Betrayal Before the Altar

The contact list appeared fine, and my WhatsApp chats were perfectly organized. It was indeed Ellis who had invited me out for drinks that night. A few minutes earlier, he'd been checking in on me, worried that I'd been out in the rain and asking if I got home safely. I combed through my WhatsApp contacts but couldn't find anyone from Conor's social media post, indicating they weren't friends. Had I misunderstood?

When Liliana and I were together, I had confided in her about everything. I explained about my ex-girlfriend—how we never saw eye to eye, constantly clashed, and eventually, she cheated on me and left. Speaking of her always brought a mix of disgust and anger. It seemed unfathomable that I'd have anything more to do with her. Was I just being paranoid?

I was still wavering when I noticed Liliana was almost awake. I had to put down my phone and pretend to be asleep. My mind was a tangled mess; I had no idea how to face her at that moment.

A little later, I quietly slipped into the bedroom. Testing the waters, I softly called out, "Liliana? Are you asleep?"

When she didn't answer, I turned off the light and slid into bed, gently wrapping my arms around her. I whispered softly, "It's so wonderful to know that the day after tomorrow, you'll be my wife." "I love you so much. Goodnight."

She turned towards me, resting her head on my chest, and began to weep silently. "I love you too," she whispered. "So much."

Maybe I was just being paranoid. We were about to get married—how could I doubt her? We were so in love.

Calmed from my spiraling thoughts, I soon drifted into a peaceful sleep.

The day before the wedding, Ellis called again, insisting we should have another round of drinks. I raised an eyebrow. "Didn't we just hang out yesterday?"

"Well, it's because Yosef couldn't make it yesterday. He just got in this afternoon," he explained.

Cason, hugging me tightly, said half-jokingly, "You should come with me. Otherwise, I won't see you for over twelve hours."

I considered it but ultimately decided against it. "It's a guys' night. I wouldn't fit in anyway, and I have errands to run."

He left reluctantly. After a while, I realized I had forgotten to give him the gifts I had prepared for the guys. Knowing the hustle of the wedding day, I decided to drop them off myself.

Half an hour later, I arrived at their gathering spot, but the room was unusually quiet—not at all the lively atmosphere I expected. Just as I began doubting if I was at the right place, I heard Ellis's angry voice from inside.

"Let me ask you again: where were you last night?"

I froze in my tracks.

"Cason, listen to me," Ellis pressed. "Once you're married, you need to cut ties with Audrey and focus on building a good life with Liliana."

Suddenly, I felt like the wind had been knocked out of me. Cason pressed his lips together, offering no response.

Ellis, sounding a bit desperate, continued, "What's going on in your head? If you can't move on, then why did you break up with her in the first place?"

Cason remained silent, while others tried to lighten the mood. "Hey, we're all here to have a good time. Let's not dwell on this."

"You know the saying: if you're near water, you're bound to get wet. If you don't address it now, it'll be too late when things blow up later."

Cason lit a cigarette, his voice rough as he finally spoke. "With her, it was just physical, nothing more. But with Liliana, it's on a completely different level."

"Liliana is so sweet; she's a bit traditional and doesn't take the lead. It's not as exciting."

"You guys understand, right? No guy would miss a chance when it comes up. I keep it discreet; it's tidier that way."

"Don't worry. I know my limits."

"With Bria, it's strictly professional. No feelings, no overnight stays. It won't interfere with my marriage to Liliana at all."