Zac looked at her with a faint smile, clear admiration in his eyes.

“You look beautiful. It suits you.”

Their eyes met across the room, and for a moment, the love between them was impossible to miss.

But the irony was unbearable.

This was supposed to be her wedding dress fitting with Zac. And yet, with Xena clinging to his side, Liz suddenly felt like the outsider. Like she was the one intruding.

Her fingers tightened around the edge of her gown. Something inside her gave way—like a thread pulled too tight finally snapping.

She lifted her dress and walked slowly toward Xena.

Xena saw her coming and smiled even more brightly, tilting her head with practiced sweetness.

“Miss Smith, your is absolutely gorgeous. When I saw it, I couldn’t help but want to try one on too. You don’t mind, do you?”

Smack!

Without hesitation, Liz slapped her hard across the face.

Her voice was calm and measured. Each word dropped with weight. “What do you think now? Do I mind?”

Zac’s expression changed instantly.

“Liz, have you lost your mind?”

He rushed over and shoved her aside, lifting Xena’s chin to check the mark on her face.

The gown Liz wore had a wide skirt, and with nearly four-inch heels on, the sudden shove threw her off balance. Her ankle twisted sharply, and she collapsed to the floor.

Pain shot through her leg, but it was nothing compared to the aching hollow in her chest.

There was a time when Zac couldn’t even bear to see a single tear fall from her eyes. Now he could push her to the ground without a second thought—just to protect another woman.

He didn’t even glance her way.

Instead, he frowned at the redness on Xena’s cheek and said gently, “I’ll take you to the hospital.”

Xena shook her head and forced a smile through the sting on her cheek.

“I’m alright, Mr. Lincoln. I’ll ice it later,” Xena said, gently shaking her head. “We still have that meeting with the partners at eleven. We can’t afford to be late.”

At that moment, Zac saw how she was holding back her pain, doing her best to stay composed. The stubborn determination in her eyes made something twist in his chest. A surge of anger rose—but it wasn’t directed at her. It was aimed straight at Liz.

He turned to Liz, still sitting on the floor, and looked down at her with cool authority.

“Apologize.”

Liz met his gaze, her expression calm.

“Why should I?”

“You slapped her out of nowhere. Doesn’t that deserve an apology?” His voice grew louder, sharp with frustration. “When did you turn into this kind of person? Loud, impulsive, embarrassing?”

He looked at her like she was a stranger.

Liz gritted her teeth and slowly pushed herself up, ignoring the pain shooting through her ankle.

“You think I’ve changed? What about you, Zac? Haven’t you?”

He froze, caught off guard. Before he could respond, Xena gently tugged his sleeve, her voice soft and hesitant.

“Mr. Lincoln, please don’t fight with Miss Smith because of me. This is my fault. I shouldn’t have tried on a gown. I’m really sorry.”

Zac reached up and gently wiped away a tear at the corner of her eye.

“This isn’t your fault. You don’t owe anyone an apology. Someone else does.”

Liz felt a bitter laugh rise in her throat, but her eyes stung too much to let it out.

Eight years together. Their wedding only a month away. And now, to him, she was just “someone else.”

She looked at the man she had once loved so deeply and wondered—had he ever truly loved her at all?

Because if he had, how could he treat her like this?

And if he hadn’t, then what had the last eight years meant? Just a lie she was foolish enough to believe?

After making sure Xena was steady on her feet, Zac turned back to Liz. His eyes were cold and unyielding.

“If you won’t apologize, then don’t bother trying on the dress. We’ll postpone the wedding.”

Liz went pale. She looked into Zac’s eyes, now cold and distant, and felt a wave of hopelessness wash over her. A flicker of a bitter smile played on her lips.

He had gone to such lengths to defend Xena. One slap was all it took for him to threaten to postpone their wedding unless Liz apologized.

So this was what heartbreak felt like. A pain so sharp it hollowed her from the inside out.

She could already see it. If she gave in today, she would be swallowing this kind of humiliation for the rest of her life.

But she was done with that.

“Fine,” she said softly, just loud enough for them to hear. “If you want to postpone it, then go ahead.”

She turned without waiting for a response, lifted the hem of her dress, and walked stiffly toward the fitting room.

Her back was straight, but her limp made each step look heavier than the last.

Zac frowned as he watched her go, his face clouded and unreadable.

Xena’s cautious voice came from beside him. “Mr. Lincoln… did I mess things up?”

Zac didn’t respond. Maybe he hadn’t heard her, or maybe he just chose not to answer.

