Chapter 3

Before we went to sleep, Nolan showed me his phone screen.

He had sent a message to Paige: [Delete the video.]

Paige's reply popped up right underneath it.

[Done! I didn't know Audrey was so angry. Sorry! ]

"See? It's handled," Nolan said. He turned off the light."Just get some rest."

But the next morning at breakfast, my phone buzzed.

It was a notification from our wedding group chat.

I opened the chat.

Paige didn't post the video. Instead, she posted a photo from last night. The first showed their raised glasses at dinner. Behind them, the screen displayed the beach photograph.

The next showed our friends laughing at the projection.

Paige had added a caption.

[Had so much fun last night! Hope everyone can just relax today. Don't take a joke between old friends too seriously.]

She didn't mention my name.But she was clearly calling me narrow-minded.

My phone buzzed again and again.

Nolan's friends replied with smiley faces. Someone said they couldn't wait for the wedding tomorrow.

To them, my humiliation was just a tiny, solved problem.

Nolan walked into the kitchen. He was tying his tie for the rehearsal.

I held up my phone. I showed him the group chat.

"Tell them the joke wasn't okay. Tell them I didn't leave for no reason."

Nolan frowned. He let out a heavy breath.

"I already spoke to her. She removed that line. Do you want me to tell her off in front of everyone?"

"I am not asking you to scold her," I replied. "I am asking you to tell the truth."

It was such a small request. Two sentences. I had made it as clear as I could. He didn't need to choose the perfect words or explain our entire relationship.

Nolan looked at his phone.

He opened the group chat. He typed a few words.

Then, he stopped. He deleted what he typed.

"Everyone is excited about our wedding, You know how Paige is. That is just her personality. She doesn't mean any harm."

"Can we talk about this after the wedding? Let's not start another argument today."he said.

I looked at his phone beside the sugar bowl.

Tomorrow, I was supposed to stand in front of those same people and promise him the rest of my life. He wanted me to make that promise before we settled whether I could ask for his support.

My coffee had cooled enough to drink. I couldn't make myself lift it.

"All right," I said.

Nolan looked relieved.

I saw him take the word as agreement. I didn't correct him. I had finished asking him to send a message.

He kissed my forehead and checked the time. There were things to deliver to the venue before rehearsal.

At the door, he reminded me to eat lunch.

I waited until his car pulled away before calling my sister.

"Can you pick me up afternoon?" I asked.

"To the wedding hotel?" Elise asked.

"No," I replied. "To your place."

I gathered my passport, work laptop. From the study, I took my copy of the purchase documents and the records of my own payments.

Nolan's message appeared as I carried the folder downstairs.

"We'll have a nice dinner tonight, just us. Then this is over."

I put the house papers in my bag.

He thought what was ending was just an argument.