Chapter 3

Riven gave me three days to leave our wedding home.

I used two to leave his city.

The next morning, I found him fastening Tamsin’s coat near the front door.

Ione stood beside him wearing the ring he had promised me.

Riven handed her a spare key.

The same key I had used while choosing furniture, meeting contractors, and building the home we were supposed to share.

"Clear the bedroom before Sunday," he told me. "And don’t tell our families about the marriage. We’ll handle that after Tamsin’s treatment."

He adjusted his coat. He looked at me.

"Keep next Saturday free. We need to finish the reception seating."

He thought he solved the problem perfectly. I did not argue with him. I just stood there in silence. Riven took my quietness as acceptance. He walked out the door with his new family.

I pulled out my phone. I sent all the photos of the living room to Severin.

"I need my renovation money back," I texted her. "Make a clear list of my personal property. Cancel the joint house purchase plan. Reserve my right to sue."

Then, I went upstairs.

My wedding dress hung at the back of the closet. Beside it were the empty shelves Riven had ordered me to clear.

I took only what was mine.

Riven’s belongings remained exactly where he had left them.

So did the anniversary watch I had once planned to give him.

Then, I placed the box in my car and drove to my apartment.

My apartment was full of cardboard boxes. I packed them weeks ago. They were meant for our marriage home. I picked up a thick black marker. I crossed out the old labels.

I wrote a new word on every box: SEATTLE.

The final employment contract waited in my inbox.

I read every page.

At the bottom was a warning:Once you accept this permanent transfer, your current position will go to the second candidate immediately. This action cannot be reversed.

Eight months ago, I had rejected this job because Riven refused to leave the city.

Three months ago, I rejected it again because our wedding date had been fixed.

Each time, I had made my life smaller to protect our future.

Riven had not protected it at all.

Now, I typed my digital signature. I pressed submit.

A new email popped up two minutes later.

YOUR FORMER POSITION HAS BEEN FILLED.

Even if I regretted my choice tomorrow, I could not go back. My old life was gone.

I picked up my phone again. I called the wedding venue. Severin was already on the line with the manager.

"There is a waitlist couple," Severin told me. "They want your date. But if they sign the contract, you can never get this date back. Do you want to delay it instead?"

I did not hesitate.

"Release it," I said.

The waitlist couple paid the deposit immediately. My phone buzzed with an automatic system update.

YOUR WEDDING DATE HAS BEEN REASSIGNED.

This was not a new plan. This was the final door closing behind me.

My screen lit up with two new text messages from Riven.

"Ione said you packed without upsetting Tamsin. Thank you."

"Keep next Saturday open. We still need to finalize the reception."

I stared at his texts. I did not reply. He thought I was calming down.

He did not know the truth. My job was in Seattle. Another woman sat at my old desk. Another bride owned my wedding date. My apartment was completely empty.

I booked a moving company.

The coordinator asked whether this was a local move.

"No. Interstate."

"Destination?"

"Seattle."

By noon, my apartment was empty.

My furniture began its trip to Seattle. I kept one suitcase, my documents, my laptop, and the wedding dress.

I changed my emergency contact from Riven to Severin.

Then I closed our shared household account.

That night, my phone rang as the gate agent announced boarding.

Riven.

"Your apartment is empty."

His voice had lost yesterday’s impatience.

I heard his footsteps echo through the bare rooms.

"Where are your things?"

"On their way to Seattle."

Silence filled the line.

The flight attendant reached out for my boarding pass.

"What about our wedding?"he demanded

I opened my settings. I turned off my GPS tracker.

LOCATION SHARING ENDED.

"There is no wedding," I said.

The scanner beeped green.

For the first time, Riven sounded afraid. "Tifara, don't get on that plane—"

I hung up the phone. I walked down the bridge. The boarding door closed behind me.