2
During the groom’s pickup, there was a game.
Jake lost.
The penalty was carrying the three
bridesmaids downstairs.
<
He smilingly carried everyone except me.
He panted slightly. “Sorry, I can’t carry any
more.”
The bridesmaid finally noticed me, curiously
studying me.
She softly asked, “Do you two know each
other?”
Jake hesitated only slightly, calmly saying,
“Childhood friends.”
My heart was pierced again, the pain
spreading.
He didn’t even acknowledge our relationship.
I forced a smile, nodding. “Yeah. If you want
to hear about his childhood antics, ask me.”
Jake didn’t expect that reply.
His smile vanished.
I asked, “What’s wrong?”
He said angrily, “Sarah, don’t push it.”
What was I pushing?
Was he so afraid of me revealing his past?
<
Then, the bridesmaid broke the tension.
She blinked, smiling sweetly. “Really? Great!
I’d love to know more about him.”
She turned to Jake, her eyes mischievous.
“Can I pursue you?”
Jake didn’t look at me, just slightly curved his
lips, his tone light. “Sure.”
In that moment, my world crumbled.
Jake had a handsome face, countless girls
had tried to pursue him over the years.
But he always firmly refused.
“Sorry, I have a fiancee,” he’d say.
That was when we’d only been dating for a
short while.
He already included me in his future.
He gave me a sense of security.
Now, it was just “childhood friend.”
I tried to comfort myself, thinking he was
deliberately trying to upset me.
He couldn’t possibly treat me like this.
<
However, the surrounding cheers telt like
sharp knives, piercing my heart.
“Add WeChat, add WeChat!” the onlookers
urged.
Jake smiled, took out his phone, showed his
QR code, and naturally handed it to Taylor.
His smile held a hint of shyness.
It reminded me of our junior year, when I
applied for studying abroad.
After finding out, he pulled me to a secluded
spot.
“Sarah, I like you, I’ve liked you for years.”
“Will you be my girlfriend?”
Before I could answer, he leaned in and
kissed my cheek.
He smiled like that then.
Standing there now, everything felt tasteless
and absurd.
Eight years of relationship, the memories, felt
so pale and weak in this moment.
く
I thought our love was unbreakable.
Now, it was as fragile as paper, easily torn.
I took a deep breath, trying to stay calm.
“Okay, let’s take a picture!” the photographer
shouted.
We quickly gathered around the bride and
groom.
The girl who had just confessed to Jake
pushed me during the chaos.
When I looked back, she was close to Jake,
standing beside him.
2
The bride, Emily, was our mutual friend.
In college, we promised to be her bridesmaid
and groomsman.
A few days ago,
It was Jake and my eighth anniversary, but i
was sent on an emergency business trip
abroad.
This sudden assignment caused a huge
<
argument.
Jake blamed me for breaking my promise,
and I tried to explain.
“It’s an emergency work assignment, I didn’t
want to miss it,” I explained. “Jake, I’ll be
back as soon as I finish things at the branch
office. Don’t be angry, okay?”
He was furious. “Company! Company! Does
the company collapse without you, Sarah?
Sarah, look in the mirror, you’re just a
graduate from a no–name college. Don’t think
too highly of yourself!”
My hand holding my suitcase froze.
At first, I wanted to appease him.
Because I had indeed broken my promise.
And I understood his anger, he cared deeply
about our anniversary.
I told myself, it’s because of love, therefore
he cares.
But his words slapped me awake.
く
Maybe it was a moment of anger, speaking
without thinking.
But it felt like a sharp knife, piercing my
heart.
I could have gone to a top university.
The night before my college entrance exam,
Jake and his mother argued again because of
his father’s infidelity.
He ran away from home.
His mother found me.
As his neighbor and friend, we were close at
that time.
Worried about his safety, I searched for him
relentlessly for three hours.
As a result, I caught a cold and had a high
fever during the exam, affecting my
performance.
So I ended up going to a local college with
him.
After the argument, Jake blocked me on
く
everything again.
I didn’t take it seriously. It wasn’t the first
time.
He was childish, and I was willing to tolerate
- it.
But when I returned from my trip, with the
expensive Rolex I bought him,
the code didn’t work.
I knocked, but no one answered.
