1 The day before we were supposed to register our marriage, my fiancée took her papers and walked into City Hall with Brandon instead. I stood around the corner of the corridor, listening to her phone call on speaker. Her friend’s frantic voice bled through the receiver. “What about Jesse?” “You two have been together for seven years. Are you seriously marrying another man?” A long silence stretched before Lauren spoke, her voice infuriatingly soft. “Jesse will understand. Brandon’s mother doesn’t have much time left. It’s just a fake marriage. As soon as she passes, I’ll file for divorce.” Her friend hesitated. “But he’s waited for you for seven years.” Lauren gave a faint, quiet laugh. “That’s exactly why he won’t leave me over a single month.” I stood frozen in the quiet hallway. My fingers were still clutching a small gift bag filled with wedding chocolates meant for the clerks. I didn’t rush in to confront her. I didn’t cry or beg her to turn around. I simply walked over to the desk, canceled my reservation, and left. What she failed to realize was simple. A wedding can wait, and love can take its time. But I refused to tie the rest of my life to someone who was so utterly convinced I would wait for her forever. … When I canceled the appointment, the clerk looked at me twice. “Are you sure? Slots for today were nearly impossible to get.” I nodded. My phone buzzed in my palm. A text from Lauren. [A sudden emergency came up at work. Let’s push off the marriage license for a few days. Don’t be mad, I’ll explain everything tonight.] I stared at the screen for a long time. Then I shoved the chocolates into my bag and walked out into the cool afternoon air. I still had classes to teach. I returned to the elementary school where I worked as a second-grade teacher. During my lesson on a fable about a little pony crossing a river, a boy in the front row raised his hand. “Mr. Jesse, did the pony cross the river by himself in the end?” I gripped the piece of chalk, my mind drifting for a few seconds before I found my voice. “Yes. He did.” “Wasn’t he scared?” the boy asked again. I forced a faint smile. “Even if you’re scared, you still have to cross.” After class, a few fellow teachers gathered around my desk, teasing me about why I hadn’t taken my wedding leave. “Aren’t you supposed to get registered today? Did Lauren come pick you up?” “Where are the wedding sweets? Don’t hoard them!” I pulled out the bag of chocolates from my briefcase and handed them out. The summer heat had melted the cocoa slightly, sticking to the foil wrappers. My colleagues assumed I was just shy and kept laughing. I laughed along with them. Only the corners of my mouth felt stiff and bitter. That evening, Lauren called. “Jesse, have you eaten yet?” In the background, I could hear the faint chime of a hospital intercom, accompanied by a man’s quiet weeping. I didn’t expose her lie. “No.” “I am so sorry about today. Something urgent happened on Brandon’s side. His mother is in critical condition and her mind is slipping. She keeps crying that no one will look after him when she’s gone.” I sat alone in the empty classroom, watching the stadium lights flicker on across the sports field one by one. “So you got married to him?” The line went completely dead quiet. After a long pause, Lauren lowered her voice. “You know?” “Yeah.” She let out a heavy sigh of relief. “Jesse, it’s just a formality. Mrs. Dawson sponsored my tuition years ago. If it weren’t for her, I wouldn’t have even finished high school. This is her last wish on her deathbed. I can’t just ignore it.” “So you used our marriage to repay your debt of gratitude?” “Don’t put it like that,” Lauren’s voice grew sharp and rushed. “You know who is in my heart. There is zero possibility between Brandon and me. Once Mrs. Dawson passes, I’ll file for divorce immediately. At most a month, and we can get registered.” At most a month. She said it so casually, as if I had simply stepped into the wrong line at a grocery store and just needed to switch counters. I asked quietly, “Was it really that hard to tell me in advance?” “I was afraid you’d overthink things.” “You already went behind my back, and you’re still worried about me overthinking?” Lauren pinched the bridge of her nose, her voice raspy with exhaustion. “Jesse, my head is spinning today. Mrs. Dawson is in the ICU, and Brandon is completely overwhelmed. I know you feel wronged, but I’ll make it up to you later, okay?” Later. Over the past seven years, those two words had been her constant promise. Later, I’ll take you on that trip. Later, I’ll plan a proper proposal. Later, I’ll turn the balcony of our new place into that cozy study you wanted. Later. Always later. And today, when my entire life was derailed by her choice, she still thought it was just a minor delay. I hung up the phone. Ten minutes later, a social media notification popped up on my feed. Brandon had posted a picture. Beside a hospital bed, his hand rested