Unused Wedding Rings

Although Clara was informed that Sophia Collins was dead, she had doubts. Moreover, the article was the only one; when Clara searched for other information, she found nothing. Clara was suspicious whether Sophia was dead or if she was still alive and in an unknown place.

Clara wants to cancel her marriage with Blake because he has betrayed her. Whatever the reason, Clara cannot accept Blake again because Blake could repeat the same mistake. However, Blake continues to persuade Clara to stay married to Blake, and he promises that Blake will change. A few days before the wedding, Blake was no longer cold and always had time for Clara.

So Clara changed her mind. After all, Clara's parents wanted to see Clara get married, especially her mother, who had heart disease, who wanted to see Clara get married before she died. Both of their faces looked happy on the wedding day.

It was supposed to be the happiest day of Clara's life. She stood in the church's dressing room, wearing a shimmering white wedding dress with a beautiful flowing veil. However, there was an odd feeling in her chest. Since the incident with the watch and Sophia's name, Clara no longer felt confident about her decision to marry Blake. She kept hesitating.

"Clara, you look like an angel." Elena, her best friend and bridesmaid, tried to comfort her.

Clara smiled a little, but her heart was still in doubt. Although she tried to convince herself that Blake had explained everything, the memories of Sophia's emails and messages couldn't be forgotten. Even the night before the wedding, Blake seemed to leave their apartment in a hurry for no apparent reason. I am still trying to figure out what happened.

"I don't know, Elena." Clara finally confessed. "I should feel happy today, but something keeps bothering me."

Elena took Clara's hand. "If you're not sure, Clara, you don't have to do it. Marriage isn't something you can force."

Clara nodded, but the church doorbell was already ringing—time to walk to the altar. With a heavy sigh, she decided to go ahead with this wedding.

***

Blake stood at the altar with a nervous smile. The guests looked at Clara as she walked gracefully up the stairs. However, something in Blake's eyes made Clara feel even more uncomfortable.

When they finally stood face to face, Blake touched Clara's hand. "You look marvelous," he said softly.

The priest began to read the opening prayer, followed by the wedding vows. Clara tried to ignore the strange feeling that crept into her heart.

"Blake Hawthorne," the minister said, "do you take Clara Devereux to be your wife to love and honor her in joy and sorrow until death do you part?"

Blake looked at Clara, smiling a little, but something unexpected happened when he opened his mouth to speak.

"I do, Sophia."

Silence.

All eyes were on Blake. Clara stared at Blake with her mouth half open, unable to believe what she had just heard.

"What did you say?" whispered Clara, her voice barely audible.

Blake fell silent. His face paled, but he tried to be evasive. "I... I misspoke. I mean Clara."

But it was too late. Clara felt the world come crashing down. Tears welled up in her eyes, but she held her head up. She would not be a publicly humiliated woman without defending her dignity.

"No," Clara said firmly. "I can't marry someone who isn't even sure who he wants to be."

The priest tried to calm the situation, but Clara had already decided. She took off the veil on her head, handed it to Elena and walked out of the church without looking back.

"Clara! Stop!"

Twenty-five-year-old Clara stopped when she heard her mother's voice.

"It's your wedding day. Why are you running away?" Clara's mother, Jessica, asked.

"Mama, Blake just mentioned another woman on our wedding day," Clara replied. Holding back tears.

"Clara, maybe Blake wasn't concentrating. You have to understand, maybe he's nervous. Go back to the wedding."

Clara greatly respected her parents but didn't want to obey this time.

"Sorry, Papa, Mama, I can't." Clara ran away.

***

A few days after the annulment, Clara shut herself in Elena's apartment. Her phone was full of messages from family, friends, and Blake himself, but she ignored them all.

"He messed everything up," Clara said to Elena, sitting beside her on the couch. "I might have been able to forgive his previous mistakes, but this. This has gone too far."

Elena nodded. "You made the right decision. No one wants to be treated like that, Clara."

However, while Clara tried to put her mind at ease, an anonymous message arrived on her cell phone. It was a video link with the words: "Watch this. You deserve to know."

Hesitantly, Clara clicked on the link. The video began to play, showing Blake sitting in a fancy restaurant. In front of him was a beautiful woman with long brown hair who smiled as she touched Blake's hand.

Clara held her breath as the woman's face became more apparent. It was Sophia Collins. Although Clara had never met her, a photo of Sophia Collins appeared in an article from that time. Clara was sure she was not mistaken.

The video didn't stop there. The footage showed Blake and Sophia kissing before leaving the restaurant together. Clara held her cell phone tightly, trying to contain the anger in her chest.

"Elena," Clara called, her voice shaking.

Elena came closer and looked at Clara's phone screen. "Oh, my God. It's really him, isn't it? Blake with Sophia."

Clara nodded, finding it difficult to speak. The video was clear proof that Blake had been lying all along—all her lies, attempts to believe her husband, and deceit.

"I have to get over him," Clara said finally. "I can't keep living like this. Blake is not a good man."

Elena hugged Clara tightly. "You're right. You deserve someone much better than him."

However, Clara knew that it wasn't over yet. Even though she had left Blake, some questions continued to haunt her: Who was Sophia Collins? Why did she die? Is she dead? Who does this anonymous number belong to? And what is Blake hiding about their relationship?

Clara is determined to find the answers, no matter what it takes.

Clara immediately dialled the number. Getting the number's owner to pick up Clara's phone ten times took a lot of work.

"Who are you, why did you send that video to me? Are you Sophia Collins or someone she sent?" Clara asked without preamble.

There was silence, only the sound of breathing.

"Hello? Answer my question!" she demanded. Her voice was loud.

"If you want to know, please come to your apartment."

"Huh?" Clara looked confused. Her body was tense. Just as she was about to ask another question, the call was cut off.