At our bachelor party, Harry Cole, my fiance and I played Truth or Dare with his friends. We spun the bottle, and it stopped in front of Joanna, a woman he had known since childhood. The dare was to do the deed with the person placed right next to you, and Harry had been sitting beside her the entire evening.

Feeling uncomfortable, I quickly said, “Why don’t you just pick Truth instead of Dare?”

Joanna, however, did not back down. She sent me a look full of contempt and replied, “Don’t be such a prude, Suzie. It’s not that big of a deal. If I don’t mind, why should you?”

She then looked at Harry. “Do you mind, Harry?”

Everyone around us started cheering them on.

Someone said, “Suzie can’t have fun to save her own life. If Harry doesn’t want to, I will gladly do it. Pick me, Joanna!”

I grabbed Harry’s hand and turned to leave, but he flung my hand off.

“What about Joanna? She has no one to help her if I leave. We’re about to get married, Suzie. Can’t I have one last night of freedom?”

After saying that, he pinned Joanna under him, and his friends just cheered even more.

I stared at him and Joanna.

At that moment, I no longer saw a future for us.

The people around me actively fanned the flames while enjoying the spectacle. They filmed Harry and Joanna through the glass window of the karaoke room. The room was not completely soundproof, and I could clearly hear Joanna’s moans through the door.

Joanna’s best friend pointed her phone camera at me with a smile.

“It’s just a game, Suzie. You’re not mad at them, are you? Jojo doesn’t walk back on things she promised to do! Besides, Harry should be happy. This is Jojo’s first time!”

Someone said teasingly, “Joanna is a good sport, unlike somebody.”

Naturally, the person they referred to was me, who suggested that we cancel the game.

A moment later, Harry walked out shirtless. His body was covered with scratches and hickeys. It looked like things had gotten really intense in the room.

I came up to him and wanted to take him away. However, before I could say anything, Harry yanked my jacket off me with force. He was so rough that he tore off the fake nails I had put on for the wedding, and I burst into tears from the pain.

Without even checking on me, he said, “I accidentally tore Jojo’s shirt, so you should lend her your jacket.” Then, he looked at me with displeasure. “I just told you to lend her a jacket. Why are you crying?”

Joanna said lazily from inside the room, “I have to fulfill my promise, Harry. We have to do it all night.”

Everyone around us screamed at the top of their lungs and egged him on, “You hear that, Harry? Joanna is asking you to keep going! You’re not going to back down, are you?”

Harry smiled with resignation. He could not hide the doting look in his eyes.

“Seriously, this girl. Looks like she won’t leave me alone tonight. Go buy me a box of condoms, Suzie.”

I caught his eyes and showed my dismay.

Harry rubbed his forehead. “Don’t start a fight with me, Suzie. We’re about to get married. You shouldn’t be so petty. I’m yours forever, okay?”

I stared at him, my future husband, fixedly.

Suddenly, I felt as if I no longer knew him.

Joanna’s best friend laughed so hard that her shoulders started shaking. While I was numb in shock, she pointed at me and said, “You hear him, Suzie? He’s asking you to go buy some condoms!”

She was still recording me, so I smacked her phone out of the way and sneered at Harry.

“Forget about condoms. If she gets pregnant, you’ll have a family of three. Joanna has been wanting to sleep with you since forever. Have your way! I’ll back out and let her have you!”

Joanna appeared behind Harry fully naked, and her cheeks were wet with tears.

“I know you’ve always disliked me, Suzie, but this is just a game! I didn’t know you would be such a poor sport! Since you’re upset, I won’t continue the challenge with Harry. I’ll pick someone else, alright?”

Harry quickly put himself between the two of us. Then, he draped my jacket around her shoulders.

“What are you talking about?” he said to her. “I won’t hand you over to another man!”

After that, he turned to glare at me. His previously cold expression was taken over by rage.

“Apologize to her, Suzie!”

I could not help but feel amused. I lifted my chin and held his gaze firmly.

Seeing that I refused to do as he said, Harry seemed very disappointed. “I only see Joanna as my little sister. Can you stop making a fuss about this?”

I retorted, “Little sister? What kind of little sister sleeps with her brother? I’ve never seen one who is so shameless!”

As soon as I said that, Harry slapped me across the face so hard that my head hit the wall. I felt as if the world was spinning, and my cheek was burning. I held back tears and looked at Harry, who glared at his own hand. He seemed both angry and ashamed at once.

A hint of remorse appeared in his eyes. “I shouldn’t have hit you, but you insulted her first!”

Joanna looked at me smugly, but she spoke meekly, “It’s all my fault. Don’t be mad at Suzie, Harry. It’s on me. I shouldn’t be a stickler for rules. I shouldn’t have picked you!”

Harry held Joanna with the hand he had used to strike me and comforted her in a soft voice. I could not help it anymore. I burst into tears again before turning around and running out of the karaoke place. There I was met with heavy rain and ended up completely soaked.

Since I left in a hurry, I forgot to take my phone with me. I did not want to head back in and run into them again, so I walked back home alone and only arrived at my house three hours later.

Once I got home, I headed back to my bedroom to get changed just as Harry tiptoed out of it. Seeing that I was soaked through, a pained expression flashed across his face, and he grabbed a towel to dry my hair.

