Chapter 1

~ The Day He Left Me~

July 14 – My Wedding Day

“You look so beautiful, my daughter,” Mama said softly as she adjusted my veil.

Today was supposed to be my wedding day.

A mix of nerves and excitement stirred in my chest.

I smiled, but I could feel the tension building inside me. Not because I was afraid to get married but because something felt off. Like something was missing.

But I chose to believe him anyway.

I chose to believe that maybe... he was truly the one.

I chose to hold on to every promise he made.

Standing at the altar, holding my bouquet, I forced a smile at the guests who had come to witness this day.

I was waiting for him Eli.

The man I chose to spend the rest of my life with.

The man I loved with everything I had.

The man who became my world, my safe place, my home.

But five minutes passed... and I was still waiting.

Ten minutes... then fifteen...

Still, no sign of Eli.

No groom showed up on my wedding day.

My hands began to shake. My heart raced.

The overthinking started to spiral.

Then, a woman arrived beautiful and elegant

It wasn’t Eli,It was his sister, Celeste.

“Celine...” she whispered, handing me her phone. “I’m sorry. There’s something you need to read.”

When I looked at the screen, a long message greeted me.

No courage.

No explanation.

“I’m sorry. I can’t go through with this wedding. I don’t love Celine anymore, Ate... I’ve fallen for someone else.”

A message from Eli, sent to his sister Celeste meant for me to read.

The moment I read those words, I felt my entire body go weak.

My knees buckled.

Why now?

Why on my wedding day?

In front of everyone, I dropped my bouquet

And then I cried Loud and broken.

Everyone started asking questions even Mama but I couldn’t say a word.

My chest felt tight. I couldn’t breathe.

Tears streamed down my face, each one falling like shattered notes in a silent church.

And just like that…

There would be no wedding today.

Because my groom never showed up.

Three Years Later

It’s been three years since the day he left me at the altar.

And in those three years, I changed myself

I’m no longer the same Celine.

I thought I’d never see him again.

But here he is now… standing right in front of me.

Still whole, though he looks a bit thinner. He seems… stressed.

He even smiled at me but I showed him nothing.

No emotion. Nothing at all.

“Celine?” he said, like he didn’t shatter me three years ago.

Like he didn’t leave me alone inside that church.

Like he didn’t humiliate me in front of our guests and my entire family.

I cleared my throat.

My gaze stayed firm and cold.

I didn’t smile.

I didn’t hug him.

I didn’t even acknowledge him the way I used to when I loved him with everything I had.

But now?

All I feel is rage.

Deep, burning anger for how he abandoned me.

“Yes, it’s me,” I replied, my voice ice-cold, my expression blank completely emotionless.

We met again at a corporate event.

Irony of fate, right?

The same man who once couldn’t even stand by me…

Is now standing here as one of the suppliers offering a partnership to my company.

Funny, isn’t it?

What a life.

“Wow. You look… different,” he said, giving me a once-over from head to toe.

“I am different,” I replied sharply.

“I’m not the same woman you walked away from.”

My words were personal. Direct.

Honestly, I wanted to slap him.

Or karate-chop him.

But I chose to stay calm.

He fell silent at that.

He couldn’t even meet my eyes.

Suddenly, he looked so small in front of me

When back then, I was the one on the floor, crushed by pain.

“Celine… do I even have the right to say sorry?” he asked, his face formal, but his tone pleading like a puppy begging for mercy.

I looked at him, but only for a second.

“No.”

Then I turned my back on him.

I didn’t want to talk any longer.

Because if I stayed, I might not be able to hold myself back.

I might just slap him.

I’m no longer the Celine who could be manipulated by anyone.

I’m not the same girl who begged for love.

I’m stronger now.

Colder.

Harder.

And if he wants to win me back…

He’s going to have to walk through hell

The same hell he threw me into.

He has no idea how much pain he caused me back then.

“I’m sorry,” he said behind me.

But I didn’t look back.

I kept walking…

And left him there

Exactly where he left me years ago.

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