Pain and anger wrestled for dominance, each threatening to consume me. Yet, despite my turmoil, I couldn't abandon Glenn, not in his inebriated state. I shut the car door firmly, drowning out Adalynn's mocking laughter.
The image of Glenn proposing to her – on bended knee, vows of forever in his eyes – haunted me. It was a stark contrast to the gentle whispers of "Addie" that once warmed my heart.
Seven years of memories, once cherished, now taunted me like a cruel joke. A wave of nausea washed over me, as if reality itself had turned against me.
It made me wonder for all those seven years he has touched me, was he imagining her as well?
I couldn’t erase the memory of his proposing from my mind. Six months ago before we left our pack and came to the human world. We met with an accident on our way, in a desperate attempt to save his life, I had shed his body with mine, causing me to be injured badly and unconscious for days.
Luckily, the rescue team came on time to save my life just in time and I survived. On the day I was discharged from the hospital, Glenn kneeled in front of the hospital with a non quiet of flowers in his hands.
“Addie”. He called, kneeling on one leg.
“I know I said I don’t want our relationship to be determined by a mate bond and I don’t believe in it but today, you made me believe in love and in our bond as well. You have saved my life and using this life you gave me, I want to take care of you for the rest of it”.
“Will you be my girlfriend?”. I covered my mouth in disbelief, overwhelmed by excitement. Everyone around cheered for us as I collected the flowers and accepted his request.
Throughout our years of being together, Glenn has always been so kind and considerate. If it wasn’t for what I had witnessed today, I would have bet my life he loves me more than anything.
But now, watching him with a distant look in his eyes, that certainty was long gone. I drove in silence, thinking of how to end a relationship of seven years. My heart squeezed in pain, seven years!! Seven good years only to find out I was just a distraction.
Seven years might seem long but it’s nothing compared to a lifetime. The idea of me getting married to him without knowing the truth was even worse. It got me wondering where and how I had gone wrong? Wasn’t I lovable at all? Seven years and he just gave it up for one night?
The vibration of Glenn’s phone pushed me out of my thoughts, I stared at it, unsure of checking it. But it won’t stop vibrating, reluctantly I decided to check who was messaging. And surely when I try to unlock it, there was no password.
In all this years we have been together, I have never checked his phone and trusted him blindly not to do anything that would hurt me. But now, curiosity and the need for an answer drove me to check it.
It was a message from Adalynn; “Text me when you get home. Glenn will have a headache tomorrow, he’s too drunk. Make him a bowl of hangover soup and let it cook down before feeding it to him. And also make sure to wipe his body, i always do that when he’s drunk so he can sleep properly”.
It was as if she knew I would check his phone, of course, she keeps sending messages which will force me into checking it. It’s funny how I’m preparing for our 7th year anniversary and in hope Glenn will propose but instead I’m getting instructions on how to take care of my boyfriend from another woman.
I packed the car by the roadside, taking a deep breath as I scroll deeper into their chats history. There were so many messages between them.
As I scrolled through the countless messages between Glenn and Adalynn, I felt overwhelmed by the sheer volume of their conversations. The screen was flooded with Glenn's complaints, punctuated by occasional responses from Adalynn. But one particular message caught my eye.
"Honestly, I don't really want to get married, but how can I not appreciate her for saving my life?". he confessed to Adalynn.
He then compared me to her, his words stinging: "She has a name similar to yours, but she's nowhere near your level. She just doesn't get me at all."
My heart sank further as I read on.
"If I proposed to you, would you say yes?" Glenn asked Adalynn, his tone uncertain.
Silence followed, no response from her until Glenn broke the silence with a self-deprecating comment: "Just kidding. Don't ignore me. I won't say it."
The conversation lulled, but this morning, Glenn had sent Adalynn an electronic wedding invitation. Her response was cryptic: "If I asked you to marry me, would you come?"
Glenn's reply was instantaneous: "Are you serious?"
Adalynn quickly deflected: "I'm just joking." If Adalynn hadn’t responded with that, I was also sure Glenn would leave me without thinking twice.
I raised my head up, biting my lips trying to stop the tears from falling but still, they still fall. A mixture of anger and betrayal filled me, making me realize I was better off without this relationship.
I got out of the car and still helped him inside, while he was asleep, I booked a flight to Hudson for the same day as our anniversary.
I lay there on the bed, ignoring Glenn's unconscious body on the ground, thinking about everything. The next morning I woke up to the sound of his voice, even though he was trying to speak softly, the door was slightly open and I could hear him.
“Don’t cry Addie”. He said, his voice filled with guilt.
“You know the only person I love is you, and I would do anything to hear it back from you. But I really have to marry Adriana, my parents won’t like it if I don’t. I had promised them to propose to her on our 7th anniversary and marry her in a week”. I wasn’t sure what she said to him on the other side that caused him to burst into laughter.
“You naughty girl, fine I will do as you say. Once the time comes, I will put our wedding photos behind Adriana’s, because to me you’re my only mate”. He said with so much proudness, like he was doing the right thing.
Even though I have decided to part ways with him, the thought of him taking wedding photos with Adalynn and putting them behind mine felt like I was stabbed in the heart again.
