When Ryder's professor sent him yet another email, he glanced around his cold, empty home.

Faced with Seth's relentless provocations, Ryder made up his mind—he would leave Laura.

With the wedding fast approaching, Ryder decided to give Laura the perfect ceremony—one that would please both her and Seth.

His departure, however, would be the biggest surprise of the event.

But after Ryder walked away, Laura looked at the groom standing at the altar, lost control, and destroyed the wedding in a fit of madness.

The computer beeped a few times.

Ryder Lineker opened his email and clicked on the latest message from his professor, James Irwin.

James: [Ryder, we are currently facing a talent shortage at the university, and you are one of the most promising students I've ever had. I am once again inviting you to return for further studies and to consider a faculty position.

[I sincerely hope you'll give my offer serious consideration. I look forward to your positive response.]

Similar emails had already piled up in Ryder's inbox.

Ryder glanced toward the bedroom door.

The hallway was pitch-black—Laura Moon still hadn't come home.

His phone buzzed. It was a message from Laura.

Laura: [Sweetheart, I'm working on designing our wedding venue. I'll probably be busy late into the night. You should go to bed first.]

Ryder scrolled through his social media feed.

As expected, Laura's assistant, Seth Yarde, had posted an update.

Seth: [Thanks to Laura for expanding my horizons! This wedding venue is so luxurious—I'm really jealous!]

Ryder clicked on the photo Seth had posted.

In the corner of the picture, there was a pair of slender, fair hands wearing a sparkling ring. From the angle, the hand rested lightly on Seth's.

Ryder looked down at his own ring—their engagement ring.

He let out a bitter laugh and, as usual, gave Seth's post a like.

Laura wouldn't see it anyway. After all, Seth's posts were always set to be visible only to Ryder.

Ryder glanced at the calendar. There was just over a month until their wedding.

His gaze returned to the email on his computer. He stared at it for a long time before finally picking up his phone and calling his professor.

"Thank you, Professor Irwin. I've thought it over. Please give me some time to wrap things up here.

"I'll return in a month to continue my studies, and if the opportunity arises, I'll consider taking a faculty position," he said.

James was thrilled. He had high hopes for Ryder, though after so many unanswered emails, he had nearly given up. This unexpected phone call was a pleasant surprise.

After hanging up, Ryder began sorting out his affairs.

Packing his luggage wasn't urgent, but handing off his domestic projects required immediate attention.

While he was neck-deep in work, his phone rang. It was Laura.

"Hello, Ryder," Laura said.

"Uh… What's up?" Ryder asked.

Startled by the sudden ringtone, he nearly sent an email to the wrong recipient.

"What are you doing? You sound like you've been spooked," Laura said.

"It's nothing. Fuzzy just jumped off her cat tree," Ryder replied.

Fuzzy was a stray cat the two of them had adopted. Now three years old, it loved climbing and jumping around the house.

Back when Fuzzy was just a tiny kitten, they had found her barely clinging to life in a trash-filled corner of the park. Covered in filth, Ryder had stubbornly carried her home.

One time, there was a gas leak in their apartment. Fuzzy had meowed relentlessly by his side until he briefly regained consciousness and managed to call Laura. Both he and the cat were saved.

Since then, Fuzzy had become more precious to Ryder than his own life.

On the other end of the line, Laura chuckled. "No wonder. In this house, Fuzzy gets more of your attention than I do."

"That's not true. Anyway, why did you call me?" Ryder asked.

"Did you see the message I sent earlier? You didn't reply, so I was worried," Laura explained.

"Oh, that. Yeah, I saw it, but I was a little sleepy and forgot to reply…" Ryder said.

His voice trailed off as he suddenly heard an inappropriate sound in the background. "Laura, look at this suit I'm wearing! Doesn't it match your wedding dress perfectly?"

The man hadn't bothered lowering his voice, so Ryder heard it loud and clear.

There was a brief but unmistakable panic in Laura's tone. "Uh, Ryder, the venue designer is calling me over. I have to go. Get some rest, okay?"

Before he could respond, she had already hung up.

Ryder stared at his phone for a long time. Then he let out a bitter laugh and turned back to his work.