over the back of Lauren’s hand. The corner of a red marriage certificate peeked out from under his wrist. The caption read: [Thank you for finally giving my mother peace of mind.] The comment section under our mutual friends list was blowing up. [Congrats? Is this official now?] [Brandon finally has someone to take care of him.] [Lauren is amazing. Mrs. Dawson didn’t love you in vain.] Lauren had even clicked the like button. She probably believed it was merely a temporary comfort for a dying mentor’s son. I stared at the screen until my eyes burned with unshed tears. Late that night, I drove to our new condo. We had bought the apartment last year. I had poured every single penny of my savings, accumulated from college side jobs to my teaching salary, into the down payment. When it was being renovated, Lauren was busy with her corporate projects, so I spent every evening after work running around the home improvement markets. Yet when I unlocked the front door, Brandon was sitting on my sofa, wearing my house slippers. His eyes were rimmed with red. The moment he saw me, he scrambled to his feet. “Jesse, please don’t misunderstand. My mom was transferred to the hospital nearby tonight. Lauren was worried I’d collapse from running back and forth, so she told me to rest here for a bit. I won’t touch any of your things.” He was holding my favorite coffee mug in his hand. It was part of a matching couple’s set I had carefully bought for Lauren and me to use after getting married. Lauren stepped out of the kitchen, holding a spatula. “Why are you here?” I looked at her, my voice eerily calm. “This is my house. Am I not allowed to come?” Lauren’s expression stiffened. “That’s not what I meant. Brandon has been running around all day, and the hospital cot is too small for him.” Brandon hastily put down the mug. “I’ll leave right now. Jesse, I’m so sorry. It’s all my fault. Please don’t fight with Lauren because of me. She hasn’t eaten all day and spent the entire time helping my mom with paperwork.” He grabbed his bag to leave, taking two shaky steps before stumbling. Lauren instantly stepped forward to catch him by the arm. “Why are you forcing yourself?” Tears spilled from Brandon’s eyes. “I just don’t want to make Jesse upset.” Lauren turned to look at me, her eyes filled with frustration. “Jesse, his mother is still in intensive care. Just let him stay the night. I’ll take him back to the hospital tomorrow.” I let out a soft laugh. “I let him?” She didn’t catch the bitter sarcasm in my tone, assuming I was yielding. “Thank you.” Those two words stung worse than any screaming match. That night, Brandon slept in the guest room. That room was supposed to be my study. The desk by the window was where I had planned to grade homework assignments in the evening. Now, it was cluttered with Brandon’s work notes, medical records, and his thermos. He apologized with utmost timidness. “I was afraid my stuff would look eyesore in the living room, so I put it here for now. I promise to pack it all up tomorrow.” Lauren brought out a pot of soup from the kitchen. “Jesse, sit down and eat first. Your stomach is sensitive. Don’t throw a fit on an empty stomach.” She spoke so naturally, as if today were just an ordinary disagreement. I sat at the dining table, looking down at the two sets of utensils laid out. Lauren froze for a second, then went back to the kitchen to fetch a third set. Brandon spoke up softly. “I won’t eat. You two go ahead, I’ll stay in my room.” Lauren frowned. “You have low blood sugar, you can’t skip meals. Sit down.” He stole a glance at me, then slowly pulled out a chair. Throughout that entire meal, I didn’t touch a single bite. Noticing my stillness, Lauren used her chopsticks to place a shrimp in my bowl. “You like these.” Brandon drank his soup in silence when his phone suddenly chimed with a video call. “Lauren… my mom is awake. She wants to see us on video.” Lauren’s hand froze mid-air. I lifted my head to look at her. Brandon blinked rapidly, his eyes flushing red again. “I know I shouldn’t bother you, but the doctor said her conscious moments are limited. I’m scared she’ll drift off again.” Lauren stayed silent for a moment, then pulled a napkin to wipe her hands. “Answer it.” The call connected. On the screen, an elderly woman wore an oxygen mask, her voice faint and labored. “Brandon… where is my daughter-in-law?” Brandon tilted the camera toward Lauren. Lauren leaned down, her tone softening completely. “Mrs. Dawson, I’m right here.” The old woman smiled weakly, tears welling in the corners of her eyes. “Good… good… With you taking care of Brandon, I can rest easy.” Lauren’s eyes flickered with a tremor of guilt. “Just focus on recovering.” I sat right beside them, looking like an awkward intruder in my own home. Suddenly, Brandon fumbled around his hands in panic. “Mom, look, I’m wearing the ring.” His hands were completely bare. The old woman couldn’t see clearly, straining her failing