The Past is Hard to Recall

Even his cooking skills were learned for Winona.

I used to watch his back as he made congee in the kitchen and felt a sense of happiness. But now, every frame of that memory felt painfully ironic.

"I don't feel like eating right now. Maybe later."

Seeing that I really didn’t have an appetite, he hesitated for a moment before bringing up the matter of Winona’s wedding dress.

It turned out that it wasn’t just the wedding itself. Winona wanted everything: my wedding dress, my ring, even my bouquet.

"Of course, if you’re not willing..."

"It’s fine," I interrupted calmly and smiled generously. If I no longer cared for Cole, why would I care about these custom-made possessions tied to him?

Cole froze in place, staring at my calm gaze. He opened his mouth but ultimately said nothing.

Since the rings had been custom-made using my ID, he needed me to accompany him to have the size and name changed.

When we arrived at the jewelry store, I saw the pair of long-awaited rings now worn on Cole’s and Winona’s fingers.

The store staff kept complimenting how well-matched they looked, like a couple destined to be together.

That was, until Winona requested the names on the rings to be changed to hers. The clerk’s smile froze in place.

She turned to look at me, hesitating. “So, which one of you is Miss Hale?”

I stepped forward and said calmly, “That would be me.”

I glanced at Winona and Cole, their fingers intertwined as they posed for photos and chuckled lightly.

“If she likes the ring so much, let’s go with her idea. I’m willing to let her have it,” I said, my tone calm and indifferent.

After urging the jeweler to make the adjustments, Winona and Cole, without missing a beat, dragged me to the bridal shop next.

Thanks to my parents’ upbringing and their emphasis on quality, the wedding gown was designed to be bold and elegant, perfectly highlighting my striking temperament.

Worn by the petite and delicate Winona, the wedding gown instantly lost its original charm. In the mirror, she looked more like a maid trying on the clothes of a noble lady.

Even Cole couldn’t help but suggest, “Maybe it’s better to pick one that suits you more.”

But Winona stubbornly insisted on this one.

Cole looked at me, caught in a dilemma. He knew how much this wedding and especially this gown meant to me. I had spent six months carefully selecting it.

Every diamond on the gown was carefully chosen after discussions with the designer. That’s why it wasn’t until three days before the wedding that the final adjustments were made.

I had once dreamed of being Cole's most beautiful bride. Now, it seemed unnecessary. Even this wedding dress made me feel utterly ridiculous.

“Stella, I love Cole just like you do, you know that. I even developed depression because of him. Before, you tolerated me, gave in to me and bought me so many nice things. Now, I’ve truly decided to let go. You wouldn’t even refuse to let me have this wedding dress, would you?”

Winona spoke with a pitiful tone, as if I had wronged her. Cole looked at her with so much sympathy, his worry evident in his eyes.

"Stella, I never realized you could be so petty! It's just a wedding dress! You know Winona has depression, why are you making such a fuss about it?"

I studied them carefully, watching their expressions become uncomfortable. Only then did I smile and nod. "Of course, if you like it so much, take it. I'm not the storekeeper; I can't stop a sale."

With that, I went to speak with the shopkeeper, explaining that I agreed to let Winona have the dress. The whole ordeal dragged on until evening.

Cole then mentioned my pregnancy, urging me to go rest early.