Life Goes On, Goodbye

On the morning of the wedding, the bridesmaids decided to play a quick trivia game with Grayson Cross before our first look. He had to get three questions right before he could see me. I thought he would get them all easily. To my surprise, he got the very first one wrong. “What shoe size does the bride wear?” Without hesitation, he answered, “Size 6.” “What’s the bride’s favorite color?” “Blue.” Everyone exchanged glances, and the atmosphere grew awkward. So they asked him an absurdly easy question. “What year did the bride graduate from college?” Everyone thought there was no way he could get that one wrong. After all, we had been classmates in college. “2013. The year she graduated, I gave her a pair of crystal shoes I made myself. There's no way I could be wrong.” That was the moment I panicked. My eyes slowly drifted toward my best friend, Iris Shea, who stood there in a blue bridesmaid dress and crystal heels. She bit her lip and quietly reminded Grayson, “It was 2012. I’m the one who graduated late.” And suddenly, I understood. The last bit of hesitation in my heart disappeared. I gave a faint smile, lowered my head, and sent a message to my parents. “Mom, Dad, please bring the car around. I’m changing into sneakers. I’m not marrying him.” Chapter 1 The room fell so quiet that you could hear everyone breathing. “Oh, I remembered wrong. It was 2012.” Grayson Cross corrected himself coldly, as if nothing had happened. Iris Shea quickly stepped in with a smile to smooth things over. “Charlotte Yates, Gray’s been under a lot of pressure these past few days. It’s normal for him to get something like that wrong. Don’t make a face over it. There are so many family members and friends watching.” In an instant, everyone started trying to talk me down. “It’s your wedding day. Why the long face? Smile a little.” “So he got a question wrong. You can give him a hard time about it tonight. Don’t let this delay the wedding!” Everyone thought I was making a big deal out of nothing, but only I knew that Grayson had really changed. There was a time when the slightest change in my expression would make him immediately ask what was wrong. He would crack jokes and buy me gifts just to cheer me up. Now, though, he couldn’t take his eyes off my best friend. “Fine. Let’s go.” I didn’t want to make the other friends who had come from far away uncomfortable, so I went along with the plan and let Grayson carry me bride-style for photos before we left for the venue. He adjusted me on his arms and laughed. “You’ve put on weight lately. You’ve got to be over 121 pounds now.” One hundred and twenty-one pounds. The exact weight Iris had posted on social media. “Have you carried someone who weighs 121 pounds before?” I asked casually. Grayson’s body stiffened. Then he immediately shook his head and said, “Of course not. Don’t overthink it.” At that moment, Iris jumped in to clear things up. “I’m 123 pounds now. It wasn’t me.” I lowered my head and gave a quiet, mocking laugh. She was a little too eager to defend herself. I didn’t call them out, though. I wanted to see how long they could keep this act going. Inside the cramped sports car, Iris insisted on squeezing in and sitting between Grayson and me. “Charlotte, you don’t mind, do you? There wasn’t enough room in the other car, so we’ll just squeeze in.” I said nothing. The whole way there, Iris chattered nonstop. She was more excited than I was, and I was the bride. Grayson responded to every single thing she said. It almost made me feel like I was the third wheel. When we reached an intersection, Iris suddenly tapped Grayson on the back. “Gray, I’m craving those little honey cakes from that bakery across town.” “Okay. I’ll get you some.” Just like that, Grayson made a U-turn and headed in the opposite direction from the wedding venue. I frowned and quickly intervened, “Grayson, we don’t have time. “That place is almost ten miles from here. The wedding starts in an hour. What if we’re late?” He shot me an annoyed look. “It’s on the way. How much time can it take to buy a few cakes? You’re just being petty because you’re still upset about me getting those questions wrong.” I bit down hard on my lip and clenched my fists to keep myself from crying. When he got the questions wrong and I didn’t immediately smile and let it go, I was supposedly risking delaying the wedding. When Iris wanted to go across town for cake, however, suddenly it was on the way. Fine, then I wasn’t in a hurry either. I wasn’t planning to marry him anyway. A new message popped up on my phone. Mom and Dad had replied, [Sweetheart, the car is waiting outside the venue. We can leave whenever you’re ready.] Chapter 2 I didn’t have much of a sweet tooth, so I quietly stood by the door and waited for them. The bakery owner was friendly and offered Iris a sample of one of their new cakes. “I haven’t seen you and your boyfriend in here for a while. “You’re both dressed up today. Going to some kind of gala?” Iris gave a shy smile and pointed toward the door. “It’s my best friend’s wedding. I’m the maid of honor.” The owner’s smile froze as his gaze darted back and forth between the three of us. Finally, he said apologetically, “I’m sorry. I see the two of you here for afternoon teas all the time, so I thought