eyes against the screen. “The ring… yes… a marriage needs rings.” Brandon froze in place. Lauren instinctively turned her head toward me. I met her gaze, cold and unblinking. Inside the nightstand drawer in the master bedroom was the set of wedding bands we had picked out together. I had foolishly thought she would draw the line here. Instead, she stood up and walked straight into the main bedroom. The sound of a drawer opening echoed through the quiet apartment. A moment later, she returned carrying the velvet ring box. She opened it, took out my men’s band, and held it out to Brandon. “Put it on for now.” I stared at her, entirely rendered speechless. Brandon shook his head in panic. “No, I can’t. This belongs to Jesse.” Lauren didn’t look at me. Her voice was steady and quiet. “Just to put Mrs. Dawson at ease.” She personally slid the ring onto Brandon’s ring finger. The size was wrong. Brandon’s fingers were thinner than mine, and the metal hung loosely on his joint. He forced a smile toward the camera, but as he smiled, tears streamed down his face. “Mom, look. We’re really married.” The old woman finally closed her eyes with a peaceful smile. Lauren let out a long breath of relief. I finally stood up. My chair scraped against the hardwood floor with a sharp, deafening screech. Lauren turned around. “Jesse, where are you going?” I walked into the master bedroom, pulled my clothes out of the closet, and began tossing them into a duffel bag. Lauren followed me in, closing the door firmly behind her. “Stop acting like this. Mrs. Dawson doesn’t have much time left. I can’t trigger her right now.” “So you trigger me instead?” “You’re completely healthy! Do you really have to hold a grudge against a dying patient?” I looked up at her. The moment those words left her mouth, the air in the room turned bone-chilling cold. Lauren seemed to realize how harsh she sounded. She reached out, trying to pull me into an embrace. “Jesse, I didn’t mean it like that. I’m just so exhausted.” I stepped back, avoiding her touch. Her arms hung awkwardly in mid-air. From outside, a soft knock sounded at the door. Brandon’s voice drifted in. “Lauren, your parents are on the phone. They’re asking about the final details for the wedding banquet.” Lauren’s brows knitted even tighter. She answered the call and put it on speaker. Her mother’s sharp voice rang out immediately. “Lauren, what is going on with you and Jesse? The venue coordinator said the final payment hasn’t been confirmed yet. Your father’s colleagues have already been invited. Don’t make a fool out of us!” Lauren stole a glance at me. “Mom, the wedding might need to be postponed.” “Why?” Lauren went silent. Brandon stood near the doorway, his face pale. Finally, Lauren spoke up. “Jesse hasn’t been in a good mood lately. We pushed back getting our license, too.” The shirt in my hand slipped and dropped to the floor. Her mother instantly blew up on the phone. “Why is Jesse suddenly throwing a tantrum? You’ve been together for seven years, what is he pulling right before the finish line? You’re so busy with work, and he’s just a schoolteacher with plenty of free time. Can’t he be a little more understanding?” I stared at Lauren. She offered no explanation. She didn’t even say a single word to clarify that none of this was my fault. After the call ended, Brandon looked at me with rimmed, teary eyes. “Jesse, I’m so sorry. Did your mother-in-law misunderstand you? I can go explain it to her.” Lauren stopped him. “Don’t make things more complicated.” A bitter smile tugged at my lips. So in the end, I was the one making things complicated. I didn’t manage to leave that night. At midnight, Brandon ran a high fever, and Lauren rushed him to the emergency room in a panic. Before stepping out the door, she urged me, “Jesse, go to sleep first. I’ll come back as soon as he finishes his IV drip.” I stood in the center of the living room. “Lauren, today was supposed to be our registration day.” Her footsteps paused as she supported Brandon’s weight. “I know.” “You know, yet you’re leaving me alone here?” Brandon weakly tugged at her sleeve. “Maybe I should just go by myself.” Lauren didn’t budge, her eyes suppressed with rising anger. “Can you stop backing me into a corner at a time like this?” I let out a cold laugh. “I’m backing you into a corner?” “Brandon has a fever of a hundred and three, Jesse! A human life is at stake!” In a daze, I recalled the past few weeks. Every single one of Brandon’s tears, every moment of his fragility, always seemed immeasurably more important than me. The door clicked shut. I sat alone in the living room until the sky began to pale. Just as dawn broke, Lauren returned. Seeing me sitting on the sofa, she froze for a moment, her tone softening slightly. “Why didn’t you sleep?” I remained silent. She walked over and knelt down in front of me. “Jesse, I was wrong yesterday. I shouldn’t have said those things. Once Mrs. Dawson’s condition