While Liz was changing out of her wedding gown, the boutique associate noticed her swollen ankle and let out a soft gasp. “Miss Smith, your ankle looks really swollen. I’ll bring you some ice in a bit.”

Liz lowered her eyes, and a sudden sting rose in them.

She hadn’t expected it, but even a boutique associate she barely knew seemed to care more than her own fiancé did.

Was it really worth it—losing herself like this over a man?

She pressed her lips together and managed a faint smile. “Alright. Thank you.”

“There’s no need to thank me. It’s part of my job.”

The associate was about to rehang the gown and go get the ice when something on the floor caught her eye. She bent down and picked it up.

“Miss Smith, your bracelet fell.”

Liz turned at the sound of her voice. The moment she saw it, her eyes briefly flickered.

“It’s broken. I can’t wear it anymore. Would you mind throwing it away for me?”

It had been a birthday gift from Zac during their third year together. The star bracelet had their initials engraved on it, followed by the word “forever.”

She used to take such good care of it. She never imagined it would break so suddenly today.

In the past, she might have been devastated. She might have seen it as a terrible sign.

But now, she didn’t care.

The associate hesitated. The bracelet looked expensive and probably could be repaired, but when she noticed how pale Liz looked, she decided not to bring it up. After rehanging the gown, she quietly walked off with the bracelet in hand.

Just as she reached the trash can and was about to toss it in, a cold voice stopped her.

“What are you holding?”

Startled, she turned around and saw Zac standing there, his expression icy.

“It’s Miss Smith’s bracelet,” she replied quickly. “It broke while she was trying on the dress. She said she couldn’t wear it anymore and asked me to throw it away.”

A flicker of coldness flashed through Zac’s eyes. He recognized the bracelet instantly. It was the one he had given Liz for her birthday.

He had just given Xena a nearly identical bracelet. So now Liz was throwing this one away on purpose, trying to make him feel guilty?

His gaze darkened, and the air around him seemed to tighten.

“Give—”

Before he could finish, Xena’s voice rang out behind him, sweet and perfectly timed.

“Mr. Lincoln, I’m done changing.”

His outstretched hand froze in midair. A moment later, he pulled it back and turned to face her, his expression softening.

“Alright. Let’s go.”

“Shouldn’t we at least say goodbye to Miss Smith? Also, what were you talking about with the associate just now?”

“It’s nothing. We don’t need to wait.”

Xena gave the associate a curious glance but didn’t press further. She knew Zac well. If he didn’t want to talk about something, pushing him would only irritate him.

Over the years, she had used that very tendency to quietly drive a wedge between Zac and Liz more than once.

By the time Liz stepped out of the fitting room, Zac and Xena were already getting ready to leave.

Out of the corner of her eye, Liz caught sight of them walking away side by side. Her fingers curled slowly into a fist, but her face stayed calm.

She once read a quote that said, “When disappointment builds up long enough, letting go becomes easy.”

Maybe her time with Zac was finally coming to an end.

When Jane stepped into the bridal boutique, she found Liz sitting quietly on the couch, flipping through a bridal catalog. She looked calm and composed, almost too composed.

Jane glanced around but didn’t see Zac. Her brow furrowed as she walked over. “Where’s Zac?”

“He left.”

Jane’s expression darkened. “He just left you here by yourself?”

Liz lowered her gaze. Her fingers absentmindedly traced the image of a wedding gown on the page. She didn’t answer.

Seeing her like that, Jane felt a mix of frustration and sadness. She decided to shift the mood. “So? How was the fitting?”

“I liked it. I even took some pictures.”

“Show me.”

The moment Jane saw the photos, her eyes lit up. “Wow. You look incredible. That dress is made for you. When I get married, you’re designing mine too. No backing out.”

A faint smile touched Liz’s lips. “Deal.”

Jane zoomed in on one of the photos and let out a low whistle. “Honestly, Zac doesn’t deserve you. He must’ve saved the world in his last life to land someone like you.”

Liz’s smile faltered. The truth was, Zac had never really wanted this wedding. She was the one who kept pushing for it.

Noticing the shift in her mood, Jane put the phone down and studied her. “Did you two fight again?”

Liz didn’t want to worry her. She shook her head. “No. I’m just a little tired from the fitting.”

“That’s nothing compared to the actual wedding day. You’ll be changing outfits, giving toasts... Oh, and are you inviting your family?”

At the mention of her family, Liz’s hands tensed slightly. “I haven’t decided yet.”

“Alright. No pressure. You still have time before the invites go out.”

Liz gave a small nod. In truth, she wasn’t even sure the wedding was still happening. After everything that had unfolded earlier that day, she wasn’t sure if she even wanted it to.

