From Cocoon to Butterfly: Meeting the Beautiful Self

I had forgotten that my Edward was like a burst of sunshine—he'd never be cold or distant with anyone. His heart was all about justice, so the thought of him showing off my work at the office just didn't fit. What really stood out was that my man, Edward, cared deeply about me. He'd never look at me with such disdain. Whenever he looked at me, his eyes were always warm and full of love.

So it turned out they weren’t the same person after all.

Once I realized that, I felt this huge weight lift off my shoulders. If you’re not the Edward from my memories, then... I can let go and move on.

The next morning, Mom yanked me out of bed to help with breakfast. “Come on, time to get up! You twenty-somethings are just like old people. When you’re actually old, no one will stop you from snoozing. Now get up and help me with these veggies.”

But Zoey was still fast asleep.

Just then, there was a knock at the door. I opened it to find Edward and his mom, Stanra, standing there.

Mom had clearly warmed up to Edward after hearing Zoey’s explanation yesterday.

She saw them and immediately thought they were there for Zoey. She rushed to her bedroom and yelled, “Zoe, my sweetheart, Edward and Mrs. Shawn are here! Get up and get ready!”

To my surprise, Stanra said with a sheepish smile, “Mrs. Moses, I’m so sorry. We’re here to apologize to Celina.”

Mom looked puzzled and a bit flustered. “Celina?”

The difference in how she addressed Zoey and me was clear.

As Mom spoke, Zoey, now fresh and dressed, came out of her room. She approached Stanra with a warm smile and said, “Mrs. Shawn, what brings you here so early? Have you had breakfast yet?”

Stanra only gave Zoey a quick glance before walking over to grab my hand. "Celina, Edward really messed up, and I'm here to apologize.

“I laid into him as soon as he walked through the door yesterday. He’s been acting like he’s got one foot in both worlds—eyeing another woman while still enjoying who he has. That’s no way to handle a relationship; it’s just asking for trouble. Celina, for my sake, could you please find it in your heart to forgive him this time?

“Let’s set a new wedding date. I’ll cover the costs, and we’ll book a fancy venue to make sure your big day is everything you’ve dreamed of.”

Honestly, Stanra hadn’t been too keen on me before.

But after I started bringing her gifts, helping around the house, and letting her know that the plan Edward’s boss liked was my work, she slowly warmed up to me. She started to see me as a good potential daughter-in-law.

Now, faced with choosing between Zoey, who only had a high school diploma, and me with my college degree, she clearly had no doubts about picking me.

I smiled and gestured for Stanra to look at Edward, who was gazing at Zoey with such intensity it was almost palpable. They were even holding hands in front of everyone.

Pretending to be hurt, with my eyes a bit misty, I said, “Please don’t. Zoey and Edward are deeply in love with each other. I don’t think Edward would want me to come between them.”

Stanra looked at her disappointing son, her anger almost visible. Her face turned a bit green as she shot Edward a cold, furious look.

Edward’s family was a single-parent household, and Stanra was quite the fiery and dominant woman. Seeing his mom on the verge of losing it, he tried to pull his hand away in fear, but Zoey held on tight.

“Edward, dear…” Zoey’s voice was soft and full of emotion.

I couldn’t help but sneer. What a fool.