, thrilling adrenaline. I pulled the microphone I had prepared out of my purse and stood up. “Now, everyone, let’s take a look at the love story of the groom and his other fiancée.”
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