"Mom, Dad, I'm calling off the engagement."
My parents froze. For a long moment, they didn't say a word.
Then my dad let out a deep sigh.
"Honestly? Maybe it's for the best."
"If he's already stomping all over our dignity before the wedding, it wouldn't get any better afterward."
My mom, however, looked worried.
"I get that, but… what about the debt?"
Last year, my dad had needed an urgent kidney transplant, leaving us $300,000 in medical debt. The deadline to repay it was just a month away.
We hadn't been too worried about paying it off-my great-aunt had left me a $450,000 inheritance, with one condition: I had to be married to claim it.
The wedding was supposed to be in ten days.
If I got legally married, I could access the money immediately.
But now?
I wanted nothing to do with Elliot.
I reassured them.
"Don't stress. I've already arranged a contract marriage."
"We'll get the paperwork done, I'll inherit the money, and after a set time, we'll divorce."
"I'll pay him a fee, and that'll be that."
My mom's eyes welled up.
"We thought you'd found a good man, that we wouldn't have to worry about you anymore… but now this…"
No one had seen this coming.
Elliot and I had known each other since childhood.
We'd grown up together.
I'd always seen him as an older brother.
At least, until I started noticing… something different.
Every time I looked up suddenly, I'd catch him staring at me, his face quickly turning red before he'd whip his head away, leaving only his burning ears in view.
One day, in senior year, he awkwardly asked what colleges I was considering.
When I asked him the same, he looked at me like I was an idiot.
"When are you gonna get a clue?"
"Obviously, I'm going wherever you go. Why else would I ask?"
I froze.
A strange, unfamiliar feeling stirred in my chest.
Then, just as quickly, he shoved something into my hand, kissed me on the cheek, and ran off before I could react.
I looked down.
It was a woven bracelet-handmade with red thread, with a small golden charm attached.
He'd spent an entire semester tutoring just to afford it.
I never took that bracelet off after that day.
We spent four years in college together.
Then five years building his jewelry design company.
When his business finally took off, he proposed.
I thought we were going to be happy.
And then Nova showed up.
The cruel irony?
I was the one who brought her into our lives.
Nova had been my tutoring student back in college-sweet, polite, and always eager to please. I had a soft spot for her.
A year ago, her family went bankrupt, her parents moved back to their hometown, and she was left alone in the city, struggling.
I felt bad for her.
So, I invited her to stay with us.
She followed me around like a little sister after that.
At first, Elliot hated it.
He complained about her third-wheeling our dates, throwing in sarcastic jabs every chance he got.
But Nova was endlessly patient.
Even when his words brought tears to her eyes, she never snapped back.
Over time, Elliot stopped complaining.
And slowly, I started feeling like the outsider in my own relationship.
One day, I made pork belly soup with lotus root and served Nova a bowl.
Elliot grabbed it, his face darkening.
"You seriously don't know she has a weak stomach?"
"She can't eat lotus root, it's too cold for her system."
I froze.
The soup in front of me suddenly tasted like nothing.
After that, I found Nova a new apartment and gently told her that with the wedding coming up, it was time for her to have her own space.
She teared up and whispered, "Alyssa, I know what you're saying."
"I know I shouldn't repay your kindness like this, but I can't help it. I love Elliot."
"I can't live without him."
She left behind a tear-stained letter, begging Elliot to forget her.
Then she quit her job and disappeared.
Elliot stared at me with raw fury.
"Alyssa, I can't believe you did this."
"You really forced her out? Are you happy now?"
He threw the letter in my face and stormed out.
I stood there, ice-cold from head to toe.
The man who once swore he'd love me forever… was he really the same person walking away now?
—
I was quitting my job.
I'd spent five years helping build Elliot's jewelry company-handling multiple roles at the start, then later focusing on design.
But if I was leaving him, I was leaving this place too.
I spent the whole day organizing files, wrapping up projects, and preparing my resignation.
By the time I finished, most of the office had emptied out.
I headed upstairs to Elliot's office.
The door was slightly ajar.
Inside, only a dim desk lamp was on.
Standing by the floor-to-ceiling window, two figures were tightly wrapped in each other's arms.
"Chester, I'm so scared Alyssa will come looking for me. I can't face her… I'm so scared…"
Before she could finish, Elliot cupped her face and kissed her, deep and desperate, as if he wanted to melt her into himself.
When they finally broke apart, Elliot caught his breath, running his fingers through her hair as he whispered:
"Nova, don't be afraid. I won't let her hurt you."
