Chapter 3
The crumpled shirt and sudden kiss marks on Brandon’s neck gave everything away.
Uncle Kinsley, visibly disgusted, stood up and left without another word.
Brandon, holding his glass mid-air, froze. Embarrassment twisted his face, and he lashed out, shoving me aside. “Useless! You can’t handle even a small task! Forget about the wedding—you don’t deserve it!”
Caught off guard in my heels, I stumbled and fell hard, my ankle swelling and reddening almost immediately. Pain shot through me, and tears welled up in my eyes.
People around us glanced over, whispering among themselves. Uncle Kinsley rushed over and helped me up, concern evident on his face.
Brandon, however, walked off without so much as a backward glance.
Uncle Kinsley wanted to confront him, but I stopped him, thanking him for his kindness. I hobbled to the lounge and tended to my injury.
As I passed the garden on my way back, I heard Brandon’s voice.
I paused and turned to see him laughing with a group of familiar acquaintances.
“Hey, I caught you and that little secretary in the bathroom earlier. Aren’t you worried Serena will find out?” one of them teased.
Brandon smirked, taking a slow drag of his cigarette.
“Let her find out. It’s not like she can leave me.” He chuckled.
Another friend chimed in with a sly grin, “Speaking of, I’ve still got the recording from your proposal. Gotta say, that girl’s got a killer figure for someone her age. No wonder even if you’ve got a new flame, you still can’t let her go.”
“She’s pretty bold too,” another added. “Bet she was the one who made the first move back then, couldn’t resist throwing herself at you, right?”
Seeing that Brandon wasn’t angry, the first one pushed further. “Since you’ve already got Karina, why not let us have some fun with Serena?”
Their crude laughter echoed through the garden. My heart clenched so tightly it felt like it might shatter.
Trembling, I waited for Brandon’s response.
He exhaled a puff of smoke, chuckling lightly. “Do as you like. Her mom’s a hassle, but Serena? She’s an idiot. Too easy to manipulate.”
He tapped ash from his cigarette, adding nonchalantly, “Girls like her are starved for love, desperate to be wanted. Just say a few sweet words, and they’ll fall right into your hands. No effort needed.”
Their laughter grew louder as they traded more vulgar comments about my body.
From behind the dense foliage, I stared at Brandon, my heart plummeting into a freezing abyss. Even as my nails dug into my palms, drawing blood, I barely felt the pain.
Seven years of love—it was all lies. His confession all those years ago was also a lie.
Brandon never loved me, and he never truly intended to marry me.
To him, I was nothing more than a cheap, easy distraction—someone he could use, mock, and discard.
I turned to leave, swallowing my sobs, when my phone suddenly rang.
The noise caught Brandon’s attention, and his gaze shifted to me. For a brief moment, I saw a trace of panic flicker in his eyes.
I turned my back to him and answered the call—it was my mother.
“Serena, Wesley has already finalized the wedding arrangements. He knows how important this is to you and has prepared several options for you to choose from, including the dresses.”
“I’ve already chosen my wedding dress, Mom,” I interrupted softly. “The rest, I’ll leave it to you and him.”
By then, Brandon had approached me. Once he confirmed I hadn’t overheard their conversation, his demeanor shifted back to arrogance.
“Wedding dress? Serena, can you stop being so selfish? All you ever care about are meaningless things. We’ll be family soon—why can’t you focus more on helping with my business? The partnership—”
Before he could finish his words, I cut him off, “I’ve heard enough.”
I stood up, and walked away without glancing back.
I had a wedding dress to retrieve.
Brandon didn’t deserve my love, nor did he deserve to see me wearing that dress.
This dress, handcrafted over seven years, was a symbol of my hopes and dreams for a happy future.
After bringing it home, I started packing my belongings.