After Katherine Winston delays our wedding for the tenth time, I decide to set her free.

At the celebratory party thrown by my friend for his second newborn, I arrive at the venue to congratulate him in advance.

When my best friend invites me to a camping trip, I walk away as soon as Katherine shows up.

When my company decides to dispatch me to Katherine's company to follow up with the project we're working on, I tender my resignation without hesitation.

Even when Katherine's parents visit me in hopes of convincing me to forgive Katherine. But I refuse to leave my residence at all.

I take the liberty to delete all the photos with Katherine in them. Then, I block her number and on all social media platforms.

Finally, I delete the social media account that has been recording our daily lives as a couple. Just like that, I cut myself off everything related to Katherine.

We've known each other for 25 years, and we've been in a relationship for 5 of them. I've always thought that we're each other's only love in life.

That is, until the wedding I've prepared for gets delayed for the tenth time. It's then realization finally dawns on me.

I should love myself first before loving someone else.

"Edison, wait for me. I'm on my way. I'll be there soon." Katherine Winston ended the call before I finished speaking.

I looked at the hotel staff awkwardly. "My girlfriend will be here soon. Could I have a little more time? Once she gets here, we'll go through the wedding rehearsal as soon as possible."

The hotel staff smiled courteously at me and said hesitantly, "Apologies, sir, but your reservation for the hall has already gone ten minutes over.

"The next couple is waiting to use the hall for their wedding rehearsal. I'm really sorry about this."

My gaze drifted past him to the couple behind him. Seeing their impatient expressions, I forced an awkward smile and apologized.

"It's my fault for holding things up. I'll pack up and go."

A staff member from the wedding planning company followed me out of the hotel. "Mr. Jackman, just like the previous nine times, we didn't complete the rehearsal. However, the deposit is non-refundable."

I smiled bitterly. "It's fine. I'm the one who held you up."

This wedding planning company was the most sought-after in Bawton, and their schedule was really packed. I had paid twice the deposit just to have them run rehearsal after rehearsal.

"Of course, Mr. Jackman. You're now one of our valued clients. If you need another rehearsal, just contact me on WhatsApp."

His words left me deeply embarrassed. I sped up and left the place.

It was already the tenth time Katherine had missed the wedding rehearsal. After skipping rehearsals the previous nine times, she would use a sudden business trip as an excuse to convince me to postpone the wedding.

Even though we had sent out the invitations nine times, I still went along with what she said.

But this time, I really wanted to see what excuse she had come up with.

I leaned against a birch tree across from the hotel. I waited all day before Katherine finally showed up at night.

"We had a last-minute meeting today. I came as soon as it ended and sped all the way. I'm still in time for the rehearsal, right?"

Her story had too many holes and didn't quite add up.

I lowered my gaze to her tight denim skirt and let out a chuckle. "It's too late."

Katherine, who had been leading me toward the hotel, suddenly stopped and looked at me apologetically.

"It's all my fault for expanding the company too much. As the CEO, I can't just walk away from my work. It'll be no different next time we do the rehearsal."

I looked at her quietly, waiting for her to continue.

As expected, Katherine said awkwardly, "But I'm going on a business trip to Torsia next week. We need to postpone our wedding."

Seeing the hurt in my eyes, Katherine tried to comfort me. "Don't be sad. Our wedding will take place on time next time.

"By then, I'll have a fortune teller pick the perfect date for our wedding. Come along. I got you a new suit for the wedding. You'll look incredible in it."

Whenever Katherine postponed our wedding, she would give me an expensive custom-made suit. I already had nine of them hanging in my closet, so I didn't need a tenth.

I took out my phone, pulled up the details for a suit order, and showed it to her. "Gavin's suit is ready too. Remember to have him pick it up later."

Katherine's expression shifted, but she quickly regained her composure.

Katherine said, "Our company anniversary is coming up soon. Gavin's been working hard, so I wanted to buy him a suit."

Nodding, I pulled up the dinner post she had made an hour ago—the one she had forgotten to block me from seeing.

"What about this, Katherine? What do you have to say for yourself?"

Her face instantly darkened with rage. "Are you accusing me of cheating? Yes, I lied about missing rehearsal. That's because I had to take a client out to dinner!

"Not everyone's like you, sitting around all day. All you do is make me go to rehearsals and force this wedding on me.

"Come on. One day off could mean losing million-dollar deals. I'm really busy, okay?"

Katherine's words left me completely speechless. I couldn't help but laugh.

"We've known each other since we were kids. Both our families have their own companies. If you hadn't told me that taking over Jackman Corporation would affect our relationship, do you really think I'd be working some random job at some small company?"

Katherine went pale before flushing with rage.

"So that's how it is? Did I stand in the way of you inheriting the family business? In that case, let's break up!"

With a faint smile, I walked away in the opposite direction. The truth was, I was heartbroken.

Just then, my phone buzzed. I tapped on Gavin Goodwin's message, and it popped up right away.

"I'm really sorry, Mr. Jackman. I wanted to check out a new restaurant. That's why Katherine was late for your wedding rehearsal. Next time, I'll pick another day so she won't miss your 11th wedding rehearsal."

Gavin's message felt like a knife to the heart, making me feel suffocated.

Katherine had gone out with her secretary, but she lied and said she was having dinner with a client instead. How absurd.

Katherine and I were childhood sweethearts. Even our parents had been friends for years. Since childhood, they would always tease us, saying, "You two are the same age, grew up together, and are inseparable. You might as well get married when you grow up."

