Chapter 2
I could hardly believe it; he had the audacity to cheat on me so openly and still dare to question me.
As I opened the door, there stood Elias, his glare sharp and filled with fury. The moment he laid eyes on me, his brows knitted together in frustration.
With no hesitation, he began to hurl accusations at me, his voice filled with indignation. “Do
you think marriage is just a game? You can’t simply call off an engagement because it suits you!”
He went on, “What’s with this tantrum? I’m already drowning in work, and now you want to add to my stress?”
The delivery man looked like a deer caught in headlights, but I remained composed as I took my food and thanked him.
My calmness seemed to provoke Elias even more as he seized the meal from my hands and flung it to the ground, sending it crashing everywhere.
The delivery guy stood there, bewildered, but I managed to suppress my anger and instructed him to leave before turning back to Elias, irritation bubbling beneath the surface.
His face still retained its handsome allure, yet all the affection I once harbored for him had evaporated, replaced by a deep–seated disgust.
He crushed the food container underfoot, sneering, “You think this is over? You owe me an explanation! How can you even think of eating when we haven’t resolved this?”
This unreasonable and disrespectful side of him made me question everything I had ever
loved about him.
Did I truly cherish his blatant disregard for me? Or perhaps it was his childish tantrums that had once drawn me in?
With a chilling gaze, I confronted him. “Do you really think there’s anything left for us to settle? Weren’t you already in Valeria’s bed last night?”
His expression flickered for just an instant, but he swiftly regained his composure, flashing a confident smirk. “Are you jealous? Is that why you called off the engagement? I know you’re not really serious about this. Just say you lost a game of truth or dare last night, alright?”
Exhausted? The nerve he had was astounding.
Of course, he was.
He had spent the entire night wrapped in the arms of another woman.
No apologies, no explanations, just the audacity to assume I couldn’t live without him. But love had slipped through my fingers like sand, and I felt no ties remaining. “If you’re done talking, leave. If you want to get married, go find Valeria.”
I began to shut the door, but he wedged his hand in, the edge biting into his skin, leaving angry red marks in its wake.
When I finally released my grin and stepped back he misread the gesture as a sign of
2/3 27.8%,
Chanter 2
1
10:53 Sun, 13 Ape
65%
a confident smirk. Are you jealous? Is that why you called off the engagement? I know you’re not really serious about this. Just say you lost a game of truth or dare last night, alright?”
Exhausted? The nerve he had was astounding.
Of course, he was.
He had spent the entire night wrapped in the arms of another woman.
No apologies, no explanations, just the audacity to assume I couldn’t live without him. But love had slipped through my fingers like sand, and I felt no ties remaining. “If you’re done talking, leave. If you want to get married, go find Valeria.”
I began to shut the door, but he wedged his hand in, the edge biting into his skin, leaving angry red marks in its wake.
When I finally released my grip and stepped back, he misread the gesture as a sign of softening, pulling me into his embrace.
The scent of another woman’s perfume assaulted my senses, causing me to recoil in revulsion.
I instinctively pushed him away, my voice sharp as I demanded, “Get off me!”
His eyes widened in disbelief, shock etching his features. “Elsie, you’re telling me to get out?”
In the ten years of our relationship, I had never uttered a harsh word to him; this was the very first time.
He glared at me, a mix of anger and disbelief flashing in his eyes, but I stood my ground, unwavering.
Meeting his gaze with cold resolve, I declared, “Elias, I’ll say this one last time: we’re over. You wouldn’t want everyone to know you spent the night with Valeria on the eve of our engagement, would you?”
Startled, he still gripped my shoulder with his injured hand, his voice laced with incredulity. “What are you talking about? I didn’t do anything like that. Did someone tell you otherwise?”
Elias had always been forceful and overbearing, never once allowing a hint of vulnerability to surface in my presence.
In the past, I would have held his hand, shouldering all the blame myself.
But now, I sensed he wouldn’t grasp the truth until it struck him squarely in the face.
So, without hesitation, I pulled up the photo Valeria had sent me.
The moment he caught sight of it, his eyes narrowed. I couldn’t resist the urge to be sarcastic. “Look at the angle of this shot. Who do you think took it? She’s practically rubbing it in my face. Shouldn’t I just step aside gracefully and let you two enjoy your romance?”
I added, “I have no interest in playing out some cliché love triangle. May you and Valeria have a wonderful life together.”
L
Chapter 2
213
278%
10:53 Sun, 13 Apr
Suuདང.
His expression darkened, and he attempted to clarify, “Valeria has cancer.”
I let out a dry laugh. “And what does that have to do with me?”
65%
His voice softened, almost regretful. “Her last wish was to have a fake wedding with me. I didn’t engage in anything with her last night, and I don’t even know when that picture was taken. Please, don’t think of me as some lowlife.”
I scoffed in disbelief. “So you felt sorry for your ex with cancer and abandoned me on the night before our engagement to pretend to marry her? There’s a picture of it, and now you’re accusing me of having a dirty mind? Elias, you truly are a model of nobility and kindness.”
I pressed on, “If you feel that strongly for her, why not make it official? Go ahead, announce it to everyone. Clearly, I’m not worthy of someone as compassionate as you.”
Elias’s eyes glistened with unshed tears, yet he stubbornly clung to my sleeve. “Stop saying that.”
Just as I was about to urge him to leave, my phone rang. It was Elias’s mother.
The moment he saw the caller ID, his demeanor shifted, and he pleaded, “My mom has a heart condition. Please don’t say anything that might upset her.”
I took a deep breath, steadying myself before answering the call.
After all, Elias’s parents were nothing like him; they had always treated me with kindness and respect.
His parents persistently invited me for dinner, their hints suggesting they suspected something was amiss with Elias.
They even offered to apologize on his behalf if he had indeed done wrong.
Their humility and kindness were a refreshing contrast to Elias’s arrogant demeanor, a classic case of good parents raising a wayward son.
As I recalled how my ten years of devotion had been in vain, I felt a strong urge to hang up. Nevertheless, despite my lingering bitterness, I found myself accepting their invitation. After all, this wasn’t their fault, and calling off the engagement warranted an in–person discussion, a gesture of respect for them.
10:53 Sun, 13 Apr
Chapter 3
