Chapter 3 · Two Weddings, A Lifetime Apart

Hayden sighed.

"I want to hear it. You've never talked about it before, and I'm really curious," I said.

"It's all over. There's nothing to talk about," Hayden replied.

"You never moved on, right?" I shot back.

As soon as I said that, I realized how sharp my voice sounded. I just couldn't hold it in anymore. I never thought I would sound like a spiteful, angry woman.

Hayden froze for a second. He hadn't seen this side of me before.

He frowned. "We'll head to the airport soon, Jocelyn. Come on, don't be upset."

I covered my nose and pushed him away. "You stink of cigarettes. Go take a shower."

His face fell for a moment before he turned and walked off to the bathroom.

My nose stung, and tears just wouldn't stop falling.

He was in the bathroom for ages. When he finally came out, he admitted that the waitress at the club really was his ex-girlfriend.

Hayden said things ended messily between them, and he still had some unresolved feelings. That was why he totally lost it when he saw her again after all these years.

"I shouldn't have done that last night. I'm sorry. It won't happen again, I promise," he said.

I turned away, lying on my side.

Hayden slipped his arms around me from behind, resting his head against my neck. "Jocelyn, let's leave the past behind, okay?"

"Okay," I whispered.

I just couldn't let him go. He was the first man I ever truly loved.

Once we got back to Belvos, Hayden was back to his old self. He picked me up from work on time every day, and he was the sweet, caring boyfriend I remembered.

About ten days before our wedding, he told me he had a business trip overseas that would last roughly a week.

His job often involved working with people from other countries, and he always tried to go whenever he could. And I'd always been supportive.

Therefore, I didn't think much of it.

I even drove him to the airport myself that day.

I never expected that, just five days after he left, Esther, who was all the way over in Warmon, messaged me on WhatsApp.

Esther: [Hey, I have a friend, and I saw her fiancé with another woman. Do you think I should tell her?]

My mind just shut down for a second.

Hayden and I went to Warmon for Esther's birthday party, and that was exactly where we bumped into Scarlett.

After a moment, I messaged back. [Honestly, if it were me, I'd want you to tell me.]

My hands were shaking as I typed.

Not long after, Esther sent me a picture of a man and a woman together.

Even though it was just their backs in the shot, I could tell right away it was Hayden.

He was wearing the new trench coat I'd bought him, walking next to a woman, holding the umbrella so it covered her more than himself.

I was sure the woman was his ex, Scarlett Frost.

He told me he was going abroad, but in the end, he just went to see his ex.

Esther: [I ran into them a couple of days ago, but with your wedding coming up soon, I didn't know what to say. Jocelyn, I just hope you'll really think it over.]

Esther: [I'm so relieved that I finally told you. Are you okay?]

I stared at their photo, numb and unable to look away.

Hayden, you lied to me. You promised that the past would stay in the past.

Me: [Are they still together right now?]

Esther: [Yeah, they are. I'm actually tailing them right now. My heart is pounding, and it seriously feels like I'm spying on them.]

I called Hayden, and he picked up.

"Jocelyn?" he said.

"Hayden, what are you doing right now?" I asked.

"I just left the conference center and was about to grab some food," he replied.

He was still lying.

I couldn't help but sneer.

Hayden picked up on my mood. "What's wrong? Are you upset?"

My tears came pouring out.

Hayden heard me sobbing, and his voice turned anxious. "What happened? Why are you crying?"

I couldn't tell if he was really worried about me or just scared I'd catch him in his lie.

"Hayden, where are you? Just be honest with me. Where are you right now?" I demanded.

"Jocelyn, calm down. I'll be back tomorrow," he said.

"Hayden, let's cancel the wedding," I said.

"Jocelyn, please, just let me explain," he pleaded.

I hung up before he could finish.

I collapsed onto the couch. Even though I had been the one to say those harsh words, to demand a breakup, my tears betrayed me, pouring out like crazy.