"The wedding is yours alone. My love is yours alone."
"I only feel responsible for her-there's no love left."
"I've taken care of everything. I'll only have kids with you."
"It doesn't matter if they're born out of wedlock, they'll still have inheritance rights."
"Aside from that meaningless piece of paper, everything I have is yours."
They kissed again, lost in each other, their hushed whispers and ragged breaths filling the dimly lit office.
My chest tightened, like all the air had been sucked from my lungs.
I pressed my hand over my mouth, swallowing back the sobs, forcing my feet to move as I turned and fled.
That scene… It felt painfully familiar.
We used to stand by this very same window, holding each other close, kissing like we were the only two people in the world.
Back when we had just rented these two office floors, when we stayed late into the night setting everything up with our own hands.
We hadn't turned the lights on that night.
He held me in his arms as we looked out at the city skyline.
"Alyssa, I'm so lucky. No matter what I do, as long as you're with me, I feel safe."
"Alyssa, trust me. I'm going to make it. I'll give you the best of everything."
I stumbled home in a daze, gathering up every single thing Elliot had ever given me.
The gifts I once treasured-without hesitation, I tossed them into an empty box.
Tears blurred my vision.
I carried the box downstairs, tossing the items one by one into the dumpster.
Every picture of us together-I ripped them apart before letting the pieces fall.
At last, my hands were empty. I stood there, dazed, staring at the red string bracelet still wrapped around my wrist.
Tears fell like broken pearls, silent and unstoppable.
Closing my eyes, I yanked it off and threw it away.
From childhood best friends to partners, to strangers who no longer understood each other-we had reached the end of the line.
Years of love and devotion, reduced to nothing.
Wiping my tears, I turned around-only to find Elliot standing a short distance away, watching me.
—
I clenched my fists so tightly my nails dug into my palm, the pain keeping my emotions in check.
Without a word, I walked past Elliot toward the building entrance.
He grabbed my wrist.
"Why did you throw it away?"
Before I could react, he dug through the dumpster, pulled out the bracelet, and reached for my wrist to put it back on me.
I ripped my hand away.
"I don't want it. Let go!"
Elliot froze, gripping the bracelet tightly.
Then, with a look I hadn't seen in a long time, he softened.
"Alyssa, don't do this. Put it back on. It's yours. It'll always be yours."
If I hadn't just heard him promising Nova the world, I might've believed him.
I let out a bitter laugh.
"It's dirty now. I don't want it."
Elliot's expression darkened with embarrassment, but it was gone in an instant, replaced by his usual arrogance.
"I told you, I'm marrying you. You're the only legal Mrs. Alderson. What are you so worried about?"
I met his gaze, cold and unwavering.
"I don't want to be Mrs. Alderson. I told you-we're done."
A muscle in his jaw twitched.
"You're always like this. Stubborn. Difficult."
"If you were even half as gentle as Nova, I wouldn't have been drawn to her."
"Do you know how exhausting you are? Nova is the only place I can breathe."
I scoffed.
"Then why are you still here? Go be comfortable."
I yanked my arm free and walked away.
His voice rang out behind me, cold and sharp.
"If you don't marry me, what are you going to do about the debt?"
I stopped in my tracks. My face went pale as I turned to look at him.
He spoke slowly, deliberately.
"The deadline is a month away. Do you have two hundred grand lying around?"
His words cut deep, sharper than any knife.
Back when my dad needed a kidney transplant, Elliot had offered to cover the cost using company funds.
But I knew the company was struggling, so I refused. Instead, I took out a loan in my own name.
And now, that debt had become his bargaining chip.
"Alyssa, stop being difficult. Marry me."
"Everything will stay the same-except for the wedding. I'll take care of the debt."
"I'll treat you with respect. You're my strongest support."
"Nova is my comfort. I need you both."
I laughed bitterly. Even now, he was still spewing nonsense.
He had already made his choice.
The day we got engaged, the room was filled with family and friends.
I had been busy entertaining guests, not noticing the way Elliot had been growing more and more tense.
At that point, Nova had been gone for three months.
Elliot and I had fought about her before, but when our families pushed for an engagement, he hadn't objected. Just like that, we had somehow patched things up.
Then suddenly, a loud crash echoed across the room-the champagne tower had toppled over.
Startled, I turned toward the noise, only to see Elliot storming across the room, his face like thunder.