Just as my anger boiled over, Glenn ended the call and cautiously peeked into the room. Our eyes met, and his startled expression faltered, replaced by a mixture of confusion and guilt.
"Addie, why did you get up?" he asked, his voice laced with unease.
I took a deep breath, icy calmness masking my turbulent emotions. As I rose from the bed, Glenn's expression shifted from relief to wariness, sensing the storm brewing within me.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" he asked, his tone defensive. "I just had too much to drink last night." His attempt at a dismissive smile only heightened my skepticism.
I chose to ignore him. After a while, he suddenly smiled, gently taking my hands in his palm. “I won’t be able to be with you today, but Adalynn and I have a surprise for you. Come by this afternoon”.
I murmured a vague assent, my expression unreadable.
Glenn's face lit up with surprise and relief, as if he'd anticipated a fight. Seizing the opportunity, he hastily collected his things and made a swift exit, the car keys jingling in his eager hand.
Even though I didn’t want to go, I was curious to see the surprise they had both planned for me, following the address he sent. I arrived at a shopping mall…. It was a shopping mall for wedding clothes!
As I arrived, I caught Adalynn and Glenn in an intimate moment. Adalynn's short white gauze skirt hugged her slender waist, revealing an expanse of pale skin that seemed almost ethereal. My gaze snagged on the smattering of kiss marks on the back of her neck, no one has to tell me it was Glenn who did that.
My sudden presence startled them, shattering the spell. Adalynn darted behind Glenn, using him as a shield as if I posed a threat. Glenn stepped forward, his tone casual as he spoke.
“You’re one hour late. I wanted to surprise you by letting you pick out your wedding dress, but since you were late. Adalynn was kind enough to pick one for you and herself. You can try it on”.
Imagine getting married without an actual proposal and the woman your partner had proposed to instead of you, picking your wedding dress for you.
Glenn presented me with a plain white dress, its simplicity starkly contrasting with the stunning gown Adalynn wore. The disparity was glaring. I felt a pang of resentment, my eyes locked on the elegant folds of Adalynn's dress. It was clear which one was meant for a bride.
Glenn, oblivious to my unease, beamed with pride. "Wedding preparations can be overwhelming and since it’s happening in such a hurry. Adalynn wanted to make things easier for you, help you unwind."
I scoffed inwardly at his words. Simplify? This was a deliberate attempt to diminish me.
"No need to try it on," I said firmly, my tone masking the turmoil within. "I'll just use this one."
Adalynn's eyes sparkled with malice as she tugged on Glenn's sleeve. "Adriana doesn't want to try it on," she cooed, her voice dripping with false concern. "Do you think she doesn't like the dress I picked for her?".
Glenn's frustration simmered as he glared at me. "I'm doing this for your own good. Can't you see that? We need a stunning wedding dress for the photos."
His condescending tone ignited my fury. "Then use AI to fake the photos," I retorted, my voice dripping with sarcasm. "Why must I try on a dress?"
My patience exhausted, I turned and walked away. Funny how he was trying to gaslight me into thinking I’m wrong, he was the one who cheated and proposed to another woman. And again, brought me here to humiliate me.
Glenn's anger erupted. "You're just dismissing this!" he shouted after me. "You can't compare to Adalynn's beauty. Maybe we shouldn't take photos at all, to avoid ruining the mood."
Adalynn intervened, her voice sugary sweet. "Don't be too harsh on Adriana, dear. She is your fiancée, after all."
The emphasis on "fiancée" only seemed to infuriate Glenn further. "Who cares if she's my fiancée?" he muttered, his irritation palpable.
I tuned out Glenn's hurtful words and focused on rebuilding my life. I packed my belongings and checked into a hotel, leaving the toxic atmosphere behind. Days passed, and Glenn's silence was deafening. I wondered if he was seething or simply oblivious to my absence.
Meanwhile, Glenn's social media accounts told a different story. He flooded his feeds with photos of himself and Adalynn, accompanied by saccharine captions. The latest post read: "After all the twists and turns, it's still you." The comments section overflowed with congratulations and admiration from our mutual friends, who were blissfully unaware of the truth.
"Glenn is so loving! He must have been smitten with her for years," one friend gushed.
"Congratulations to him for winning the heart of such a beauty!" another chimed in.
The chorus of approval continued, with one enthusiastic supporter declaring, "I've been rooting for you both forever! You're a perfect match!".
Glenn continued to curate his perfect facade, responding to each congratulatory message with a beaming smile emoji. His goal was clear: convince everyone that he and Adalynn were meant to be, regardless of the truth.
The day before our 7th anniversary and the supposed wedding Glenn has planned, he sent me a message, attaching a crudely generated AI wedding photo. "People, stop being so stubborn," he wrote, his sarcasm biting. "If you were half as thoughtful as Adalynn, we'd have had our wedding photos done ages ago. Instead, we're stuck with this rough AI creation."
I deleted the message and photo without hesitation.
On the 7th year anniversary, I left a brief, liberating breakup message, packed my belongings, and headed to the airport. As the scenery unfolded outside my window, I felt unexpectedly serene. Ending things with Glenn wasn't as agonizing as I'd anticipated.
But my tranquility was short-lived. Upon landing, my phone buzzed with an unexpected call.
