The Day I Called Off the Wedding

Synopsis

At our engagement party, my husband's new assistant stared at my right arm, still wrapped in bandages, and smiled. "I've always wanted to see what it's like to yank a cripple's fake arm off. Since today's such a celebration, let me try it on you. You don't mind, do you?" My husband smiled and encouraged her to go ahead. I thought she was joking. But the next second, a searing pain tore through my right shoulder—the assistant grabbed my prosthetic and wrenched it outward. The connector snapped loose with a click, and the whole arm clattered to the floor. I lost my balance and hit the red carpet. The thin red-string bracelet on my wrist flew off somewhere. Everyone laughed. I braced myself with my left hand, my knees scraping against the marble floor, numb with pain, but I still crawled toward that red-string bracelet. Victor stood still, glanced at his watch, and kicked my shoulder in irritation. "Can't you take a joke? Get the hell up. If you don't, don't expect this wedding to happen." My fingers just barely touched the red string. I stopped. I pulled myself up, swaying, and said quietly, "Fine. Then call it off. I don't want the bracelet, and I don't want you."