you were a couple. “I didn’t realize there was someone else involved.” Needless to say, I was the “someone else” he was referring to. How I wished Grayson would say something—anything at all to explain. But he didn’t. He simply didn’t care. He bought every flavor of honey cake the bakery had, enough to fill more than a dozen bags. I only casually said, “Don’t waste them if you can’t finish them.” That somehow was enough to make Iris cry. Sniffling, she said, “C-Charlotte, I know you’re not really upset about the cakes. You’re angry because I spent Gray’s money. “I’m sorry.” As she spoke, she shakily pulled two hundred dollars from her purse and stuffed it into my hand. The last of Grayson’s patience with me was gone. His lips pressed into a thin line, his expression cold. “Charlotte Yates, can you think about the bigger picture for once? “It’s our wedding day, and you have to make a scene? Besides, Iris is your best friend. It’s perfectly normal for me to buy her things.” Perfectly normal? I shook my head and laughed bitterly. The Louis Vuitton bag she carried, the Hermès necklace around her neck, the designer sandals on her feet—they had all been bought by Grayson. As for me, after seven years together, the most expensive gift he had ever given me was an electric toothbrush set. Even the outdated wedding dress I was wearing now was one I had rented myself. Grayson had barely spent a dime on me. I used to think that if I didn’t care about his money, then I would at least have his love. Now I understood. I was walking away with neither. “Gray, don’t blame Charlotte.” Iris even spoke up for me. “It’s her first time getting married. She doesn’t know how to handle herself. Don’t hold it against her. As long as you two have a good marriage, nothing else matters. Please don’t let me come between you. “You know, my parents are divorced. I’m terrified of seeing the two of you unhappy.” I looked up at Iris. In that moment, my heart hurt like a knife twisting in my chest. The year her parents divorced, she lay awake night after night. I was the one who stayed with her. I cooked for her, did her laundry, took care of her, and helped her through that difficult time. I never expected her to repay me like this. “Yeah. I’ll listen to you.” It took me a long time to pull myself back from those memories. By the time my vision cleared, the tears on my face had already dried. When we got back into the car, the three of us were silent. That didn’t last long, though, because Iris... was thirsty again. “Gray, those honey cakes are so dry. I can barely swallow them. I want some bubble tea.” Her voice grew softer and softer. By the last few words, she was carefully watching my expression. My face remained perfectly calm, without a trace of displeasure. Grayson hesitated for a few seconds before saying, “Iris, it’s... actually getting pretty late. “But,” he changed his mind, “If you’re thirsty, we can stop and get you one.” The moment he finished speaking, his phone began buzzing nonstop. “Gray, where are you? “Most of the guests are already here! We’re just waiting on you and the bride!” Grayson gritted his teeth, hung up, and sped toward the nearest bubble tea shop on his GPS. Chapter 3 When Grayson and Iris came back, there was a bright red mark on his neck. Noticing my gaze, panic flashed in his eyes. He quickly covered it, trying to hide the truth. “There were mosquitoes at the bubble tea place...” Iris nodded, her face turning red. “Charlotte, it really was a mosquito. You don’t suspect me, do you?” I shook my head. “Must’ve been a female mosquito. So fond of biting people. Like an animal.” My words instantly drained what little color remained from their faces. “Sorry. I’m getting out for a smoke.” A few yards away from the wedding car, Grayson looked anxious as he cautiously asked Iris, “She... didn’t notice anything, did she?” Iris took the cigarette from between his lips, placed it between her own red lips, and took a deep drag. “How could she? She loves you so much. Even if she found out, she’d forgive you. “I know her well. She acts tough, but she’s soft-hearted. “Back then, all I had to do was say I was heartbroken, and she skipped her final exams and flew six hundred miles just to comfort me. “I never wanted her to lose, but I couldn’t help it. Then I met you.” Iris’s words were far too sweet. Grayson couldn’t resist. His face turned red all the way to his neck. I watched them quietly through the car window. One tall, the other shorter, their shadows stretched long beneath the sunlight. The two people I had once loved most were the ones who had hurt me the deepest. I had spent years trying to please them. It was time to wake up. I lowered my head and called the HR department at my father’s company. “Hello, Wendy, didn’t you say you wanted to give me a wedding gift? I’d like it to be... Iris’ dismissal.” After failing courses and delaying her graduation, Iris couldn’t find a job. I was the one who had gone out of my way to get her hired at my father’s company. In just three years, she had gone from working at the front desk to becoming a chief engineer, with her annual salary rising from eighty thousand dollars to eight hundred thousand. I had a hand in every step of the way, but because I didn’t want to hurt her pride, I had hidden