When My Boyfriend Refused to Be My Groom, I Found Another

That charm had been something my mother had earned through years of bowing, each step taken with the weight of her frail body dragging her through the pain.

They didn’t deserve to wear it.

I stepped forward, extending my hand toward Madeline. “Hand it over.”

Madeline immediately clutched her neck protectively, glancing at Alexander with a look of feigned helplessness.

He stepped in front of her, shielding her with a frown. “It’s just a worthless trinket. Today is Madeline’s birthday. Don’t make a scene.”

“After today, if you want one, I’ll get you as many as you want.”

My eyes burned, stinging with the threat of tears.

When my mother had entrusted the charm to him, he’d promised to protect it.

But to him, it was nothing more than a “worthless trinket.”

Behind him, Madeline raised her brows at me, smug and victorious.

I couldn’t hold back any longer. My hand shot out, grabbing for the charm around her neck.

As I yanked it free, fresh scratches marred Madeline’s delicate skin, blood trickling from the marks.

I no longer wanted the secondhand dress or the secondhand man.

All I wanted was to leave with the charm.

But the bodyguards blocked my path.

Alexander leaned down to comfort the crying Madeline. “Hand it over now, and I’ll pretend none of this ever happened.”

Madeline stomped her foot, frustration bubbling over. “Alexander, she hurt me! And you’re just going to let her get away with it?”

With a cold glance in her direction, Alexander silenced her.

I remained silent, clutching the charm tightly against my chest.

His patience, once so enduring, finally snapped. Step by step, he approached me.

The bodyguards pinned me down, and the charm around my neck was ripped away.

He casually tossed both charms into Madeline’s hands. “If you still want to marry me, behave yourself.”

Madeline smirked wickedly, lighting a lighter in her hand. “What should I do? I suddenly don’t care for it as much anymore.”

“No!”

I shook my head, desperation flooding through me.

Before my eyes, the last vestige of my mother’s protection turned to ash in her hands.

Anger roared through me. “Madeline, I’ll kill you!”

I struggled, but the bodyguards held me firmly in place.

I turned my hateful gaze on Alexander. “Alexander, why do you treat me like this? Was it wrong to love you with everything I had? Even if I was wrong, I’ve already given up on you! Why are you still doing this to me?”

Why…

Why was he so determined to destroy my hopes, refusing to help me fulfill my mother’s final wish?

Something in my expression seemed to reach him, piercing through his cold exterior.

The hatred in my eyes caused a rare flicker of confusion to cloud his face.

In his memories, whenever I looked at him, my eyes had always been filled with love and adoration.

Unconsciously, he moved closer.

But Madeline quickly stepped forward, wrapping herself around his arm. “Let’s go. The guests are waiting for us.”

He turned and walked away with Madeline, leaving me standing there, abandoned and broken.

I collapsed onto the ground, helplessness, and despair crashing over me like an unforgiving wave.

The wedding decorations were gone.

The wedding dress was gone.

Even the charm my mother had so carefully obtained for me was gone.

Even if Tristan made it back in time, I knew my mother would sense something was wrong.

In the end, I had changed nothing…

I wandered the streets, lost in a fog, letting the rain drench me completely.

Out of nowhere, a black umbrella appeared above my head, and a soft voice spoke beside me.

“Weren’t you supposed to get married today? Why are you out here, crying all alone?”

Sitting in the car, I finally recognized Tristan, though his face was unfamiliar.

He took off his coat and draped it over my shoulders.

The warmth of the fabric chased away the chill deep inside me. I gave him a small, apologetic smile.

“Sorry, Tristan. Looks like the wedding won’t be happening after all.”