Chapter 1
The night before our wedding, photos of Eden and Elliana locked in an embrace were plastered across every social media feed.
When I arrived, they were holding each other, surrounded by a mess of scattered confetti.
Eden saw me and walked over casually. "The mood just took over," he said offhandedly. "Everyone was egging us on. Don't take it seriously."
I took off the engagement ring and tossed it away without a second thought.
Mimicking his casual tone, I replied, "I'm not. Enjoy yourselves."
*****
I was about to leave when a hand shot out and clamped around my arm.
"What's your problem, Katherine?"
I turned and found myself staring into the stormy face of Eden.
I cursed the rain.
If it hadn't started pouring, I wouldn't have paused under the awning for those few seconds, long enough for him to catch up.
"Say something!" My silence seemed to irritate him further. "What was the point of throwing the ring? Are you trying to break up with me?"
I studied him under the cool light.
Eden was handsome, radiant, the kind of man who first caught my eye for exactly those qualities.
But now? He felt like a head of boiled cabbage, bland and utterly uninteresting.
"It's over."
Eden stared, momentarily stunned, before letting out a cold, mocking laugh.
"Do you even hear yourself? We're getting married tomorrow. You're calling it off now?
"Are you messing with me?"
"You started this," I said calmly.
Not long ago, after a heated argument, he showed up completely drunk.
Outside the private room, I overheard the teasing.
"Mr. Ross, you're not actually going through with the wedding, are you? I thought this was just for fun. How'd it get so serious?"
He snorted. "Me? Serious? She's the one who's in way too deep.
"If she weren't so damn clingy, I'd have ended this a long time ago.
"A woman pushing thirty? Let's be honest, who else would look twice at her if I walked away?"
Before that moment, I'd always thought breakups were about willingness, not about nerve.
His words settled like a hard, cold knot in my chest.
No wind, no matter how strong, could blow it away.
Maybe that was when the rift truly began to form.
His arrogance made everything feel absurd.
"What are you talking about? What did I do?"
Eden leaned against the wall, his tone impatient.
"I told you, they were just hyping me up. That girl's shy. Was I supposed to embarrass her? It was just one kiss. Why are you making such a big deal out of it?"
"Making a big deal?" I asked, genuinely confused.
He stiffened, pausing briefly. "Fine. If that's how you want, go back and find the ring. Now."
He began dragging me, his grip unyielding.
In my heels, I stumbled, my ankle twisting sharply, but he didn't slow down.
He walked faster, his fingers digging painfully into my wrist.
My hand flew up.
I slapped him.
Eden stared at me, pure disbelief in his eyes.
"I said we're over! Do you not understand?" My raised voice drew glances from people nearby.
His expression darkened
After a tense silence, he finally released my arm.
"Fine, Katherine. Throw your fit. Don't expect me to come begging."
My chest felt heavy, yet somehow, a wave of quiet relief washed over me.
Of course, Eden wouldn't apologize.
In his mind, I was just that desperate, clingy woman he could never shake off.
The rain fell harder, streaking the car windows until the world outside was a distorted blur.
The wipers struggled to keep up.
The navigation system chimed in calmly. "You have deviated from the route. Recalculating. Please make a U-turn when possible."
My wedding date had turned into a regular workday.
Love may fall apart, but work never does.
While printing documents at the office, I ran into Elliana.
The moment she saw me, she startled like a rabbit caught in headlights.
Her fingers fumbled over the controls, and suddenly, paper was flying everywhere.
She dropped to her knees, scrambling to gather the sheets as tears welled in her eyes.
"I'm so sorry, Ms. Williams..."
She was collecting them slower than the machine was spitting them out.
Ignoring her apologies, I stepped over and restarted the printer.
"Ms. Williams... could you please lift your foot?" Elliana gazed up at me, her eyes wide and pleading.
The floor was littered with paper, yet she was focused on the single sheet trapped under my shoe.
The moment I lifted my heel, an angry voice cut through the room.
"Katherine! How could you do this?"
Eden strode over, immediately helping Elliana to her feet. His hands lingered on her shoulders as he checked her over.
Seeing that Elliana was unharmed, he finally turned his cold stare back to me.
"Can you stop being so petty? We're at work. She's just an intern. What are you trying to prove by bullying her? Does pulling rank make you feel better about yourself?"
The way he shielded Elliana burned like straight liquor down my throat, a scalding path that settled into a simmering fire in the pit of my stomach.