The Bride Who Was A No-Show

I lost my father that night. All I could do was watch them take his body away before my legs gave out, and I collapsed to the cold floor, my wails echoing in the empty corridor.

In the distance, brilliant fireworks exploded over the Manhattan skyline, celebrating Scarlett's birthday. On social media, a photo surfaced of Julian holding Scarlett in his arms. They looked for all the world like the happy couple.

The image dragged me back through our past.

I was a junior architect back then, just starting out, when I found him passed out in a bar after being dumped. I took him back to my tiny apartment and made sure he was okay for the night. The next morning, he left a five-figure check on the counter as thanks and disappeared.

I thought that was the end of it. But soon after, he acquired the design firm where I worked. He pursued me relentlessly, finally winning me over by purchasing an abandoned historic building I’d always dreamed of renovating and giving me complete creative control over the project.

Desperate to feel worthy of him, I poured everything into my work, chasing one success after another. But the good times didn't last. The moment his ex-girlfriend Scarlett returned to the city, everything changed.

My promotion was indefinitely postponed, while Scarlett was installed as the company's new "art consultant." Julian told me to be patient. "Aurora, think of the big picture. You'll be the lady of the Sterling estate soon enough."

I naively thought compromise would bring peace. Instead, my silence only emboldened him.

He forgot my award ceremony but booked out a Michelin-starred restaurant to celebrate Scarlett signing her first minor contract. When I was rushed to the emergency room with severe food poisoning, he was busy dispatching a helicopter to retrieve Scarlett, who had merely twisted her ankle on a hike.

The final straw came when I walked in on him slipping the engagement ring I had personally designed for us onto Scarlett's finger. I exploded. When I confronted him, he accused me of being unreasonable. "Aurora, it's just a ring. Is this really worth making a fuss over?"

The memories evaporated, stranding me in the cold, hard present. For three days, I'd been camped outside the morgue, fighting to claim my father's body. I refused to let them cremate him until I had answers. Just then, my phone rang. It was Julian.