everything and simply praised her for working so hard. Now, everything should go back where it belonged. After finishing his cigarette, Grayson got back into the car. Maybe out of guilt, he actually pulled out a cup of coffee. “I picked it up while I was buying the bubble tea. I know you don’t like sweet drinks.” I didn’t take it. He shook the cup, sounding impatient. “Stop dragging your feet. We’re going to be late.” I didn’t respond. “Are you really this mad just because I bought Iris cake and bubble tea? She’s your best friend. What kind of person gets jealous over her?” Grayson was always especially harsh with me. He had never spoken to Iris that way. “Babe, I’ve been exhausted for days dealing with this wedding. Can you be a little more reasonable? Do I really have to spend my wedding day dealing with your attitude?” I nodded and swallowed my tears. “Thank you.” My voice was polite and distant, but it finally put Grayson completely at ease. He stopped worrying about me. The rest of the way, he listened to rock music and chatted and laughed with Iris until we arrived at the hotel where the wedding was being held. He never noticed the black Maybach parked by the side entrance. It was unobtrusive, but he should have recognized it. Unfortunately, all his attention was on Iris, who had tripped and fallen. He had no time to notice details about me anymore. “Iris, what happened?” She pouted, looking deeply wronged. “This bridesmaid dress is too long. I tripped over it.” Grayson shot me an annoyed look and admonished, “This is your fault. You just had to pick a long dress.” He had forgotten that Iris had chosen the style herself. “She fell. I’m taking her to the bridal suite first. You can come up on your own.” With that, he scooped Iris into his arms and carried her straight into the elevator. Chapter 4 I gathered up the voluminous gown and made my way toward the bridal suite, one slow step at a time. By the time I got there, a long while had passed. I could have left without another word. But if I was going to run away from the wedding, how could I not take the makeup artist with me? When I finally pushed open the door, out of breath, I froze at the scene before me. The renowned makeup artist, whom I'd booked two years in advance, was being lectured by Grayson like a schoolkid. She looked close to tears. “Good, you're here.” Grayson dumped a pile of cosmetics in front of me. “Iris said you were trying to pull something on her. You used luxury products on yourself and cheap, unbranded stuff on her.” I frowned. What was this about now? Iris wiped at the corner of her eye and, for some reason, apologized to me. “I'm sorry, Charlotte. I shouldn't have come and stolen your spotlight. I didn't think it through. “I'll let you have your makeup done first. I can even go bare-faced if I have to!” I let out a cold laugh. “I never said anything like that to my makeup artist, and I would never do something like that!” Grayson didn't believe me. He was convinced I was trying to get back at Iris. “Charlotte, this little act you're putting on is pathetic. You think this is going to make me come comfort you?” I shook my head as I said, “I never asked you to.” “What is with that attitude? Just because I bought Iris some bubble tea and cake, you're going to get revenge like this? You made her cry for ages. You owe her an apology.” “Why should I apologize for something I didn't do?” Grayson ran a frustrated hand through his hair and walked over to me, gripping my shoulders. His grip was so tight it hurt. “I don't have time for this nonsense. The wedding starts in thirty minutes. Apologize now, or I'm not walking down that aisle.” I smiled, and for the first time, I truly meant it. Grayson still thought he could threaten me, but I didn't care anymore. “Okay.” My indifferent response completely infuriated him. Just as he was about to lose his temper, Iris quickly stepped in. “Grayson, don't do this. It's your wedding day.” “If anyone's at fault, it's me. You should go and greet the guests. Leave the rest to me.” Grayson paused, then nodded. Before he left, though, he gave me a disappointed look. “See? You're never as sensible as Iris.” After Grayson left, I walked over to the makeup artist and quietly said a few words. She immediately began packing her things. Iris assumed we were going to another room for my makeup. With a grand wave of her hand, she generously said, “Forget it. I'm not going to hold it against you. Do her makeup first.” The makeup artist just shook her head. Thirty minutes later, the ballroom was dazzling and full of excited guests. The officiant went through the program and delivered a long introduction. Then, looking toward the closed doors with excitement, he spoke the words everyone had been anticipating. “Ladies and gentlemen, please rise and welcome the beautiful bride! “Three—” Under the spotlight, Grayson nervously rubbed his hands together. “Two—” A bead of sweat slid down his face as memories of all our happiest moments flashed through his mind. “One.” The doors opened, but there was no one there. The officiant was dumbfounded. He tapped Grayson on the shoulder. His voice trembled as he asked, “Where's the bride?” Grayson turned around. There was no one outside the doors. In that instant, panic finally took hold of him.