-

Close to midnight, Laura sent over the venue designs and wedding outfits.

Ryder opened the attachments.

The wedding dress was stunning, and the suit looked sharp. It was clear she had put a lot of thought into it.

But her heart—it had already been divided into pieces, scattered who knew where.

At the same time, Seth updated his feed again, once more setting it to be visible only to Ryder.

Seth: [I wish I could be the one standing by your side.]

The accompanying photo showed Seth in a suit, standing next to Laura.

Even though their faces had been blurred, Ryder recognized them instantly.

The suit Seth was wearing was nearly identical to the one Laura had just sent him.

A wave of nausea washed over Ryder for no reason at all.

Laura didn't come home for several days, always claiming she was busy with wedding preparations whenever Ryder asked.

Three days later, the aroma of food filled the air as Ryder woke early in the morning.

Laura bustled about in the kitchen with a spatula in hand, wearing an apron. On the living room table sat a gift box.

"You're up! Breakfast will be ready soon. Sit down and relax. Oh, and that box on the table? It's a gift for you—open it and see if you like it," Laura said cheerfully.

Instead of opening the gift, Ryder asked, "What made you think of giving me a gift all of a sudden?"

Laura's eyes flickered nervously. "No reason. Do I need one to buy something for my soon-to-be husband?"

Ryder could see through her.

She was gambling—betting he hadn't overheard Seth's phone call or, if he had, that he didn't care.

She probably won that bet. Truthfully, he didn't care anymore.

He opened the gift box to reveal a flashy, expensive mechanical watch, the kind young men might find cool. Unfortunately, he preferred quartz watches.

This watch seemed like something Seth would love.

Ryder chuckled. "Your taste has changed quite a bit."

Laura froze, glancing at him from the kitchen. Her expression tightened with worry.

"But I like it," he added.

Relief softened her features. "As long as you like it."

Fuzzy, their cat, circled Laura's feet, meowing incessantly.

"Before the wedding, let's take Fuzzy for a family portrait," Laura suggested.

"Oh, sure—if you have time," Ryder replied.

Soon, the table was set with a spread of dishes.

Looking over the feast, Ryder smiled. "Quite the breakfast."

Laura removed her apron and sat beside him, reaching out as if to hug him.

Sensing her intent, Ryder moved slightly, creating a small gap between them.

Her hands hung awkwardly in midair before she pulled them back, her expression caught between embarrassment and forced cheer.

Something about Ryder felt different today. He wasn't sulking, as he might have in the past. Instead, he seemed unsettlingly calm.

Finally, Laura patted her legs lightly. "I've been so busy lately. I knew you'd be upset, so I did all this to make it up to you. Don't be mad, okay? I'm doing it for us—for the wedding."

Ryder turned to her with a faint smile. "I'm not mad. Let's eat."

Before he could pick up his utensils, the doorbell rang.

Laura jumped up to answer it.

As soon as the door opened, Seth's voice echoed, loud and clear. "Ta-da! Laura, you're so scatterbrained. You forgot the design plans again, so the project manager sent me to bring them over."

Laura froze momentarily, then quickly grabbed the plans from his hands, attempting to usher him out.

"What's the rush, Laura? It smells amazing in here. Are you having breakfast? I haven't eaten yet!" Seth said, clasping his hands together in exaggerated pleading.

Laura grew flustered, focused on pushing him out the door. "Seth, just go for now. I'll catch up with you later..."

"Is that Seth?" Ryder called from the dining table. "If you haven't eaten, come in and join us before you go."

Seth's face lit up in mock surprise. "Oh, Ryder! I didn't realize you were home. My bad, my bad. I thought you weren't here."

Ryder tilted his head, raising an eyebrow. "Oh? This is my house. It's early morning. If I'm not here, where would I be?"

Seth faltered, his expression uneasy as he turned to Laura for support.

Laura glanced at Ryder, her brows knitting together briefly.

In the end, she didn't reprimand him. Instead, she allowed Seth inside.

"Ryder, Seth is just a kid. You're a grown man. Don't take it personally," she said with a faint smile.

Seth quickly added, "Yeah, Ryder. It was careless of me. Please don't hold it against me!"