Back then, I was just a kid and didn't understand what marriage meant. All I knew was that if I married Katherine, she would always stay by my side, and we could keep playing together.

I clapped my hands and cheered joyfully. "Alright then. I want to marry Katherine!"

I even imitated what I saw on TV and wrote a letter, promising I would marry her when I grew up.

By the time I was old enough to understand what marriage meant, my parents would often tease me about the letter.

When I was younger, I was easily flustered, and their teasing embarrassed me so much that I started avoiding Katherine. Once she realized what I was doing, she cornered me and broke down in tears, asking what she had done wrong and why I was giving her the cold shoulder.

Seeing her break down completely melted my heart. For the first time, I felt something inside me begin to stir.

From that day on, I realized I was in love with Katherine. When we were 20, we went from being friends to lovers and started dating.

Over the next few years, after I proposed, I planned our wedding ten times, only for her to postpone it every single time.

By then, Gavin was already working as her secretary.

Katherine spent far more time together with Gavin than she did with me. All this time, I had been fooling myself, believing that it was just for work.

But now, I was done lying to myself.

Just then, my phone started buzzing nonstop, pulling me out of my thoughts. I recomposed myself and took the call.

"Hey, Brandon. What's up?"

"We are throwing a celebratory party for our second newborn this Saturday. Bring your fiancee over for dinner."

I was about to say that I would go alone, but I remembered that not only were Brandon Vance and I best friends, his wife, Layla Kemp, and Katherine were close too.

"Has Layla told Katherine about it?"

"They're talking about it on the phone right now. Huh? Aren't you with her now? Did you two just go back to your own places after the rehearsal?

"It's the perfect time to spice things up. How could you pass that up?" Brandon was perplexed.

I gave a bitter smile. Everyone knew I was a simp for Katherine, so naturally, they would assume that.

I muttered a vague reply before ending the call.

To celebrate that night, I had my friend reserve a bottle of vintage wine.

When I got to the winery, I reached for a bottle of red wine and drank the whole thing myself.

The surveillance feed on my phone was recording in real time. Katherine had hired movers to pack her things.

Perhaps she sensed that I was watching her through the camera. She turned to it and asked, "What now? Afraid I'll steal your stuff?"

I said over the feed, chuckling, "You've misunderstood me. I just wanted to remind you to take all those suits you gave me out of the room."

Katherine gritted her teeth in anger.

I exited the surveillance feed to answer Brandon's call. Before I could even say anything, he asked coldly, "Katherine postponed the wedding again, didn't she? I bet she didn't even show up for today's rehearsal, right?"

When I said nothing, he grew angrier. "You idiot! Are you just going to accept this without fighting back? Just you wait. I'm going to make Katherine pay for this!"

It wasn't that I didn't know how to fight back. I had simply given up on Katherine and wanted nothing to do with her.

After I kept reassuring Brandon, he finally calmed down.

"I'm glad you and Katherine broke up. I could tell long ago that she was no longer into you. I just couldn't say it because we're all in the same circle."

I couldn't help but laugh. "Just don't let this affect your relationship with Layla."

"That'll never happen. My wife and I are meant to be."

After ending the call, I stumbled back home. Seeing the empty house, I finally felt a weight lift off my chest.

I looked around the place and threw the photo album and perfume she had left behind out of the window. Then I slumped onto the bed and fell into a deep slumber.

To avoid running into Katherine at the celebration on Saturday, I took Friday off and went to Brandon's house.

He opened the door, put a finger to his lips, and led me to the backyard. Katherine was there, using a toy to amuse the baby while talking with Layla.

"I've already moved all my things out. I refuse to believe that this won't get to Edison. How dare he raise his voice at me!

"Who does he think he is? He must be out of his mind!"

All these years, I had kept my head down and put up with her temper. I didn't think she would actually take that as a sign of weakness.

Brandon furrowed his brows, looking even angrier than I was. I patted him on the shoulder and just smiled.

Katherine's phone rang, interrupting her conversation with Layla. She smiled, answered it, nodded at Layla, and ran out through the villa gate.

Brandon and I quickly hid ourselves. Once Katherine was gone, we followed her.

"Gavin, didn't I give you the day off? Why aren't you resting?"

Gavin pulled her into his arms, ignoring everyone around them. "I missed you. I thought about how you kept postponing your wedding with Edison for me, and I couldn't help but want to see you. I wish I could be with you all the time."

Katherine playfully swatted him on the chest. "Wasn't that your idea? How could you be so mean?"

Hearing that made my blood boil. Even though I had already guessed it, I still felt a sudden pang in my heart to hear the truth from them directly.

Gavin pinched her cheeks. "Was I really that mean? But you still like me, don't you? Also, you were the one who said you didn't want to marry Edison in the first place.

"That's why I came up with this idea. You even went along with it."

Things started getting flirty between Gavin and Katherine. If they weren't right in front of Brandon's house, I bet they would have jumped each other's bones right then and there.

I was holding Brandon back tightly, preventing him from rushing out. Once Katherine and Gavin got in the car and drove off, he started yelling at me.

"Why are you putting up with this crap? You should've just fought him!"

I shook my head, my face pale. "No need for that. I'm glad it's over between us."

The next day, I did not show up for the celebration at Brandon's house. As lunchtime approached, Katherine gave me a call.

"What kind of friend are you, Edison? Why aren't you here to celebrate such a special occasion? You're so rude!"

I knew Katherine was trying to rile me up, so I said nothing.