My Fiance Who Lied to Me

On the day of my grandmother's funeral, Rowan's favorite female youtuber posted a video on YouTube. "The fifteen thousand dollars given by my beloved Rowan gave me the courage to keep on living," she said. "If only it were a dowry…"

He refused to give me money to cover my grandmother's medical treatment, but apparently, he had the funds to transfer money to his youtuber girlfriend.

With an expression as dull as stone, I offered my blessings as I commented. [I wish you a long life together.]

A scumbag and a bitch! They deserved to suffer together for the rest of their lives.

***

Rowan Price, my fiancé was just a poor, struggling student back then. Together, we shared a forty-cent of dumpling stew and lived in a cramped, damp basement barely ten square meters wide.

When he graduated, he dreamed of taking the postgraduate entrance exam, aiming for a brighter future. But every time he saw me leaving early for work and returning late, his eyes would fill with an ache that was almost unbearable to look at.

"Amara, I won't take the postgraduate exam. I'll just find a job right away. The sooner I earn money, the sooner I can give you a home."

"No! I wish your dream to come true and by then, I wish you would marry me!" Hand in hand, we walked together, our fingers intertwined, unsteady yet smiling, eyes crinkled with joy.

We had been together for eight years and in all that time, I never received the proposal I had been waiting for. Still, I waited and waited, believing with all my heart that Rowan was just working hard to build a better life for us.

Even my grandmother would tease me from time to time. "You, my dear. I wish I could see you get married already!"

Blushing, I clung to her arm and responded coyly, "Oh, Grandma, please stop teasing. Just put your mind at ease and don't worry about me."

Her eyes softened anda trace of worry flashed through them as she touched my face. "Yes, dear, but your grandma needs to see her grand daughter marry her sweetheart before she leaves this world. Only then will I truly be at peace."

I snuggled into her embrace, muttering in mock discontent, "You silly old lady, what nonsense are you saying just now? You're going to live a long, long life."

My mother left after giving birth to me and my father soon found someone new. One snowy day, he abandoned me at the edge of a lake, leaving me alone and helpless as he turned and walked away.

Grandma… She dove straight into that freezing lake without hesitation, risking her own life amidst the ice and snow to pull me out.

Holding me close, she sobbed, "Amara, you still have your grandma. Grandma will always be here to watch you grow up."

This old lady was as stubborn as they come, fiercely determined to raise me all on her own. I never lacked for love. Where other girls had beautiful school bags and trendy braided hairstyles, I had them too.Grandma always made sure of it.

The two of us, bound by a bond deeper than blood, depended on each other for everything. I dreamed of holding her hand and guiding her through life's happiest moments, especially when I married.

But in a sad twist of fate, those words became a mere wish. She fell ill and the sickness struck with a vengeance.

Now, she lay on her bed, her once-strong frame whittled down to skin and bones.

I knew the pain was unbearable. Every night, the man in the bed next to hers moaned in agony, yet Grandma stayed silent, suppressing her cries so I would not worry.

I cried so much that my eyes throbbed with pain. Rowan tried to comfort me, gently pressing a cold popsicle to my swollen eyelids. His expression was a mix of tenderness and frustration. "Don't dwell on it. It might not be as serious as you think. The test results aren't even out yet."

I struggled to breathe, my voice barely more than a rasp. "Rowan, I'm just glad you're here with me."

As I gazed at my grandmother's pale, frail face, the grief inside me felt like it would tear me in half. I barely slept that night, but as I lay awake, I happened to notice Rowan watching a live stream.

There was a young girl on the screen, sweet-faced and wearing a playful hat, speaking into the camera. "Hello everyone, welcome to Madeline's Treatment Diary."

I noticed a strange look flicker across Rowan's face as he watched her, something unnameable yet stirring. I bit my lip, trying to tell myself it might just be empathy.

However, it did not end there. Over the following days, I saw more posts on his Instagram showing this Madeline Cross.

I felt a cold weight settle in my stomach, my heart sinking to depths I had not known existed.

I pressed Rowan, desperate for answers. "Where have you been lately? I couldn't reach you on the phone and I haven't been able to find you anywhere!"

A flash of irritation crossed his face, his voice tense as he replied, "I'm about to graduate. Every day is spent revising my thesis."

Then he took out a simple silver ring, slipped it onto my finger and squeezed my hand gently. "Once Grandma recovers, I promise we'll get married."

I looked down at the plain silver ring, feeling a sense of disbelief.

After eight long years, I had finally received the proposal I had been waiting for, yet it was so unremarkable, so devoid of thought or meaning.

But life did not wait for us to celebrate. Grandma suddenly vomited blood, her condition deteriorating rapidly.

The doctor's expression was grave as he spoke. "If you can pay for her treatment immediately, there's a chance she may recover."

Tears blurred my vision as I turned to Rowan. "Rowan, I gave you a card with the down payment for our house. Please, give it back to me. I need it to save Grandma."

Rowan's fingers stilled, his breathing growing heavier. "I'm sorry, Amara… I can't access it right now."

My heart skipped a beat and I tugged at his sleeve in desperation. "Why not? Why can't you access it?"

He looked away, a flicker of guilt in his eyes as he tried to loosen my grip. "Amara… you still owe me that four thousand dollars too…"

I felt as though I was losing my mind. Falling to my knees, I clutched at his trousers, begging him, "Please, Rowan. I'm begging you. If you can't give it all, just give me part of it. I will definitely pay you back. Okay?"

But he pried my hands away, his voice was cold and unyielding. "I have something very important that I need it for. I can't give it back to you."