Daniel was sitting in the opposite direction. His beautiful girlfriend was glued to him, and his eyes spoke pity.
I didn't want to look at him too much, or I would literally cry. He is the only one who understands the pain I am going through, even though I was concealing it.
My work colleagues never ceased to talk about me, knowing fully well I could hear them.
"He is right to go for her. She is so much better than that pretender."
"I prefer her over the pretender. Ms. Good Girl with serial abortions."
My heart raced at that statement. It's obvious Kamsy had been sharing things about me with other people-things I had entrusted to her as a secret.
I blinked, trying to fight back tears.
"Preach, girl! I wonder why a guy like him would propose to someone like her. I was mad that day, but thank God he is back to his senses," another voice added.
Why hate on someone so much? I literally don't know what I did to deserve such comments.
Finally, it was time to exchange the marital vows.
I walked to the altar to support her. I tried as much as possible to put on a smile. I can't let this break me. That's what she wants. I had to be strong and handle this, no matter how hard it hit me.
They answered the big question, and the priest asked if there was someone who had anything to say to stop the marriage before it happened.
Kamsy looked back at me with a mocking smirk. I lowered my gaze-I couldn't stand her!
When there was no response, they were pronounced man and wife.
Luke carried her up happily, and they kissed passionately.
They were a couple. I wasn't dreaming after all. No matter how much it hurt, I was expected to put on a smile and deal with it.
No one forced me to come. I attended this wedding because I was trying to prove a point.
Well, the point is:
I am as weak as they said. I wanted to leave the place instantly, but my hands were shaking, and I felt like I had been made a fool of.
Because the families were there-they knew me. The coworkers were there-they knew me.
When I looked back at the excited and happy congregation, the faces of the guests seemed like they were laughing at me.
They knew my story and my pain.
It was like they were pointing at me-a clown!
"Look at that! It was supposed to be her wedding. What a twist!"
I could hear those words playing in my head.
I felt my body getting weaker and weaker. Hot tears rolled down my face.
I forced a smile, but my lips were quivering.
The time I slept in the hospital and took care of her,
I donated my blood. Her rich family was so relaxed each time she fell sick because they knew I was able to take care of their sick daughter.
I cared about her as my blood, my one and only friend and sister.
We shared our secrets.
And Luke? What sacrifices didn't I make to please him? Blindly in love, blindly denying my own happiness for his sake? What a lesson!
"Here... this... is yours."
I gave Kamsy the bouquet.
She snatched it away but smiled softly at the guests. I gulped tightly, and I took off the ring. Finally, as it slipped off my finger, unintentionally I let out a sharp cry that instant.
I got myself and quickly covered my mouth. My heart was heavy-so heavy that I couldn't explain the feeling.
I turned to Luke and gave him the ring. He shamelessly collected it with no emotion, no empathy, as if I was being dramatic or pretending to be hurt.
This was no surprise to the large number of guests present, except for a few.
Like I said, they knew my story.
I am an orphan.
I have no one to lean on at this time.
I was betrayed by those who knew my weakness-whom I took as family.
Luke's parents looked nothing close to feeling sorry for me. Kamsy's parents didn't bother to look my way. They, of course, knew how much I loved their daughter.
I walked out of the aisle like a living corpse, the top part of my gown soaked with tears and sweat. Everyone from our workplace was quiet, staring at me, maybe to see if I could actually make it out of the door alive.
While those who didn't know anything were mumbling words, guessing the background of the scene that had just happened.
I sighted Daniel about to get up to come over to me. I guess his girlfriend pulled him back to his seat.
I could hear the celebration continue, ignoring my misery.
What was I expecting, though?
Getting to the entrance, I slipped and bumped into a guest who was approaching the entrance.
The guards with him would have bounced on me if I weren't the maid of honor. He looked like a very important guest.
"Hey, watch it!"
One of them screamed in my face.
I didn't wait to apologize to the guest. All I wanted to do was take this heap of pain off my chest.
I was in a state of shock, even though I expected it. Yet my nervous system was in chaos-my legs trembling, and my hands burning.
I continued walking toward the gate, ignoring all. With each step, I felt like my heart was shattering more, more cracks breaking in it.