Chapter 1

After eight years together, I called off the wedding on the day our new place was ready.

James Lowie called. He laughed and asked if I'd made a mistake.

I sent him a screenshot of the homeowners' group chat, showing our property deed with his name and Emily Grant's on it.

Emily was his childhood friend, the one who understood him best over the past eight years.

She never missed a step when viewing the place, picking out tiles, and inspecting the work.

However, as James's fiancée, all I ever got were updates on the decoration.

He explained, "Emily is helping me secure a spot for the property. Don't overthink it."

I asked, "Then what am I to you?"

He replied, "We're about to get married. Is a house really worth making a fuss over?"

I didn't argue anymore. I immediately canceled the wedding reception, the dress, and the honeymoon tickets.

That night, Emily sent me a photo of the master bedroom. [Sophie, I tried out the mattress for you. It's super comfy.]

James kept sticking up for her. "She didn't mean anything by it. Please say sorry to her."

I slipped off the engagement ring I'd worn for three years. "Apologize? Fine. Why not let her marry you too while she's at it?"

*****

"Ms. Scott, are you sure you want to cancel the wedding?" The wedding planner slid the cancellation form across the table to me.

I replied, "Yes."

"The wedding hall is already booked, and the dress has been sent for alterations. We can only refund part of the deposit."

"Let's follow the contract."

She looked at me for a moment. "The wedding is still twenty days away. Maybe you should talk it over with your fiancé?"

"No need to discuss it." I placed the engagement ring into the shipping box. "The wedding's off."

My phone lit up. James had sent me some money. The note said it was compensation for the wedding dress.

James called right after. "Sophia, take the money."

I asked, "What for?"

"I'm making up for the wedding dress. Don't be in a sulk alone."

"I've canceled the wedding reception too."

There was a brief silence on the line.

"I know," James said calmly. "You need to cool off for a couple of days. I'll sort out the house situation for you."

"How exactly?" I asked.

"I'll add your name to the deed after we're married."

"Why wait until after the wedding?"

"It's not as simple as you think."

"Funny. It seemed pretty straightforward when you added Emily's name to the deed."

He sighed. "Emily's parents were on her case about getting something in her name. I simply did her a favor. That's all."

"So you used our place to do her a favor?"

"I paid most of the money for it. Her name's just there. It doesn't mean anything."

"And what about me?"

"You're my wife."

James said it like that was supposed to make everything okay, as if being his wife made up for not having my name on the deed.

"Sophia, your status as my wife and having your name on the deed are two different things. Can't you see they're not the same?" James said.

I signed the form without looking up. "I know the difference perfectly well."

"Then stop making a fuss."

"Do you remember what you said eight years ago?"

He paused. "I've said a lot of things. Which one are you talking about?"

"That night when the rain was pouring into our rented house, you promised that when we bought a place, my name would be on the first page of the deed."

"We were in our twenties back then," James chuckled. "You have to be practical. The house is bought, and the wedding's set. Why are you still holding on to something I said when we were young?"

Eight years ago, he used a plastic basin to catch the leaks from the balcony.

We were huddled at a tiny table, eating hamburgers, and he shared his hamburger filling with me. He said he'd give me a home that never leaked when it rained.

When I got my first paycheck, I sent it to our joint account. He said the deed would have my name, the door lock would recognize my fingerprint, and the master bedroom would have the mattress I wanted.

Now, my name wasn't on the deed, the lock didn't recognize me, and the mattress that was supposed to be mine was tried by Emily first.

"Are you sure you don't want the seating chart either?" The wedding planner pointed at the draft.

I flipped to the first page. There were ten seats at the head table, and Emily's name was right next to James's. My mom's seat had been bumped to another table.

"Who changed the seating?" I asked.

The planner was stunned for a moment. "Mr. Lowie called last week to make the change. He said Ms. Grant is handling the wedding logistics, so it's more convenient if she sits closer."

James was still on the call and heard everything. "Emily's going to help keep things running smoothly. Your mom can sit anywhere. It doesn't really matter."

"My mom can sit anywhere?" I asked.

"Sophia, don't twist my words."

"You know her back's not great."

"The second table is closer to the exit, so it's actually more convenient for her."

James always had an excuse for every choice he made.

My mom was the one who got moved, while Emily stayed put. And I was always the one who had to swallow it and act mature.

"No need to change it," I said, closing the seating chart.

James's tone relaxed. "Now you're talking. Go home and get some sleep. I'll pick you up tomorrow."

"I'm saying, don't bother changing it back."

"What do you mean?"

"If there's no wedding, there's no need for a seating chart."

James finally had nothing left to say.