Eight Years as His Second Choice

During the vows, my fiancé looked past me with reddened eyes and called out another woman's name.

"Jean..."

I froze. My gaze followed his, drifting to someone standing behind me.

The one that got away—the woman who'd abandoned him all those years ago—had come back. No one knew when she'd returned.

She stood there in a white wedding gown, and on her ring finger sat a pull-tab ring identical to the one on mine.

Their eyes locked, both glistening with tears, like star-crossed lovers reunited after years apart.

The officiant scrambled to smooth things over.

"Mr. Farley must be nervous—just a slip of the tongue! Miss Sullivan, why don't we give the groom another chance?"

Half the guests already knew their history. They watched with bated breath, waiting for the spectacle to unfold.

But Hudson didn't correct himself. He dropped my hand and ran after Jean as she fled down the aisle.

The venue erupted into chaos. I pulled the ring from my finger and canceled the wedding on the spot.

Eight years ago, he'd gotten into a fight to protect Jean Swanson. Three years in prison. Half his life, ruined.

When he walked out of those gates, I was the one waiting. I was the one who pulled him out of the wreckage, who stood beside him as he built everything from nothing.

He'd promised he would never betray me.

But eight years later, the person he chose was still her.

Fine. Then I'd let him have what he wanted.

……

I stared at the overturned flower arrangements, my mind blank. Every bloom, every ribbon—I'd spent six months designing it all by hand.

Now it was destroyed beyond recognition.

Even the bouquet I'd woven myself had been trampled under Hudson Farley's shoes, ground into a shapeless mess.

The officiant recovered and walked over, holding out a tissue with a pitying look.

Then he noticed there wasn't a single tear on my face.

"Miss Sullivan... should we continue with the ceremony?"

"No."

Everyone left. The venue fell silent.

When Hudson proposed, he'd said he hadn't had time to buy a diamond ring, so he'd used a pull-tab from a soda can instead.

I believed him. I wore it for eight years.

It wasn't until today that I understood what it really meant.

That ring was a promise Hudson Farley had made to Jean Swanson back in college. A promise of forever.

Jean wasn't around, so that love trickled down to me by default.

Now she was back, and the love was being reclaimed—along with the ring, which had been nothing but trash all along.

I tossed it aside, stepped off the stage, and sat down to remove my makeup.

On the other side of the window, the great romantic chase was already underway.

Hudson gripped Jean's hand, his voice shaking with emotion.

"Jean, why did you leave eight years ago? If you hadn't left—"

He didn't finish. His gaze drifted in my direction.

One of their old classmates jumped in immediately.

"Hudson, you and Jean were so in love back then. We all thought you two would get married. When that whole mess happened and you lost each other, everyone felt terrible about it. Jean's back now, and just in time. Why don't you two get married right here and put eight years of regret to rest?"

The words had barely left his mouth when I walked out, the veil I'd removed draped over my arm.

Hudson avoided my eyes. His hand was still holding Jean's.

"But Tabitha Sullivan was the one by my side for eight years. I can't just—"

Jean trembled in front of him, sobbing so hard she could barely hold herself together.

"I'm sorry... I came back too late. Please, don't pressure him because of me..."

Her eyes were swollen red, tears streaming down her face. The tenderness on Hudson's face was so thick it was practically spilling over.

I knew him. He hadn't denied it outright. He'd chased after her, demanded answers. That alone told Jean everything she needed to know—she still had a place in his heart.

I walked over and placed the veil on Jean's head. I smoothed her hair into place, adjusted the fabric, and smiled.

"It suits you. Hudson, marry her."

Nelson Lane clapped Hudson on the shoulder, egging him on.

"Come on, Hudson. Even Tabitha's giving you her blessing. What are you still hesitating for?"

"Exactly! Sure, Tabitha was the one by your side these eight years, but everyone knew the person you really loved was Jean. If it weren't for what happened, you two would probably have kids in elementary school by now!"