Chapter 6
I switched off my phone and opened the research materials I’d brought.
Gla
When I’d decided to come home and get married, Caspian had no idea what I was giving up for him.[]
Now that I was skipping the wedding. I could focus on my research career.]
The new project required so much preparation that I had no time to wonder what was happening at the wedding venue.]]
After landing, my advisor and lab mates greeted me with a group welcome:]
“Welcome back, Posey!”
They held banners and flowers, celebrating my return to Cambridge.
People kept turning to look, probably thinking I was some celebrity.
“You guys really went all out with the ceremony.”
My advisor wrapped an arm around my shoulders with paternal warmth:
“Posey, we’ll always be your family, your support system!”
From witnessing Caspian’s proposal to Ruelle until now, I’d been desperately controlling my emotions.]
But my advisor’s words broke the floodgates, and all my hurt came pouring out.]
My lab mate handed me tissues she’d prepared, comforting me with genuine concern:]
“Girl, Caspian’s loss is his blindness. Our princess Posey deserves the absolute best”
“Exactly! If you want revenge, I’ll fly back right now and beat his ass!“[]
I pressed my face against my lab mate’s shoulder and sobbed.]
After Mom died, Caspian had walked me through my darkest times.]
When Ruelle and her mother abused me and manipulated Dad into thinking I was a bad kid, it was still Caspian who protected and comforted me.]
Before leaving for England, I’d told Caspian clearly:]
“If you ever stop loving me, just break up with me straight up. I’ll wish you both happiness.“]
He’d cried like a baby but didn’t dare ask me to stay
“Posey, I could never love anyone else. Go chase your drea
dreams–I’ll work and wait for you to come back and marry mer“]
Those promises still echoed in my ears, but the man who’d made them had changed his heart.[]
I’d thought we’d weather life’s storms together.
Instead, he’d turned and abandoned me.[]
After my crying session, the crushing weight in my chest finally lifted.]
The bone–deep, soul–tearing pain had dulled considerably.||
My advisor and lab mates took me home and cooked to celebrate my return.]
Surrounded by their warmth. I felt grateful that fate hadn’t been entirely cruel.[]
When the celebration wound down and I lay in bed. I finally dared to turn my phone back on.[]
At this hour, Caspian was probably having his wedding night.
As soon as I powered up, I saw over a hundred missed calls from him.[]
More than he’d called me during our entire two years of long–distance.[]
Messages and texts flooded in immediately.]]
I couldn’t handle the bombardment and was about to shut off my phone when he called again:]
“Posey, you finally picked up…“]
“Where did you go? You wouldn’t answer my calls or texts–I thought something happened to
“And why did you move out?”
I frowned in confusion. What was his deal?
you.
1.“]
He’d let Ruelle object at our wedding, and I’d moved out and skipped it didn’t that clearly show we were done?
Now he was putting on this act of worrying about me. Did they think their objection stunt wasn’t fun without me there as contrast?
“Caspian, congrats on the wedding, but I didn’t want to be the clown who gets objected to.”
Caspian was
breathing hard on the other end:
“Posey, what are you talking about? What objection? Are you misunderstanding something?“||
“I waited for you at the wedding venue all day, and you never showed. I couldn’t reach any of your friends either–like you all planned to disappear together…”
He was really committed to this act.]
Even learned to mimic my shaky voice when I got emotional.
I guess he was genuinely pissed–mad that I’d bailed and made him and Ruelle look like fools.
Scrolling through the wedding videos my friends had sent, I found Caspian absolutely disgusting.
“Caspian, you and Ruelle could plan to object at my wedding, but I couldn’t skip it myself?”
“Consider the wedding my gift to you for getting me through those dark times.“[]
My cold tone seemed to deflate him, but mostly he sounded angry:
“Posey, what the hell are you talking about? Why would I let Ruelle object? Besides, I’m your husband–she couldn’t steal me if she tried!”
“I know you resent her deeply, and maybe I shouldn’t have tried to get you two to reconcile, but I did it for your own good. Stop being so paranoid!“]
His denials just made me feel tired.]
saw you propose to her.“]
“The ring wasn’t defective–it already had an owner.”
“You didn’t have time for our wedding photos so you photoshopped them, but you had time to take real ones with her on a yacht.”
“You never once visited me in Cambridge, but you flew thousands of miles for her every month.“]
“I know you only married me to keep a promise. I stepped aside and gave you both a wedding–shouldn’t you be happy?”
“Why are you forcing me to spell it all out? It’s just embarrassing for everyone.“[]
“Or do you think I should have played along with your charade to prove your true love?”
