Chapter 3 · When My Groom Chose His Mistress Over Our Engagement

Pierce Martin paused after my words, quickly regaining his composure, a flash of impatience crossing his face.

"Kalani," he said, "there's got to be a limit to your antics. Do you think breaking an engagement is just a ploy to grab attention?"

I stared at him, incredulous. Attention? It was absurd for him to put it that way. Our families were equals; I had no need to compete for attention over some other person hovering around him.

He went on, "Haven't I told you before? Faith and I are just friends. Why are you so jealous? Faith was right; you women can be so dramatic."

His behavior made me laugh out of sheer frustration. Just as I was about to respond, he pulled Faith Grant along with him, leaving me with a final remark:

"Kalani, everything has its limits. Consider this your only warning. A week from now, I'll keep my word and come to marry you."

---

That evening, instead of the usual family dinner, I found myself at a Thanksgiving feast. The dining room was filled with the comforting aroma of roast turkey, mashed potatoes, and spiced honey cake, blending with the lively chatter of relatives reminiscing about past holidays.

I sipped my coffee, watching my younger cousins play in the garden, the autumn leaves crunching underfoot. My thoughts wandered to Pierce and the impending wedding. The weight of expectation felt heavy, like the Victorian-style dress I'd worn earlier for our engagement photos.

Amid the bustle, my phone buzzed with a WhatsApp notification. It was a friend urging me to take a break, maybe plan a getaway to the Alps—a chance to clear my head and regain some perspective.

Surrounded by laughter and warmth, I felt a deep sense of dislocation. This wasn't the future I'd imagined, yet here I was, ensnared by promises and traditions I never chose to accept.

Chapter 3

Pierce Martin paused after my words, quickly regaining his composure, a flash of impatience crossing his face.

"Kalani," he said, "there's got to be a limit to your antics. Do you think breaking an engagement is just a ploy to grab attention?"

I stared at him, incredulous. Attention? It was absurd for him to put it that way. Our families were equals; I had no need to compete for attention over some other person hovering around him.

He went on, "Haven't I told you before? Faith and I are just friends. Why are you so jealous? Faith was right; you women can be so dramatic."

His behavior made me laugh out of sheer frustration. Just as I was about to respond, he pulled Faith Grant along with him, leaving me with a final remark:

"Kalani, everything has its limits. Consider this your only warning. A week from now, I'll keep my word and come to marry you."

---

Amid the bustle, my phone buzzed with a WhatsApp notification. It was a friend urging me to take a break, maybe plan a getaway to the Alps—a chance to clear my head and regain some perspective.

Surrounded by laughter and warmth, I felt a deep sense of dislocation. This wasn't the future I'd imagined, yet here I was, ensnared by promises and traditions I never chose to accept.