Later, as Jane finished trying on her bridesmaid dress and got ready to leave, she noticed Liz’s ankle was swollen.

“What happened?”

“I twisted it in heels.”

Jane frowned. “That looks pretty bad. Let me take you to the hospital.”

Liz shook her head. “It’s alright. I’m not that fragile. I’ll put some ointment on it and rest. It’ll be fine in a few days.”

“You’re way too hard on yourself. Back in college, you wouldn’t even get a flu shot without Zac sweet-talking you for half an hour. That was the real ‘fragile’ you.”

Liz paused, then gave a bitter smile.

Back then, she had allowed herself to be fragile because Zac loved her and made her feel safe.

Now, all that care and attention belonged to someone else. If she showed weakness now, Zac would probably just see her as needy and overdramatic.

On the way home, Jane stopped by a pharmacy to pick up something for the swelling. She dropped Liz off at her apartment and made her promise to use it regularly before heading out.

Once she was alone in the quiet apartment, the scene at the bridal boutique replayed in Liz’s mind. Her eyes gradually lost their light.

Zac hadn’t come back since that argument. And unlike before, Liz hadn’t chased after him with calls or messages. Neither of them had reached out. They were locked in a silent standoff, each waiting for the other to make the first move.

On the tenth day of silence, Liz tossed another piece of jewelry into the trash.

This time, it didn’t sting quite as much.

Maybe if things kept going like this, she would finally let go. Maybe then she would be strong enough to walk away.

Because she was tired of hoping, only to be disappointed over and over again.

*

That afternoon, Jane dropped by after a meeting.

“So, how’s wedding prep going? Need any help?” she asked as she kicked off her heels. “There’s only a month left, but I still haven’t seen an invite. And Zac doesn’t seem to be doing much either.”

Jane had never been a fan of their relationship. But Liz was her best friend, and if Liz had her heart set on marrying Zac, she would support her no matter what.

Liz looked down and pressed her lips together. “The wedding might get postponed.”

Jane’s head snapped up. “Postponed? Don’t tell me Zac’s trying to back out.”

“No... We just had a fight.”

“A bad one?”

Jane knew Liz. She could tolerate a lot. If she was even hinting that things were off, it had to be serious.

Liz hesitated. “Yeah. Kind of.”

Jane sighed, but before she could say more, something in the trash caught her eye. Her gaze shifted, then widened in disbelief.

“Wait... Is that your sleep bracelet? You threw it out?” Her voice rose in shock. “What the hell did you two fight about?”

Back when Liz struggled with insomnia and the doctors couldn’t figure out what was wrong, Zac had gone above and beyond to help her. He had found a company that made custom sleep bracelets, supposedly designed to promote calm and rest. He had it shipped in from overseas, and even flew out to pick it up himself.

Liz wore it every single day for over a year. She treated it like a lifeline—so much so that she never even let Jane touch it.

And now it was sitting in the trash.

Liz gave it a brief glance, but said nothing. Her expression was unreadable.

“I’ll let you know if the wedding date gets confirmed,” she said quietly.

Jane studied her for a moment. Liz looked exhausted, emotionally and physically drained.

She stood up, her voice softening. “Alright. Just... if you need anything, call me, okay?”

“I will.”

*

Three days later, just before dinner, Liz got a call from a colleague.

“Miss Smith, your friend and your fiancé’s secretary just got into a fight at a restaurant!”

Startled, Liz fumbled with the knife she was holding and sliced her finger. Blood welled up at the tip.

She quickly jotted down the address, rinsed the cut, wrapped her hand, and rushed out the door.

When she arrived at the restaurant, she ran straight into Zac at the entrance.

He didn’t even glance at her. His expression was ice-cold, his eyes unreadable. Without a word, he brushed past her and walked inside like she wasn’t even there.

Liz paused to steady herself, then followed him in.

Jane was seated by the window, arms crossed and wearing a faint, icy smile. Across from her sat Xena, looking disheveled and on the verge of tears.

Next to Xena was another woman around the same age, whispering in her ear and shooting daggers at Jane every few seconds.

Zac strode over to the table. The moment he got close, Xena stood up and flung herself into his arms, her voice trembling with emotion.

“Mr. Lincoln… Tiana and I were just having dinner when Miss Stone walked up and slapped me. Twice.”

Zac turned to Jane, his eyes blazing. His voice came out low and sharp.

“I want an explanation.”

Jane didn’t flinch. She leaned back in her chair and gave a slow shrug, her tone laced with sarcasm.

“So do I. Why would you bring your mistress to a wedding dress fitting with your fiancée?”