After seven years with Noah, I was still waiting for a proposal. Instead, during a wedding rehearsal I was coordinating, I saw the bride-to-be walking down the aisle on the arm of my boyfriend. “Her fiancé couldn’t make it today, so I’m just helping out,” he explained with a smile, but it couldn’t hide the flicker of loss and envy in his eyes. “You’re the expert here, so make sure you give her the wedding of her dreams.” In the end, he even asked me to give her my dream wedding—the one I had poured five years of my heart and soul into creating. “We’ve got plenty of time,” he said. “I promise I’ll come up with something even better for us. It’s not going to kill you to let a client have this one, is it?” He didn’t know that I was already counting down the final days of my life. Perhaps those who witness happiness are destined never to find it for themselves. 1 My last appointment of the day was a rehearsal for a new bride. “The client’s here,” my assistant, Maya, said with a sigh. “Hopefully, we can lock this one down today.” This particular bride was notoriously demanding. We had already drafted five different wedding plans for her, and she had rejected every single one. I walked over with my tablet, but when I saw the couple on the rehearsal stage, smiling as they walked hand in hand, I froze. “Is that…?” Maya cupped her face, a dimple appearing in her cheek. “I mean, you have to admit, they’re a stunning couple! No wonder she’s so particular. If I ever marry someone that handsome, I’d want the most beautiful dress and the most gorgeous venue too!” The sound of our voices drew their attention. “Vanessa?” The man’s relaxed expression immediately tightened into a frown, a flash of panic in his eyes. “What is this? You said you were working late tonight. What are you doing here?” I demanded, my voice rising with each question. I was trying to stay calm, but a fire of rage was building in my chest, making my heart ache. The woman beside him covered her mouth, her eyes welling with tears. “I’m so sorry, I shouldn’t have… You know what, I should just go. Thank you for your help today.” But Noah grabbed her wrist, stopping her. He whispered a few comforting words to her before turning to face me. “I knew you’d misunderstand. That’s why I didn’t tell you. I was afraid you’d get upset.” “This is my college classmate, Sophia. Her fiancé is overseas and couldn’t make it back in time for the rehearsal. She asked me to stand in for him since we’re about the same height.” My face was a stone mask. I studied their expressions, trying to decide if I could believe him. Sophia stepped forward, draped in a couture wedding gown, as pale and delicate as a lily. A single tear trembled on her lashes. “I’m so sorry,” she said, her voice full of remorse. “I didn’t know you two were a couple. When I asked him, he told me you were a very independent and understanding woman, so I thought…” She bowed deeply, her body trembling slightly. I watched her, my expression unreadable. Understanding. Right. What normal person would be so “understanding” that they’d let their boyfriend rehearse a wedding with another woman? As I stood there, watching with cold eyes, Noah actually stepped in to stop her from bowing, his tone reproachful. “Why are you glaring at her? If you’re going to blame someone, blame her fiancé. A wedding is a huge deal, and he doesn’t even show up. He just leaves her waiting. What is he thinking?” It was rare for Noah to get so emotional in front of others. But what caught my attention was the fleeting expression on his face. It looked like loss. And regret. As the lead wedding planner, I had to maintain my professionalism. So I stood by and watched them walk down the aisle. Again and again. They didn’t stop until she was completely satisfied. A sharp, stabbing pain pulsed in my chest, and I had to sit down to catch my breath. Before he left, my boyfriend waved at me. “She came to our agency because she trusts you. You’re the best in the business, so make sure you give her a spectacular wedding.” He didn’t even notice how deathly pale I had become. This was my seventh year with Noah. In seven years, I had gone from a rookie wedding planner to one of the most sought-after experts in the industry. But my relationship with Noah had remained stagnant, stuck in the dreaded seven-year itch. 2 I finally got home after a long day of work and was resting on the sofa when my mom called. “The holidays are coming up. Is Noah coming to visit this year?” “I’m not trying to nag, sweetie, but it’s been seven years. Your cousin’s kid is about to start kindergarten! Tell me the truth, is there something wrong between you two?” The same conversation, again. I closed my eyes, my voice strained. “Everything’s fine, Mom. I’ll let you know when there’s news.” I had asked him. I had pushed. But the answers were always the same. “You’re overthinking things.” “My career is just taking off. Let’s just wait a little longer.” “Isn’t marriage something that should happen naturally? I made you a promise. Don’t you trust me?” After a while, if I brought it up again, I would be met with an impatient, weary look. So we dragged on, and on, until we hit the seven-year mark. My thoughts swirled, bringing back the familiar feeling of suffocation from the afternoon. But my mom’s voice on the other end of the line was relentless. “You’re about to turn 29. Do you have any idea how worried your father and I are? We’re only thinking of you…” At that moment, something inside me snapped. “Worried? What good does it do for me to be worried? You want to know when he’s going to propose? Why don’t you just ask him? I’m exhausted and busy every single day. Can you just give me some space to breathe?!” I was panting by the time I finished. There was silence on the other end. I frowned, my anger already softening. “I’m just tired today, Mom. I’ll handle it. I’ll call you back later.” After hanging up, I grabbed a bottle of herbal anti-anxiety pills from the table and swallowed a handful. Don’t get upset, I told myself. The doctor said it will make it worse. I had just finished washing up when I heard the front door open. Noah walked in, carrying the suit he had worn that afternoon. “Why are you still up? We agreed, with all the overtime at year-end, you shouldn’t wait up for me if I’m late.” He leaned in to kiss me. But as he got closer, I caught a whiff of a sweet, feminine perfume. The same one the woman from the afternoon had been wearing. I turned my head to avoid him. He chuckled, thinking I was being shy, and his hand moved to a familiar spot. But the moment he touched me, I cried out in pain. He looked confused. “What’s wrong? It feels… harder than usual.” I pushed his hand away, a cold sweat breaking out on my back. “Don’t… I’m not feeling well today.” Noah stopped, letting out an annoyed “tsk” before heading to the bathroom. I picked up the shirt he’d just taken off and compared its scent to the suit from the afternoon. The words I had planned to say to him tonight died in my throat. 