Love Ends Before Dawn

My fiancé’s first love developed photophobia. She became so fragile that she had to stay indoors.

Despite knowing about my claustrophobia, he painted our entire wedding room pitch black, then demanded I sing lullabies to help her sleep.

When I accidentally left a tiny gap in the curtains, she went into shock and fainted.

My fiancé even turned our wedding venue into something resembling a funeral, all for her.

“If you can't accommodate Claire, then there's no need for us to get married!”

But when I truly grew cold and turned to leave, he went mad trying to find me.

***

I had just gone to inspect the wedding house, only to discover that the off-white embossed wallpaper had been completely painted black and all the curtains had been replaced with thick black velvet.

The crystal chandelier, which I had spent half a month choosing, had been thrown straight into the trash.

Terrified, I quickly called David, but he responded indifferently, "I made the changes because Claire is moving in."

I was anxious. “I spent 42 thousand dollars on the renovations. How could you just change everything without asking? Besides…”

Besides, I had claustrophobia and I was terrified of the dark. I even had an electronic diagnosis from the hospital on my phone.

"It's just a house! Claire has photophobia and can never be exposed to strong light for the rest of her life. Your design style would only harm her!" David impatiently hung up the phone.

By evening, he rushed into the bedroom, holding Claire, who was wearing a black cloak.

"Quick, get the heart medication! Some idiot downstairs was flashing his high beams and it scared Claire badly."

Seeing that I didn’t move, he angrily gave me a shove. "Noria, are you deaf? I told you to get it, hurry up!"

Without thinking, I grabbed the heart medication and handed it to him.

He coaxed Claire to take the pills with the gentleness of soothing a child, even tenderly wiping her lips with his thumb, as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

Watching this scene, a wave of bitterness surged through my heart.

Afterward, David said to me, “Claire’s photophobia is getting worse. We need to take good care of her during this time.”

I swallowed hard, “But this is our wedding house and it’s really not convenient. How about I book her a hotel...?”

David’s voice suddenly shot up an octave. “Claire’s condition is very serious! A slight mistake could be fatal and you dare to suggest putting her in a hotel? Noria, you’re becoming increasingly selfish. I’ll make the decision: Claire must stay in our home and you can sleep in the guest room.”

I stared at David in shock, but the next moment, he shut the door.

The guest room was cramped and small, with walls painted like a black box.

As someone who was extremely afraid of the dark, just standing inside made my hairs stand on end and my whole body felt cold.

I couldn’t help but think about David calling me selfish. If I were truly a selfish person, how could I have devoted myself to him like a lovesick fool for eight years?

Claire was David’s childhood sweetheart. He had been her knight since they were young.

Later, when Claire’s biological father was imprisoned, she and her mother left, cutting off all contact with David.

But I loved David deeply; otherwise, I wouldn’t have resolutely stayed by his side for eight years, even knowing he had feelings for someone else.

However, ever since the day Claire returned, David had frequently stayed out all night.

Every time I asked him where he had been, he would just make an excuse about meeting with clients.

But no client meeting lasts all night. He was simply using it as an excuse to be with Claire.

I was deceiving myself, pretending not to see the photos Claire posted of herself resting on David's arm.