Ryder said nothing, his expression impassive as he picked up his utensils and began eating.

As soon as Seth sat down, his eyes lit up as he pointed at the gift box on the table.

"Laura and I picked out this watch together last night!" he exclaimed.

Ryder glanced at Laura, noticing her gaze was fixed on Seth. Her eyes were warm, and her faint smile carried a subtle tenderness.

"You've got a good eye," she said, adding food to Seth's plate. "He really likes it."

Seth turned to Ryder. "Ryder, don't blame Laura. She stayed up so late last night working on the wedding plans. Good thing I was there to help, or she wouldn't have even had time to drink water."

Although his words were directed at Ryder, his gaze lingered on Laura, his expression faintly accusatory.

Laura shot him a playful glare. "Alright, alright, you've done so much. Thank you."

At the table, Ryder might as well have been invisible. He couldn't get a word in.

For a moment, he laughed bitterly to himself before quickly masking his emotions.

"I'm done eating," he said. "You two go ahead. I have something I need to take care of."

Laura finally turned her attention to him. "Alright. Be careful on the road."

As Ryder stood, his eyes caught on Laura's neckline—it was bare.

"What happened to the necklace I gave you?" he asked.

Laura instinctively touched her collar. "Oh, the pearl necklace? It broke, so I put it away."

Her voice was hesitant, her explanation weak.

Ryder didn't press her. He simply turned and walked out the door. Before it closed completely, he could still hear their voices from inside.

-

Ryder met up with his close friend, Harry Milliman, at a custom suit shop.

The two had known each other since childhood.

When Ryder's parents were still alive, their families had business dealings together. They'd studied abroad at the same time and had grown closer over the years.

This was the shop where Laura had recently ordered a suit for him. Situated near the river, the store had an elegant and upscale interior.

Dressed in clothes that radiated sophistication and wealth, Ryder and Harry caught the manager's attention as soon as they stepped in.

"Are you here to order suits today?" the manager asked with a warm smile.

Ryder shook his head. "A few days ago, Ms. Laura Moon placed an order for a custom suit, right?"

"And you are?" the manager inquired.

Ryder held up his ring and a photo on his phone. "I'm her fiancé. I'm here to place an additional order."

After confirming his identity, the manager's smile widened. "Of course, sir! Will it be the same measurements?"

"No," Ryder replied. "Actually, Laura's best friend is getting married on the same day as us. To keep things coordinated, I'd like to order a matching suit for the other groom."

At that moment, Harry nudged him.

"What's up?" Ryder asked.

"Look over there. Laura," Harry muttered.

Following Harry's gaze, Ryder spotted her across the street near a bustling shopping district. She wasn't alone—Seth was with her.

Seth was carrying several large shopping bags while Laura wore his jacket over her shoulders, laughing sweetly at something he said.

Ryder only looked for a few seconds before turning away, ignoring it altogether. He handed the manager a sheet of measurements. "Please use these to make the suit."

The manager studied the numbers carefully before glancing at Harry. "These aren't for this gentleman, are they? The fit doesn't seem right for his build."

"No, it's not for him," Ryder explained. "He's just a friend who happened to come with me today."

The manager nodded in understanding. "Got it. By the way, you and Ms. Moon make such a handsome couple—a perfect match!"

Ryder smiled faintly but turned his gaze back toward the shopping district.

Laura and Seth were gone.

Before leaving, he gave the manager one final instruction. "Oh, one more thing—don't mention this to my fiancée. She doesn't know her friend is getting married on the same day. It's supposed to be a surprise at the wedding."

"Of course, Mr. Lineker. Don't worry—I won't say a word," the manager promised.

After stepping out of the shop, Harry insisted on dragging Ryder to the shopping district.

"Where'd you get those measurements?" Harry asked.

"Six months ago, Laura's company held a gala, and she asked me to get a suit made for Seth," Ryder explained.

"What?" Harry's voice was so loud it made Ryder's head throb.

"Keep your voice down," Ryder said, rubbing his temple.

"She asked you to make a suit for her assistant? The nerve of her!" Harry hissed.

Ryder chuckled helplessly.

He remembered that argument all too well. It had been one of their bigger fights, but, as always, he had ended up compromising in the end.