4
“Cora, have you gone crazy?!” Phoenix panicked.
He quickly pulled Lydia into his arms, holding her protectively.
Lydia also seemed shocked that I would actually hit her. Her big eyes filled with tears that threatened to spill over. She buried her face in Phoenix’s chest and rubbed it back and forth pitifully, finally managing to smear some tears onto his clothes.
I don’t know if it was the heat of his mistress’s tears that set him off, but Phoenix looked at me like he wanted to eat me alive.
“Cora, you’re nothing but a shrew! Look at yourself – how could you possibly compare to…
“Enough, Phoenix!” Mr. Brown cut him off mid–sentence, grabbing Phoenix’s arm.
Mrs. Brown also reacted quickly, pulling Lydia out of Phoenix’s embrace.
“Miss Ye, this is a family matter. It’s not appropriate for you to be involved. Please leave, Mrs. Brown said firmly.
Lydia glanced at Phoenix, then raised her chin defiantly at me. In the end, she left without another word, her high heels clicking loudly.
But Phoenix wasn’t done.
“Are you happy now, ruining our wedding day like this?! No man but me would marry a psycho like you!” he shouted.
“Phoenix, be quiet!” Mrs. Brown hurried to intervené, moving to restrain Phoenix. But he shook her off roughly.
“Mom, stay out of this. We’re not getting married today. I need to teach this woman a lesson,” he snarled.
What a coincidence – I wanted to teach him a lesson too!
I slammed my hand on the table and shouted back, “You’re right, we’re not getting married. But I’m the one who’s going to teach YOU a lesson!”
Lignored everyone’s reactions and walked over to the officiant standing by the big screen.
The poor man was so uncomfortable he didn’t know what to say. He instinctively stepped aside, blinking rapidly as he asked, “Miss… Miss
11:48 AM J
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I ignored him and went straight to the computer connected to the big screen. I logged into SnapChat, uploaded a video, and hit play.
Suddenly Lydia’s smug face filled the entire screen.
Her taunting voice echoed through the hall.
“The groom is quite good too. I’ve tested him out for you as well.”
“Where is Phoenix?”
“Mr. Brown is working overtime, of course. He’s very busy.”
“Lydia, come help me wash my back.”
“You just want to trick me into showering with you, you naughty boy.”
Even after Lydia’s triumphant face disappeared from the screen, the room remained deathly silent for several long seconds.
Slap!
“You worthless scum!” Mr. Brown put all his strength into that slap. Afterwards, he seemed to deflate, his shoulders sagging.
My heart ached a bit too. I realized I wouldn’t be able to maintain my relationship with Phoenix’s parents after all.
“Phoenix, the one who betrayed this marriage wasn’t me. It was you – the bastard who fooled around with his mistress in our marital bed!” I said coldly.
“Do I need to spell out what those stains on the bed were? You sure know how to have fun!” I spat.
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As I berated him, my eyes began to blur with tears. Our relationship over the past few years hadn’t been fake. How could I not be devastated
that things had come to this?
When had the man before me become so unrecognizable?
He had once been so sincere, so passionate.
When we first got together, he’d wake up early on freezing winter mornings to buy the handmade red bean buns I loved from that one shop. He’d tuck them inside his down jacket to keep them warm, his chest all red from the heat when he presented them to me, grinning like an idiot.
O
That year when the dorm caught fire, everyone was running out, but he was the only one who rushed towards the girls‘ dorm without a second thought. I happened to be coming back and had to pull him away.
There were so many little moments and details from our life together. I had never doubted that he loved me.
Now, it seemed that love was firmly in the past tense.
I wiped away my tears.
Phoenix’s lips quivered as if he wanted to say something, but he didn’t know how to begin.
I ignored him and addressed his parents and the guests instead: “Mr. and Mrs. Brown, everyone – I’m so sorry about this mess today. Phoenix and I are officially breaking up. Please forgive my rudeness.”
With that said, I turned and left without looking back.
Just outside the doors, I ran into Lydia leaning against the wall.
She seemed startled to see me, but quickly put on a smile.
“Miss Cora isn’t getting married today? Where are you off to?” she asked.
I stood there with my arms crossed, calmly watching her without saying a word.
