“Don’t dwell on what happened yesterday. I’ve already apologized to Scarlett on your behalf.”
“Okay.”
“Scarlett said weddings are just a show, nothing to stress about. Our bond is so strong that we don’t need these formalities to prove anything. Let’s keep it simple.”
“I’ll follow your lead.”
Hazel had already made her decision. This wedding would be the simplest in history. No wedding photos. No marriage certificate. No officiant. And no bride.
After hanging up, Hazel stood, her hand steady as she grabbed a marker and slashed “Wedding Photoshoot” from her calendar. Ambrose’s work always consumed him, and Hazel had always been careful not to disturb him, especially when he was busy. While planning the wedding, she’d bought a special wish calendar, pouring her dreams into it. Each event marked hopes she longed to fulfill, one last grand gesture for a once-in-a-lifetime occasion. Now, those dreams were swallowed by thick, regret-laden strokes of ink, leaving only a void of unspoken sorrow.
With a deep sigh, Hazel glanced around the room, the glaring red of the wedding decorations mocking her. It had taken her all day to remove the carefully arranged decor. By evening, however, Ambrose’s name was everywhere. “To win a smile from his beloved, the CEO spends 8 million on a vintage pearl brooch.” The photo was grainy, but the woman beside Ambrose was assumed to be Hazel. A bitter laugh escaped her lips. So, this was where the money for their wedding had gone. But it didn’t matter anymore. Hazel had long since closed the door on any sadness tied to Ambrose.
Over the next few days, he didn’t come home. Hazel didn’t ask where he was or make any arrangements for him, as she once would have. Instead, she submitted her resignation and quietly began telling her friends of her plans to leave the country. Her friends exchanged knowing glances, their sighs blending in unison. “We had a feeling this was coming,” one murmured softly. Without a word, one opened Ambrose’s social media feed and handed the phone to Hazel. “To the outside world, it might look like these pictures are of you,” she said gently, “but we all know it’s Scarlett.” Only then did the truth sink in. Ambrose had been with Scarlett this whole time. Though he rarely updated his social media, his posts had been flooding in, each more frequent than the last, each dedicated to her. They visited amusement parks, tried on wedding dresses, and shared quiet moments under the moonlight atop a mountain. Ambrose’s love for Scarlett was clear, laid out for the world to see. The only thing he’d done to hide it was block Hazel from seeing it.
Her friends exchanged concerned glances, the silence stretching too long. “Hazel, are you alright?” one finally asked, her voice laced with worry. “There’s no need to waste your tears on someone like him,” another chimed in. “Ambrose doesn’t deserve your love. Once he sees the truth about Scarlett, he’ll regret this for the rest of his life.”
Hazel offered a faint smile, her eyes drifting to the lively streets outside. “It’s fine. I don’t care anymore.” Her voice was quieter, almost resigned. “But I do need a favor…”
In just a few days, she would leave, cutting ties with the past. She no longer had the luxury of heartbreak over Ambrose.
When Ambrose finally returned after days of silence, Hazel couldn’t muster a reaction. She remained distant, her indifference cutting through the tension. Ambrose, for his part, was lost in his world. Even when he finally stepped inside, his eyes never left his phone, his fingers moving rapidly across the screen, oblivious to everything around him.