Betrayal Before the Altar

Cason's demeanor was so natural just now, as if nothing unusual had happened earlier. He must not be upset anymore, right? I let out a sigh of relief and got up to wash the dishes. While cooking isn't my favorite thing, I have a knack for collecting beautiful dishware and actually enjoy washing them.

This is where Cason and I fit together perfectly. Our interests align, and our habits complement each other, making us the ideal partners. So how could we let a minor issue create a rift between us? Once I realized that, the cloud that had overshadowed my mood lifted completely.

Feeling quite pleased with myself, I tidied everything up and started unboxing deliveries to decorate our soon-to-be marital home. The cool-toned space came alive with the addition of vibrant, gold decorations. I was over the moon and couldn't resist taking numerous photos to post on Facebook.

No sooner had I posted them than someone liked the photos. The profile picture was familiar—it belonged to someone from my Facebook circle, although I didn’t know her personally. Two years ago, Cason had taken me to his old university for a reunion, and I ended up adding a bunch of people on Facebook. She must have been one of those connections.

What made her stand out was her immediate response to every post I made, as if she lived on Facebook. Plus, her posts were quite distinctive. She once mentioned that she and her ex-boyfriend were so compatible that, even after breaking up, they stayed friends with benefits. Whenever one of them wanted, they’d reach out regardless of the distance, and the other would come over. She even shared a story about a time she was on a business trip and casually posted the name of her hotel; her ex drove all night to be with her. I found it intriguing and discreetly followed their saga, hoping they’d rekindle their romance. But eventually, her posts became too much for me, so I decided to hide her updates.

Just then, I remembered the package Cason received today. On a whim, I unblocked her and navigated to her profile. Three hours ago, she had posted: "Tonight, I'm playing nurse," followed by, "Feeling under the weather, need a shot," with a photo.

A chill ran through me, and I instinctively backed out of the post, only to hesitate, frozen. I went back to the picture, zooming in as much as possible. In the lower left corner, a blurry reflection was visible in the floor-to-ceiling window. The silhouette looked like… Cason.