He yanked up the server who had fallen-his eyes burning with rage.
"You've been hiding from me for three months. What do you want?"
The girl trembled like a frightened deer, tears streaming down her face.
"Elliot, you're engaged…"
She tried to pull away, to run, but stumbled and fell.
Elliot's face was stone-cold.
Without hesitation, he scooped her up in his arms and carried her out, ignoring her protests.
Ignoring me.
Ignoring everyone in the room.
By the floor-to-ceiling window, two figures clung tightly to each other.
"Chester, I'm so scared Alyssa will come after me. I can't face her… I'm terrified…"
Before she could finish, Elliot cupped her face and kissed her deeply."
"It was heated, desperate-like he wanted to devour her whole.
A moment later, catching his breath, Elliot ran his fingers through her hair and whispered:
"Nova, don't be afraid. I won't let her make things hard for you. The wedding is yours alone, my love is yours alone. What I have with her is just an obligation-there's no love left."
"I've planned everything. I'll only have kids with you."
"Marriage certificate or not, they'll still have inheritance rights. Everything I have is yours-except for a piece of paper."
They kissed again, lost in each other.
Their hushed voices and soft gasps cut through the dark like a blade.
My chest clenched. It felt like every ounce of strength drained from my body in an instant.
I covered my mouth, swallowing back my sobs.
Then, forcing my numb legs to move, I turned and left as fast as I could.
The scene I had just witnessed-it was familiar.
We had stood in front of this same window once, holding each other, kissing like nothing else in the world mattered.
It was right after we rented these two floors of office space.
He and I had stayed late, putting the place together, working until night fell.
We never turned the lights on.
He held me in his arms, gazing out at the glittering city skyline.
"Alyssa, I'm so lucky. No matter what happens, as long as you're here, I feel at peace."
"Alyssa, trust me. I'm going to make it. I'll give you the best of everything."
—-
I stumbled home, barely conscious of my surroundings.
Everything Elliot had ever given me-I gathered it all.
Things I once treasured so dearly, I didn't even glance at before shoving them into a trash bin.
Tears blurred my vision before I even realized I was crying.
I carried the box downstairs, tossing each item into the dumpster, one by one.
Every photo of us-I ripped them to shreds before throwing them in.
In the end, my hands were empty.
Only the red string bracelet on my wrist remained.
Tears fell like broken pearls, rolling down my cheeks.
I clenched my jaw, ripped off the bracelet, and threw it away too.
From childhood sweethearts to partners chasing a dream, to strangers with a widening rift between them-this was where it ended.
Years of love and devotion, closing in a single chapter.
I wiped my tears, turned around, and looked up-
Elliot stood a few feet away, watching me, unmoving.
I clenched my fists so tightly my nails dug into my palm, the sting keeping me from completely breaking down.
Without a word, I walked past Elliot toward the building entrance.
He grabbed my wrist, his voice cold.
"Why did you throw the bracelet away?"
He pulled me toward the dumpster, digging through it until he found the red string. Holding my wrist firmly, he tried to tie it back on.
I yanked my arm away, snapping, "I don't want it. Let go!"
He froze, still gripping the bracelet.
Then, in a softer voice, he reached for me again.
"Alyssa, don't be like this. Put it back on."
'What's yours will always be yours-I'm not giving it to anyone else."
If I hadn't heard him promise Nova the world just moments ago, I might've actually believed him.
I let out a sharp, bitter laugh.
"It's tainted. I don't want it."
Elliot's face darkened. For a moment, he looked ashamed.
But just as quickly, his expression shifted back to arrogance.
"I told you-I'm going to marry you. The only legal Mrs. Alderson will be you."
"What are you so worried about?"
I met his gaze, unflinching.
"I don't want to be Mrs. Alderson. I already told you-I'm calling off the engagement."
A muscle in his jaw twitched.
"You're always like this. Stubborn as hell."
"If you were even a little softer, a little more like Nova, maybe I wouldn't have been drawn to her."
He scoffed. "Do you have any idea how exhausting it is? With her, at least I get a moment of peace."
I smirked. "Then go enjoy your peace. And don't come looking for me again."
I turned to leave, but his voice rang out behind me, low and menacing.
"You don't want to be Mrs. Alderson? Then how do you plan to deal with your debt?"
I stopped in my tracks.
My face went pale as I turned back to face him.
He took a slow step forward.
"It's due in a month. Do you have two hundred grand?"
His words cut like a knife.