“What are you doing to yourself? You’re a grown woman. You shouldn’t act like this just because you’re mad at me.”

I recalled that he had just slept with Joanna and avoided his hands. “Don’t touch me. You disgust me!”

Our eyes met, and I stared at him in silence. Then, I smelled Joanna’s favorite rose fragrance coming from him. Repugnance instantly filled my mind and flipped my stomach. I shoved him out of the way to get to the toilet and puke my guts out.

When I came out, Harry was standing near the doorway with a sneer on his face.

“Do I disgust you that much, Suzie?”

I wiped my mouth and eyed him coldly.

“Yes, you gross me out!”

He grabbed my throat in response and glared at me with a snarl.

“I treated you way too nicely if you think you can control what I do or speak as you please!”

I looked away, refusing him access to me, which only fed his anger. My thin, wet shirt was suddenly tugged at and ripped away, startling me into covering my chest.

Harry was quick to mock my modesty. “We’re about to get married. Drop your prudish act!”

He then slammed my back against the door and, without any preparation, started forcing himself on me.

I trembled in excruciating pain, but Harry refused to stop.

It was plain torture.

Once it was over, I was so weak and spent that I could barely stand. Harry carried me in his arms and put me on the couch when the bedroom door opened. Joanna stepped out wearing my pajamas.

Seeing me naked, anger flickered in her eyes.

“What are you waiting for, Harry? You helped me wash up this evening after we were done. Why don’t you do the same for Suzie too?”

Harry lit a cigarette and looked at the mess he had made of me.

“Alright, Joanna. Help Suzie wash up!”

I shoved Joanna away when she reached out to me. I went to the bathroom by myself, enduring the pain in my body. Harry had been careless and rough with me; I was covered with blotches of green and purple bruises. They looked horrific.

I stared at my pale and gloomy reflection with an aching heart.

By the time I finished showering and came out, the dining table was filled with food that Joanna had prepared. She was wearing a low-cut dress with thin straps, which emphasized her large bosom. There was no hiding the desire from Harry’s eyes.

When Joanna saw me, she kept up the nice act and greeted me warmly.

“Done cleaning up? Come over and dine with us, Suzie. I asked Harry about your tastes and made these shrimps you like!”

I tried to ignore her and headed to my bedroom; however, Harry grabbed my hand so roughly that I could not help wincing in pain.

“What are you doing? Were you not taught any manners? Joanna cooked for you, so you should try and eat it all, even if you’re not hungry.”

He pulled me toward a chair, and I followed in a tired and mechanical motion.

Joanna picked up a ladle and served us some mushroom soup, acting like the lady of the house I owned.

Strangely enough, Harry, who did not like being disturbed while he dined, allowed Joanna to do whatever she wished.

I finished my food quickly and went back to my bedroom.

This time, no one stopped me.

When I stepped into my bedroom, I was overwhelmed by the heavy rose fragrance in the air. A few hours of absence had turned it into a completely different place. A third toothbrush had appeared on the bathroom countertop that used to belong to just me and Harry. Joanna’s stuff also was on my vanity table.

She walked into the room and stood beside me with a smile.

“My tenancy at my previous place was over. Harry said that there was still plenty of room in the house, so he invited me to stay here for now! The housekeeper has yet to clean the guest room, so I moved my things into yours. I didn’t touch any of your belongings. You don’t mind me sleeping in your room for a few days, do you?”

I turned to look at Harry, who seemed unbothered.

He said, “The housekeeper will come over tomorrow afternoon, so she’ll just be in the room for one night!”

I could not contain my laughter, which made Harry glare at me angrily. “What are you laughing about?”

I looked down and shook my head before starting to pack my things. But Harry grabbed me again.

“What are you doing?”

I shook him off. “The bed is too small for three people. I’ll clean the guest room and sleep there.”

Hearing that, Harry smiled and sat on the bed. “That’s right, Suzie. From now on, don’t throw tantrums or get jealous of Joanna.”

Joanna giggled joyfully and went on his lap. “It’s fine. I don’t mind. Suzie just loves you too much.”

I nodded calmly and said, “I won’t do that again.”

It was because I no longer saw a future for me and Harry.

The next morning, I got up and went to the jewelry store. I wanted to return the diamond rings I had ordered and get a refund.

Right outside the store, I heard Joanna’s voice before I even walked through the door.

“This diamond ring suits me well, Harry. I also saw one on Suzie. I want this design!”

Harry said dotingly, “This is the design of my and Suzie’s wedding rings. She is quite petty and spiteful, so if she sees you wearing the same ring as her, she will throw another tantrum!”

Joanna was displeased. “Then I won’t wear it in public! Please, Harry!”

Harry could not say no to her, so he relented and did what she asked.

At the door, I calmly listened to their entire conversation and only entered the store after they had both left. The sales agent happened to know me because she had watched me and Harry pick our wedding rings. She stared at me as she hummed and hawed, seeming to want to tell me something. I stopped her with a smile and let her know that I was aware of everything that had happened earlier on.

The return and refund process went smoothly. I held my twenty thousand dollars and felt rather relieved. It was the money that my mom had left me. She had told me to buy a pair of diamond rings with it when I got married so that, in a way, she could watch me get married despite being gone.

I used to think that Harry was my everything, so I purchased the diamond rings without hesitation.

But things had changed. He was no longer worthy of me.