Chapter 1
I dated Edward Collins for five years.
We agreed to marry when I turned thirty.
But on the day we were supposed to register our marriage, he said he needed to mourn his childhood friend's dog for three years.
His childhood friend, Amy Yates, held a black-and-white photo of the dog, crying her heart out.
She said, "Edward and I kept Benny for thirteen years, but Benny passed away. He was like our child, so Edward decided to mourn for him."
I thought they were joking.
But Edward was serious. He said, "Let's hold the wedding first. Three years later, we can move in together and get the certificate. Otherwise, if you get pregnant, Benny will get jealous."
Then he thought of something and gave me a contemptuous glance.
He added, "Besides, you're already thirty. Who else would marry you but me?"
I smiled, and three days later, I married my childhood sweetheart.
*****
"You're thirty already. Who else would marry you but me?" Edward said.
His snarky comment made everyone burst out laughing, like they all got the joke.
Everyone here was friends with both Edward and Amy.
It'd been five years.
But they still thought I was with Edward to get a leg up in life.
Everyone was sure I'd swallow all his obvious favoritism toward Amy, just for the chance to become Mrs. Collins.
But this time, I was truly fed up.
I looked up and met his mocking gaze.
With steady hands, I slipped off the engagement ring he'd put on my finger and tossed it at his feet.
"Go ahead, mourn for thirty years if you want. I'm not marrying you," I said.
Panic flickered in Edward's eyes as he reached out, trying to stop me.
But before he could touch me, Amy darted in, stepping between us and blocking him.
Amy said, "Nancy, Benny was the last thing my brother ever gave me before he died. Benny means everything to both Edward and me. There's nothing going on between us, not like you think.
"If you want to blame someone, blame me. Yell at me, curse me, whatever you want. Just don't take it out on Edward, okay?"
Amy gave me a wounded look.
Her voice was shaky, as if she were helpless and vulnerable.
Suddenly, it felt like I was the unreasonable one in the room.
Everyone instantly wanted to rush to her rescue, their sense of justice flaring up.
Even Edward, who'd seemed a bit guilty just moments ago, now looked ready to defend Amy.
His eyes grew cold, and his voice was like ice.
He said, "Nancy, looking after Amy is my lifelong duty. It's not like you didn't know that. Why are you acting up now?
"What? Just because you think you're about to be Mrs. Collins, you're getting ahead of yourself?"
The others rolled their eyes and didn't bother to hide their irritation toward me.
"People from the sticks just never know how to behave in public," someone muttered.
"Look at how she's stressing Amy out," another person scoffed.
"She always has to ruin the mood for everyone. Is she messed up in the head or what?" someone else sneered.
"She's nothing compared to Amy," someone else added.
Their offhand remarks weighed on me like mountains.
My throat tightened, and I couldn't get a word out.
Edward stood there, worried about saving face in front of his friends, not saying a single word to defend me.
Was everything between us these past five years just a lie?
Noticing how pale I looked, Edward finally walked over, his voice gentler.
"Now that Benny's funeral is finished, let me take you home," he said.
I closed my eyes and silently counted down to myself.
Three, two, one.
Just as expected, Amy's sobs broke out right on cue.
Amy sobbed, "My brother's gone, and Benny's gone too. What's even the point of living now?"
She looked like she was about to smash herself against the tombstone.
Edward rushed over and grabbed her, pulling her into his arms.
"Amy, you still have me. I'll always be here for you, so don't think like that, alright?" Edward said gently.
Amy was crying like a child who'd lost all sense of security.
She sobbed, "You're about to get married. Will you still have time for me?
"If I need you, can I still come to you? Would I just be bothering you?
"What if Nancy gets upset? I really don't want to ruin things between you two."
Edward gently patted her back, soothing her again and again in a soft voice.
He looked like he was worried I'd make a fuss again about how close he was with Amy.
His tone softened, a hint of compromise creeping in.
He said, "Nancy, this isn't the time for drama. The city hall isn't going anywhere. We can just go next Monday.
"I'll have the driver take you home first, and we'll celebrate your birthday tonight."
I took a deep breath, fighting back the bitterness in my chest, and said quietly, "No need."
The city hall wasn't going anywhere, but people wouldn't always stay.
This time, I was the one walking away from him.