When my dad needed a kidney transplant, Elliot had offered to cover it with company funds.
But I knew the business was already struggling back then.
I didn't want to burden him, so I took out a personal loan instead.
Now, he was using that debt as leverage against me.
"Alyssa, stop making things difficult. Marry me."
"Nothing has to change-except for the wedding itself. I'll pay off the debt for you."
"In return, I'll respect you as my wife. You've always been my strongest support."
"Nova… she's my comfort. I can't let go of either of you."
I almost laughed out loud. Even now, he was still spinning lies.
Saying he couldn't let go-when in reality, he'd already chosen.
On the day of our engagement, our families and friends had all gathered to celebrate.
I had been busy greeting guests, completely unaware of the storm brewing beneath Elliot's calm facade.
Nova had been missing for three months by then.
Elliot and I had fought about it, and we'd gone through a cold war of sorts.
But when our parents set a date for the engagement, he hadn't objected.
Somehow, we ended up back together.
Then, in the middle of the party, a loud crash rang through the hall.
A waiter had knocked over the champagne tower.
I jumped at the noise, but before I could react, Elliot was already storming across the room.
He grabbed the waiter by the arm, his face dark with rage.
"You've been avoiding me for three months. What the hell do you want?"
The "waiter" trembled, looking like a frightened deer.
Tears welled in Nova's eyes as she pushed him away.
"Stop it. You're engaged."
She turned to leave, but stumbled, nearly falling to the ground.
Elliot's expression twisted.
Without hesitation, he scooped her up in his arms and carried her out-
Without sparing me a single glance.
Whispers erupted in the crowd:
"Isn't this his engagement party? What the hell is he doing?"
"I heard his parents forced this engagement. He's got someone else in his heart."
"No wonder he looked like he was walking to the gallows the whole time…"
—
I stood there, feeling like my chest had been split open.
A week later, Elliot disappeared.
And I saw the video of his wedding online.
The church in the video-
It was the one I had picked for our wedding.
I let out a cold, bitter laugh, shoving the memories away.
Elliot frowned. "What's so funny?"
I didn't answer. I was done talking, done fighting.
He wasn't worth another word.
Elliot seemed caught off guard by my silence.
I turned and walked away, without looking back.
I almost laughed out loud at his self-righteous monologue.
"Are you done? If so, please see yourself out."
A guy this full of himself-was there even a point in trying to reason with him?
He wasn't even speaking human language anymore.
I opened the door and said coldly, "Now, get out of my house."
Elliot still tried to persuade me.
"Alyssa, we're not naïve college kids anymore. Nothing in life is perfect."
"Plenty of couples have open relationships and make it work."
"Honestly, compared to others, I'm already pretty clean."
I was so stunned by his shamelessness that I was at a loss for words.
When did he become this rotten?
Seeing my silence, Elliot assumed I was considering it and kept going.
"I promise Nova won't affect us. She'll live somewhere else."
"As long as you're willing, we can still be a family and-"
I couldn't take it anymore. I grabbed the cup next to me and threw its contents right at him.
"Elliot, you're unbelievable! What kind of messed-up math makes that a ‘family'?!"
"If you seriously don't get basic human decency, here's a buck-go ask a stranger outside a grocery store to explain it to you!"
Tea dripped from his face and down his neck. He wiped his face, furious.
"Alyssa! Don't push your luck! If you don't marry me, who else would even want you?"
I shot back immediately.
"Literally anyone but you!"
His eyes darkened with anger as he stepped toward me, backing me into the wall by the entryway.
"Alyssa, you might not like hearing this, but you brought this on yourself."
"Do you really think I want to marry you out of love? Out of responsibility?"
"Let's be real-you're not exactly young anymore, and you're painfully average."
"Who else would take you if not me?"
His words were so absurd I almost laughed.
Love? Responsibility?
He didn't care about either.
The only thing he couldn't let go of was my usefulness.
From the very beginning, I'd done everything to save him money-juggling multiple jobs until I landed in the ER from exhaustion.
Later, I focused on designing and single-handedly created the bestselling pieces that kept his company afloat.
A cheap, loyal worker like me?
Of course, he wasn't willing to let me go.
I locked eyes with him and said without hesitation, "Elliot, don't even bother lying to me. I know you're trash better than you do."
I shoved him hard.
"Let. Me. Go."
His gaze turned vicious.
He didn't move.
Then, a cold voice rang out.
"Get your hands off my wife."
