My Fiancé's Ticking Time Bomb

The night before my wedding, I was scrolling through TikTok and came across a "Story Time" video.

The girl on screen said, "I loved a man for ten years, and three times, he almost killed me."

The first time, their relationship was exposed. His parents disapproved and forced them apart. After they broke up, she swallowed half a bottle of sleeping pills, desperate to see him again.

The second time, she was pregnant with their child. Because they couldn't raise it, she was forced to have an abortion and hemorrhaged so badly she nearly died.

The third time, she heard he was getting married and was completely devastated.

Finally, she whispered, "If you don't come tomorrow, I'll see you in the next life."

In the caption, she'd tagged an account.

The moment I clicked on it, I saw a picture of my own back as I tried on my wedding dress, pinned to the top of the profile.

At the same time, my fiancé, Liam, sent me a message.

"Ava, something urgent came up. We have to postpone the wedding."

————————

1

I knew Liam had an unforgettable ten-year romance before we even got together.

But I'd asked him. I'd asked if he was really over her.

His answer was simple.

"I don't live in the past. I only look to the future. Ava, I chose you. From now on, you're the only one."

Remembering his promise, I whispered into the phone, "Do you have to go? Can't you stay?"

His words weren't a discussion. They were a final decision.

I could already hear the roar of an engine starting on his end.

"I'm sorry, Ava. This is really important. I have to go. Just give me a few days. I'll sort this out and be back as fast as I can."

He sounded so anxious, his voice trembled.

But I felt strangely calm.

I felt strangely detached, like I was watching some drama unfold that had nothing to do with me.

"If it's that important, just... take your time. Don't rush back for me."

He made me feel completely secure.

He’d insisted on putting our apartment deed in my name only, and he covered all the bills without a second thought.

In the short time I was on the phone, our location-sharing app pinged with three speeding alerts.

He was racing toward Los Angeles.

In response, Liam's voice was laced with a mixture of guilt and reassurance.

"I'm so sorry. I'll make it up to you, I promise. Besides, weren't you just trying to pick a honeymoon spot? You can use this time to figure it out."

I didn't answer.

Without another word, I grabbed my tablet and messaged my mom.

"The wedding's off. Liam and I are over."

She replied instantly. "Why? You've been in love with him forever. You were so thrilled about this wedding. How can you just call it off?"

Besides my mom, no one knew.

For the ten years Liam and his first love, Chloe, were on and off, I was secretly in love with him, too. For ten years.

But that didn't mean I was willing to accept a man who was still in love with someone else.

Putting up with it would be like carrying a splinter in my heart—impossible to remove, a sharp, constant sting for the rest of my life.

With that thought, I replied to my mom.

I sent just five words: "We're not right for each other."

After Liam hung up, I started taking down the wedding decorations in our New York apartment.

I carefully placed the custom-made gown I was supposed to wear tomorrow back into its box and slid it into the closet.

Once I was done, Chloe posted another video.

This time, it was simple, just thirty seconds of a black screen.

Her tear-choked voice filled the silence.

"He came for me," she said. "It feels like... my world has color again."

My fingertips twitched. I silently liked the post.

And I left a comment: "Congrats."

She seemed to be in a great mood.

The instant my comment appeared, she replied: "Thx."