Chapter 4
I stopped outside the door.
My fingers nervously wrinkled the veil bag in my hand.
A schedule sheet was sticking out from the gap in the lounge door.
The title read: [Braiden's and Sienna's Return Commemoration Dinner Schedule].
The date happened to be the day of my rescheduled wedding.
I took a photo of the schedule sheet and saved it in my encrypted album.
When Braiden came home that evening, I was fixing the countdown watch.
The watch case was open, and tiny gears were spread out on a white velvet cloth.
He stood at the doorway for a moment, his tone softening. "Decided to come back?" he asked.
I didn't look up. "I'm just here to get something."
"Still mad?" he asked.
He walked over and tapped the watch face. "Is it broken?"
"It keeps running after it hits zero. I need to take a look," I replied.
Braiden nodded. "Come with me to a party tomorrow night."
I paused with the tweezers in my hand.
"What kind of party?" I asked.
"Just a get-together with friends," he replied.
He said it so casually, like it was nothing.
I looked at him. "Is it the same hotel we booked for our wedding?"
Braiden's expression flickered for a second, but he quickly smoothed it out. "Where did you hear that?"
"So that's true?" I pressed.
He pulled out a chair and sat down. "The place is just sitting empty. Sienna just got back, and everyone wants to welcome her home.
"The wedding's postponed, the hotel won't give us a refund, so we might as well use it."
I set down the tweezers. "So you're turning my wedding venue into her welcome party?"
"It's just for one night," he said.
"And what about my wedding?" I pressed.
Braiden looked at me like I was being unreasonable, almost like I was a stubborn kid.
"Malia, the wedding can happen anytime. But Sienna's health can't wait forever. She's had a rough time abroad. Can't you just give her a break?" he said.
Suddenly, I remembered the night three years ago when we registered our marriage, he slipped the ring onto my ring finger and said, "I'll never let you feel wronged again."
Now, that ring sat in a drawer.
The inside was polished smooth from all the times I had touched it.
I asked, "Braiden, do you remember what you said back then?"
He paused for a moment.
"I remember. That's why I'm trying to make it up to you," he said.
"So you're making it up to me with the watch she picked the blessing for, the veil she tried on, and the venue she used for her welcome party?" I shot back.
He frowned. "Don't drag her into everything."
His phone rang.
It was Willie.
He answered it right in front of me.
Willie's voice was urgent. "Mr. Meyer, Ms. Cline just confirmed that tomorrow night, the main screen will open with old photos, then the countdown hits zero, and the words 'Welcome Back' will appear at the end. Does that work for you?"
Braiden glanced at me, then got up and walked over to the window.
"That's fine," he said.
I sat under the lamp, my hand frozen.
Willie added, "And what about Mrs. Meyer's watch data? Should we sync it to the big screen? Ms. Cline said it would add a sense of ceremony, like all these years have finally led up to this moment with you."
Braiden paused. "Go ahead and sync it."
I looked down at the watch face on the table.
Turned out this watch wasn't just counting down for me.
The moment it hit zero, it wasn't marking the beginning of my wedding.
It was for Sienna's homecoming.
Braiden hung up the phone and turned around, still calm.
"Did you hear that?" he asked.
I nodded.
He walked over, his tone casual, like he was just talking about some minor business arrangement. "Sienna doesn't know what this watch means to you.
"She thought it was a good idea. You shouldn't go tomorrow. It might make you uncomfortable."
I let out a small laugh. "Why shouldn't I go?"
Braiden's brows drew together. "Malia, please don't make things harder for me."
"I'm your wife," I said quietly.
The words felt strange, even to me.
Braiden stared at me for a long moment.
"Legally, yes," he said.
But those two words reduced three years of marriage to nothing but a scrap of paper.
I picked up the tweezers and put the last gear back in place.
The watch hands twitched slightly.
The screen lit up. [00:00:00]
Braiden didn't notice.
He was completely absorbed in texting Sienna, not even glancing my way.
I snapped the watch back onto my wrist, grabbed my phone, and sent a photo to Eloise. [I'll be there tomorrow night.]
Eloise replied almost instantly: [What do you need me to prepare?]
I typed: [I need two things: the divorce papers, and an application to protect our marital assets.]
After I sent the message, Braiden finally looked up.
"Let's keep things calm tomorrow night. Once the party's over, I'll help you choose a new wedding dress," he said.
I looked at him, unexpectedly calm.
"Okay," I said.
Braiden seemed to relax a little.
He reached out, wanting to brush a stray lock of hair from my face.
I turned my head to avoid him.
His hand hung awkwardly in the air.
Just then, the doorbell rang.
Sienna's voice drifted in from the other side of the door, gentle and quivering. "Braiden, can I come in? I want to apologize to Malia in person."
Braiden glanced at me.
His hand was already reaching for the doorknob.
The moment the door opened, Sienna was standing there, holding onto the doorframe, with two staff members behind her, each carrying a gift box.
Braiden frowned. "What are you doing here?"