3 Today was my follow-up appointment with the doctor. After checking in, I saw a familiar figure. Sophia. She looked surprised to see me too. She smiled and greeted me, but before we could exchange more than a few words, a man walked up behind her, carrying two large plastic bags. And what a coincidence. The man was my boyfriend, Noah. I took a deep breath, trying to keep my voice steady. “Fancy meeting you here. Again.” His explanation was the same as before, and I couldn’t help but laugh, the sound sharp and bitter. “You could have just recommended someone online. Did you really have to bring her here personally to see your friend in the cosmetics department?” “She wants her skin to be perfect for the wedding, and she’s not familiar with the hospital. I was just helping her out! Or have you gotten so insecure that you get jealous every time you see me in the same room as another woman? Vanessa, you’ve really changed!” As the tension between us crackled, Sophia jumped in, apologizing again. “I’m so sorry, Ms. Reed. I was planning on coming by myself. Noah is just a kind person, and he was worried I wouldn’t know what to do. I promise I won’t bother you two again.” Noah… The intimacy of the name sent a pang through my heart. I heard her continue, “This might be a bit forward, but Ms. Reed, what are you here for?” It was a blatant attempt to change the subject. And it worked. Noah’s gaze shifted to me, his expression questioning. “What’s going on? Are you here buying more diet pills?” I forced a smile. I didn’t need diet pills anymore. But seeing the flicker of concern on his face, I told him the truth. “It’s a breast lump. The doctor wants me to come in for regular check-ups.” Sophia nodded. “Oh, that. It’s a minor thing. A lot of women have that problem.” Hearing this, Noah’s brow relaxed. He glanced at the stack of scans in my hand and raised an eyebrow. “Yeah, you’re being a bit dramatic.” “Well, you go on ahead. I’m heading out.” I couldn’t stop myself. As he turned to leave, I called out, “You’re already here. Aren’t you going to stay with me for my appointment?” He looked at his watch, his tone impatient. “Vanessa, you didn’t tell me about this beforehand. I don’t have time right now. I have a meeting to get to.” “Be good. I’ll bring you back your favorite honey tarts tonight.” I opened my mouth, but no words came out. That night, I didn’t eat the honey tarts he brought home. When he wasn’t looking, I threw them all in the trash. The doctor had warned me that honey was high in estrogen and I had to avoid it. If my condition got any worse, even surgery next spring would be futile. 4 I decided to take my doctor’s advice and ask my boss for some time off. But the next day, Noah somehow found out and rushed home to confront me. “Why did you take a leave of absence without telling me?” “If you quit now, at this critical moment, what about her wedding?!” It turned out Sophia was still not satisfied with any of the wedding plans. But I was so physically and emotionally drained that I couldn’t care about anyone else’s problems anymore. I told him what the doctor had recommended. His tone softened, and he came over to hug me. “It’s all my fault. I’ve been so busy with work, I haven’t been paying attention to how you’re doing.” “Baby, just do me this one last favor, okay? As soon as this is over, I’ll take you on vacation. Anywhere you want to go.” My eyes welled with tears. I remembered all the times I had begged him to take a break, and he had always used work as an excuse. A dull ache started in my chest again. Seeing my distress, he led me to the bed, placed a heating pad on my chest, and gently massaged the area, his face full of concern. When you’re vulnerable, it’s easy to give in. I remembered when he was first pursuing me, how he had sworn that I was the only woman he would ever marry. A warmth spread from my heart through my limbs. I sighed and agreed to his request. A smile, one I hadn’t seen in a long time, lit up his face. For the next three days, he made an effort to spend as much time with me as possible, and it felt like we were back in the early days of our relationship. But Sophia remained unimpressed by all the designs I sent her. A week later, she contacted me, saying she had finally found the plan she wanted. She sent me a series of images, but as I looked at them, a sense of déjà vu washed over me. This was my wedding plan. The one I had designed for myself. The dress, the venue, the decor, the European-style church… Worried that someone had stolen my ideas, I rushed to the agency to find out what had happened. Noah was there. When he saw me, he grinned, telling me excitedly that everything was finally settled. But I couldn’t smile. My face was blank as I asked him how he got the files. He said he had seen them on my computer when I was in the shower and my laptop was unlocked. He thought it was special, so he sent it to Sophia. And she, of course, loved it. I had to apologize to everyone and explain that this was my personal wedding plan and was not for sale. My colleagues praised my work, but Sophia looked as if she had just lost a priceless treasure. Her eyes were red, but she forced a smile, looking pitifully endearing. “Oh, I see. Well, I wouldn’t want to take something that belongs to you. I’ll just have to come to your wedding and see it for myself. It’s just so beautiful!” Her voice was thick with undisguised envy and regret. Noah, who had been silent until then, looked at me and said something I will never forget. “Vanessa, why don’t you just let her have it?” I stood there, stunned. He frowned. “We’ve got plenty of time. I promise I’ll come up with something even better for us. It’s not going to kill you to let a client have this one, is it?” The room fell silent. I saw the shocked and pitying looks on my colleagues’ faces. And suddenly, all the pieces of the last few weeks clicked into place. The answer had been screaming at me all along. When no one was looking, I turned my head and blinked back the tears. Then I looked at the man who had once promised to always put me first. And I smiled. “Okay.”
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