stabilizes, I’ll take you to the coast for a getaway, okay? Haven’t you always wanted to watch the sunrise over the ocean?” In the past, hearing those words would have melted my heart in an instant. Now, all I felt was a hollow, soul-crushing fatigue. Her phone screen lit up on the coffee table. A text from Brandon: [Lauren, my mom woke up and asked for you again. I’m sorry, I know I shouldn’t keep troubling you.] The moment Lauren saw the message, she reflexively stood up. I raised my head. “You’re leaving again?” “Mrs. Dawson needs me right now.” “Then what about me?” She stared at me in surprise. I asked her, word by word, “What am I to you right now?” Lauren pressed her knuckles against her temples. “Jesse, stop going down a rabbit hole. Of course you’re the man I’m going to marry.” “But Brandon is your legal husband.” Her face darkened instantly. “That’s just a piece of paper!” “A marriage certificate defines a marriage.” “Jesse!” It was the first time she had ever shouted at me in that harsh, sharp tone. Regretting it immediately, she lowered her voice. “I really don’t have the energy to fight with you right now. Just give me some time.” “How long?” “A month.” “Divorce registration comes with a mandatory thirty-day waiting period.” Lauren blinked, completely stunned. Evidently, she hadn’t even bothered to look into the basic legal procedures. Looking at her bewildered expression, I suddenly lost all urge to question her further. She didn’t even understand the consequences, yet she dared to gamble with my entire life. Her phone rang again. Brandon was calling directly this time. She picked up. Brandon was sobbing hysterically into the line. “Lauren, my mom says she wants to go home. Does she know she isn’t going to make it? I’m so scared, I’m really so scared…” Lauren closed her eyes tightly. “I’m coming over right now.” Hanging up, she looked down at me. “Jesse, wait for me to get back. We’ll have a proper talk.” I didn’t answer. She walked to the front door, pausing at the threshold. “I know you’re furious, but you wouldn’t actually throw me away. We’ve been together for seven years.” My chest ached with a sudden, sharp spasm. Seven years. She had finally turned those seven years into her ultimate bargaining chip. After Lauren left, I began packing my belongings. I didn’t own much. When my bag was packed, I went into the guest room to gather my books. The door was slightly ajar. Brandon’s backpack was unzipped on the desk, revealing a paper document inside. I hadn’t intended to pry. Yet the bold heading on the page—Application for Marriage Dissolution—was too glaring to ignore. The document was dated yesterday. Tucked inside was a small sticky note filled with Brandon’s neat handwriting: [Mandatory 30-day reflection period. Both parties must appear within 30 days after the period ends. If one party fails to show up, the application is automatically revoked.] He had known all along. Lauren was the only one kept in the dark. Or rather, she simply hadn’t cared enough to check. I placed the document back into his bag. Just as I turned to leave, footsteps echoed in the hallway outside. They were back. Brandon was weeping softly. “Lauren, did I ruin things between you and Jesse? He must hate me so much.” Lauren let out a tired sigh. “No, he’s just finding it hard to accept right now.” “But… will he really leave you?” Lauren remained silent for a short moment, then replied in a quiet, unwavering tone: “He won’t.” Brandon sniffled. “How can you be so sure?” “Jesse will wait for me. He can’t bring himself to let me go.” Standing behind the bedroom door, my tightly clenched fist slowly uncurled. She was right. In the past, I couldn’t bring myself to let her go. I couldn’t bear to see her work late without a warm meal. I couldn’t bear to let her handle tough work projects alone. I couldn’t bear seeing her smile through her tears after being scolded by her boss. I held onto far too many things. And that was precisely why she felt so comfortably safe when she tore my heart apart. In that singular moment, the very last flicker of hope I held for her shattered into dust. Suddenly, I didn’t want to fight for anything anymore. I opened the nightstand, walked to the dining room, and laid my wedding ring on the table. Right next to it, I placed the unfinished bag of wedding chocolates. Before leaving, I took one final look at the apartment. Every single piece of furniture had been handpicked by me, yet the space suddenly felt utterly foreign. I opened the front door. The two people standing outside turned to look at me simultaneously. Lauren asked, “Where are you going?” “Back to the school dorms.” She frowned. “It’s so late, stop throwing a fit.” She reached out, grabbing my wrist tightly. “Jesse, once Brandon’s mother passes, I promise I’ll give you a proper explanation.” I pried her fingers off my wrist, one by one. “There’s no need.” “Lauren… we’re through.”
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