Chapter 3

Hayden sighed.

"I want to hear it. You've never talked about it before, and I'm really curious," I said.

"It's all over. There's nothing to talk about," Hayden replied.

"You never moved on, right?" I shot back.

As soon as I said that, I realized how sharp my voice sounded. I just couldn't hold it in anymore. I never thought I would sound like a spiteful, angry woman.

Hayden froze for a second. He hadn't seen this side of me before.

He frowned. "We'll head to the airport soon, Jocelyn. Come on, don't be upset."

I covered my nose and pushed him away. "You stink of cigarettes. Go take a shower."

His face fell for a moment before he turned and walked off to the bathroom.

My nose stung, and tears just wouldn't stop falling.

He was in the bathroom for ages. When he finally came out, he admitted that the waitress at the club really was his ex-girlfriend.

Hayden said things ended messily between them, and he still had some unresolved feelings. That was why he totally lost it when he saw her again after all these years.

"I shouldn't have done that last night. I'm sorry. It won't happen again, I promise," he said.

I turned away, lying on my side.

Hayden slipped his arms around me from behind, resting his head against my neck. "Jocelyn, let's leave the past behind, okay?"

"Okay," I whispered.

I just couldn't let him go. He was the first man I ever truly loved.

Once we got back to Belvos, Hayden was back to his old self. He picked me up from work on time every day, and he was the sweet, caring boyfriend I remembered.

About ten days before our wedding, he told me he had a business trip overseas that would last roughly a week.

His job often involved working with people from other countries, and he always tried to go whenever he could. And I'd always been supportive.

Therefore, I didn't think much of it.

I even drove him to the airport myself that day.

I never expected that, just five days after he left, Esther, who was all the way over in Warmon, messaged me on WhatsApp.

Esther: [Hey, I have a friend, and I saw her fiancé with another woman. Do you think I should tell her?]

My mind just shut down for a second.

Hayden and I went to Warmon for Esther's birthday party, and that was exactly where we bumped into Scarlett.

After a moment, I messaged back. [Honestly, if it were me, I'd want you to tell me.]

My hands were shaking as I typed.

Not long after, Esther sent me a picture of a man and a woman together.

Even though it was just their backs in the shot, I could tell right away it was Hayden.

He was wearing the new trench coat I'd bought him, walking next to a woman, holding the umbrella so it covered her more than himself.

I was sure the woman was his ex, Scarlett Frost.

He told me he was going abroad, but in the end, he just went to see his ex.

Esther: [I ran into them a couple of days ago, but with your wedding coming up soon, I didn't know what to say. Jocelyn, I just hope you'll really think it over.]

Esther: [I'm so relieved that I finally told you. Are you okay?]

I stared at their photo, numb and unable to look away.

Hayden, you lied to me. You promised that the past would stay in the past.

Me: [Are they still together right now?]

Esther: [Yeah, they are. I'm actually tailing them right now. My heart is pounding, and it seriously feels like I'm spying on them.]

I called Hayden, and he picked up.

"Jocelyn?" he said.

"Hayden, what are you doing right now?" I asked.

"I just left the conference center and was about to grab some food," he replied.

He was still lying.

I couldn't help but sneer.

Hayden picked up on my mood. "What's wrong? Are you upset?"

My tears came pouring out.

Hayden heard me sobbing, and his voice turned anxious. "What happened? Why are you crying?"

I couldn't tell if he was really worried about me or just scared I'd catch him in his lie.

"Hayden, where are you? Just be honest with me. Where are you right now?" I demanded.

"Jocelyn, calm down. I'll be back tomorrow," he said.

"Hayden, let's cancel the wedding," I said.

"Jocelyn, please, just let me explain," he pleaded.

I hung up before he could finish.

I collapsed onto the couch. Even though I had been the one to say those harsh words, to demand a breakup, my tears betrayed me, pouring out like crazy.