Chapter 2

Aiden's face was a tempest of conflicting emotions:

"Mazie, can’t you just drop this for Zaria’s sake? She’s still young."

"It was my call to cut her hair. What’s it got to do with her?"

"It’s just a haircut, for heaven’s sake! Why are you making such a mountain out of a molehill and insisting she chop hers off too?"

His brow knit tightly:

"Zaria’s always taken pride in her appearance since she was a kid. Do you have any idea how much this’ll crush her confidence? Can’t you see the damage this’ll do?"

"Can’t you just be sensible and stop stirring the pot?"

Hearing his words, my eyes burned with tears I refused to shed. It felt like all those years of effort had been reduced to some cruel punchline.

"Aiden, I’m supposed to be your girlfriend, your fiancée!"

I balled my fists, struggling to keep my voice from trembling:

"You need to get your priorities straight…"

I wasn’t sure which part of what I said hit a nerve, but suddenly, Aiden’s temper flared. His voice was sharp, the veins in his neck bulging:

"Mazie, why the attitude? My feelings for Zaria are purely platonic, like a brother’s. There’s nothing shady between us!"

"Why do you always have to jump to conclusions? It’s such a non-issue. Why can’t you just let it go?"

With that, Aiden grabbed Zaria’s hand and turned to leave. Before he walked out, he gave me one last lingering look:

"Mazie, think this through. It’s bad luck to see each other before the wedding. Let’s just steer clear of each other these next few days. This was just a joke; don’t blow it out of proportion. It’ll only hurt Zaria."

The whole time, Aiden only ever saw things through Zaria’s eyes, never once considering how I felt.

The slam of the door reverberated through the room.

And Aiden’s final words hung heavy in the air, taunting me:

"In seven days, I’ll still show up to marry you."

I tilted my head back, staring at the ceiling, swallowed by a wave of bitterness.

Aiden, I’m not marrying you. Not now, not ever.