Chapter 2

I stood frozen before the full-length mirror.

The dress on my body was supposed to symbolize happiness.

In this moment, it felt like a sharp slap across the face — silently mocking my foolish heart.

Before all of this, I had always believed Mason was someone who never wanted to get married.

So for five years, I had been the understanding girlfriend who never once pressured him.

Then, a month ago, my mother — the only family I had — fell gravely ill.

Her one dying wish was to see me marry Mason before she passed.

When Mason found out, he took me to get a marriage license without hesitation. He even got down on one knee and proposed to me in front of my mother.

I thought he loved me.

But it turned out

this was just the leverage he needed to keep me in line — all for the sake of appeasing another girl.

Lost in my thoughts, the shop attendant walked in with a warm smile:

"Miss Fiona, your fiancé said these two dresses would look lovely on you. He asked me to bring them for you to try."

I slowly lifted my eyes and smiled, though it came out hollow. "That won't be necessary."

"The wedding — it's been called off."

I don't know how I made it home.

I thought I could handle this calmly. But the moment I stepped through the door —

I saw Mason's jacket still hanging on the balcony,

and the half-finished puzzle we'd been working on together the night before, still spread out on the table.

The ache hit me slowly, then all at once — a dull, suffocating pain I couldn't hold back.

I sank to the floor, and finally broke down completely.

I cried until I had nothing left. Then my mother called.

I wiped my face with the back of my hand and pulled myself together before picking up.

Her voice was fragile on the other end, but full of warmth and anticipation.

"Fiona, how did the dress fitting go? Show me — I just know my daughter is going to be the most beautiful bride."

"I'm fine, I'm just so happy. Getting to see you two get married before I go... it makes everything worth it."

I swallowed the sob rising in my throat and kept my voice steady:

"Don't worry, Mom. The dress fitting went great. Everything's almost ready for the wedding."

After I hung up, every last bit of strength left me. I collapsed onto the cold floor.

Mason had calculated this perfectly.

For my mother's sake, I surrendered.