After that, Sean texted me a few times. I didn't respond to his messages, and he stopped sending them.

A week before my birthday, I thought I'd have to spend it alone. But just before midnight, Sean appeared in front of me despite the pouring rain, holding a cake. He put a necklace on me and apologized.

"That day was my fault," he said. "I didn't make you feel secure enough, and that's on me. Don't worry. Once this project is over, I'll talk to my family about our wedding."

After eight years together, this was the first time he had ever given me a promise like that. I counted the days, eagerly anticipating our wedding. But I would later realize that day was still far away.

After we reconciled, Sean came home every day after work, and we enjoyed our time together. For about two weeks, life felt peaceful. Then he became busy with work again.

One day, I went to dinner with my boss. As the meal ended, I noticed Sean sitting in the corner of the restaurant with Lavender.

Before I could approach, I heard him say, "This is to thank you for your suggestion. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to coax her. She used to be obedient and sensible—she's nothing like that now. Honestly, I'm sorry for dragging you into our mess that day."

Lavender suddenly looked in my direction. She flashed a smile at Sean, and said, "I heard you've been with Janelle for eight years. Why aren't you married yet?

"Do you really still like her? I don't want to see you spend your life with someone you don't love, and I don't want you to waste her time either. Promise me you'll be honest. I won't tell anyone."

I froze.

Silence stretched on for a few seconds before Sean finally said, "No matter how good a dish is, you'll get tired of it after eating it for years. But if it suddenly disappears from the menu, I can't bear it. So I'll leave it as it is."

My chest tightened, and I felt like I was on the verge of suffocating.

I strode toward him and grabbed a glass.

The moment he saw me, he immediately shielded Lavender behind him.

"Janelle, what are you doing here? Are you following me?"

His accusations and the way he was so protective of Lavender sent a dull ache throbbing in my chest. I could no longer hold back and threw the drink in his face.

The commotion drew the attention of other patrons.

Meanwhile, Lavender panicked and tried to wipe his face.

"Janelle, you can't treat Sean like that, no matter what."

I ignored her and stared right at Sean. He gently nudged Lavender aside and wiped his face.

"Janelle, no wonder you have no friends!" he spat. "No one wants to be close to you. Who could possibly tolerate your temper?"

The glass slipped from my grasp and shattered.

I never thought Sean would be so harsh toward me for another woman's sake, nor did I ever imagine he was capable of turning my trauma against me.

When I was young, Dad cheated and died with his lover at sea. Mom struggled to raise me alone. Yet, my poor family and ordinary life made me a target for bullying. I was even locked in the restroom after school as a prank.

Back then, Sean had appeared like a savior and rescued me. As he passed by, he told me not to blame myself for others' mistakes.

But now, he had completely contradicted that.

I looked at him, tears streaming uncontrollably down my face.

Yet he didn't even glance at me. He left with Lavender, leaving me in the restaurant.

On my way back, I got a call from the hospital.

Mom's condition had turned critical, and she was rushed into the ICU.

I couldn't bother to continue wallowing in grief. I had the driver change direction and sped toward the hospital.

Mom was safe for now, but the doctor told me that her condition might worsen intermittently. She had at most a month to live.

I collapsed beside her bed and bawled my eyes out. She stroked my hair, her touch as gentle as it always had been.

"Sweetheart, don't cry. It's a good thing that I'm dying. I won't drag you down anymore," she said weakly. "It's just a pity that I can't see you get married."

Wiping my tears, I held Mom's hands tightly and said firmly, "Sean proposed to me a few days ago. I had wanted to tell you this in a few days. Don't worry, Mom. I'll make sure you see me get married."

Right after I left the hospital, I called Sean. Regardless of the things that had happened between us, I hoped he'd cooperate this once.

But I didn't know this was a decision I would regret for the rest of my life.

As soon as the call connected, I quickly said, "Sean, let's get married as soon as possible. Mom's condition has worsened, and I want her to fulfill her last wish."

Sean, however, said nothing.

My heart skipped a beat.

"Sean, are you unwilling to?" I asked, my voice trembling.

He didn't reply to me and asked another question instead. "Did you know Lavender attempted suicide yesterday?

"Someone reported her to the school, saying she had been involved with someone else's relationship. Things escalated, and she attempted to jump off a building to prove her innocence. She was later rescued, but she's emotionally unstable now.

"Janelle, I'll only ask this once. Were you the snitch?"

I was baffled. Realization dawned on me, and I couldn't believe my ears.

"Sean, are you suspecting me? We've been together for eight years! Don't you know what I'm like?" I yelled, feeling wronged.

Rage boiled in me, but Sean sounded particularly calm.

"Since it wasn't you, why are you getting so worked up?" he asked. "I'm fine with bringing forward the wedding. You deal with the preparations."

With that, he hung up.

I texted him to press him about the matter, but he refused to fill me in.

Time flew, and Lavender's suicide attempt soon slipped my mind.

My schedule was packed. I tried my best to make the wedding work in just two weeks.

In those two weeks, Sean and I never met. We tried on the gowns and suits separately, and he only replied to my messages once every three days.

Whenever I asked about it, he'd say he was swamped with work, busy wrapping up his projects. So I stopped asking. I took charge of everything for the wedding, so he didn't have to worry about anything.

Then came our big day.

Dressed in my wedding gown, I waited for Sean from morning till night. Hope turned to despair, but the groom didn't show up.

I called him a hundred times, but he never answered. The only response was a voice message from him.

"Janelle, I already gave you a chance. If you had admitted on the phone that you reported Lavender to the school and apologized to her, I would have shown up at the wedding. I would still marry you.

"But now, it's too late. I won't come, and I won't marry you. This is what you get for bullying Lavender."