ManyWriters

On my wedding day, my fiancé was caught in the act with his pure love Lily in the rest room, their naked bodies exposed to all the guests.
The outcome was inevitable; the wedding swapped brides on the spot.
My father suffered a stroke from the shock and passed away just days later.
Unable to bear my father's sudden death and the swirling rumors, my mother leapt from the thirtieth floor of a high-rise.
During that darkest period of my life, I developed severe psychological issues. Rylan, the younger brother of my ex-fiancée, stayed by my side day and night, saving me from countless suicide attempts. It took a full two years before I finally recovered.
On the day of my recovery, Rylan rented the most luxurious yacht in the city, covering the deck with nine hundred and ninety-nine roses, and asked me to marry him.
After those two years of constant companionship, I had long since fallen for Rylan. Tears in my eyes, I accepted his proposal.
On our fifth wedding anniversary, I brought a carefully prepared gift, hoping to surprise him. Instead, I accidentally overheard a conversation between him and his secretary.
"It's been five years. For Lily's sake, I've been married to this disgusting woman for five years now. Just thinking about celebrating our anniversary with her later makes me feel sick to my stomach."Secretary's voice trembled: "Mr. Sterling, please drink less. If these words slip out in front of your wife, it'll be hard to cover up."
"And if Mrs. Sterling finds out that seven years ago, we hired someone to remove her father's oxygen tube..."
Rylan showed no concern, even wearing a mocking expression.
"For Lily, I'm willing to do anything."
"Besides, I've already wasted my entire life on that bitch."

The Past is Gone, Neither Hatred Nor Nostalgia Remain

Lily's beautiful eyes were filled with discontent.


"Didn't you say you didn't like her? Why are you celebrating your anniversary with her, and at my favorite place?"


Rylan's face was full of affection as his slender fingers smoothed out her furrowed brow.


"Because it's your favorite place, so it had to be here."


"Besides, her parents both died by my hand. Being nice to her is also a way of praying for the baby in your belly."


"Forget about all that depressing stuff. Don't be upset, it breaks my heart."


My ears could no longer hear anything as I stumbled back to my seat, but Rylan's words kept echoing in my mind.


Was spending the anniversary with me depressing, or was the death of my parents depressing?


"Britta, hasn't the waiter brought our food yet? I'll go check on it."


I grabbed Rylan's hand, staring directly into his eyes.


"Rylan, I'm only going to ask you this once, and you need to answer me honestly."


Rylan looked puzzled but nodded solemnly.I spoke, carefully enunciating each word.


Rylan's face showed a fleeting moment of hesitation.


But before I could fully grasp that instant, his voice had already clearly pierced my ears.


Looking into his eyes, still filled with the same deep affection, I finally stopped struggling and nodded heavily.


After dinner, Rylan held my hand as we walked to the deck to enjoy the sea breeze.


"Britta, do you remember? It was right here that I proposed to you five years ago. That was the happiest day of my life."


These words, which usually filled me with joy, now felt like needles pricking my heart.


My chest felt as if it were being squeezed by an invisible hand.


But before I could open my mouth, a coquettish voice interrupted me.


"Britta, I'm so envious of you! To be proposed to in such a romantic place - that's my dream!"


"Rylan really loves you so much, putting in all this effort for you. Look at Elliot, his brother - when it comes to making girls happy, he's no match for Rylan."


"Even at my own wedding... Oh, I'm sorry, Britta. I shouldn't have said that. You don't mind, do you?"I lift my eyelids to look at Lily standing before me, not missing the fleeting satisfaction in her eyes.


To be honest, I'm not very close with Lily. I only know that she grew up as childhood friends with the Sterling brothers, and the three of them have a very good relationship.


In their junior year of college, the Li family emigrated overseas, while the Sterling family stayed in the country. That's when they lost touch.


I met Elliot in college. He was a junior and I was a freshman, two years apart, but I fell in love with this upperclassman at first sight during new student orientation.


From the beginning, I knew Elliot had an ex-girlfriend, but they had broken up due to the long-distance relationship.


After we got together, Elliot always assured me that there was no possibility between them anymore, so I never doubted him.


Later, as Elliot and I grew more stable in our relationship, I gradually became part of his social circle and also met his brother, Rylan.


But it wasn't until our wedding day that I found Elliot and Lily in a passionate embrace in the dressing room.


At that moment, I realized that in our four years together, he had never forgotten her for a second.


What I didn't know was that Lily wasn't just Elliot's pure love.In the years that Elliot waited for Lily.


Rylan was also waiting for her to return.


I glanced at Lily, my voice sounding cold even to my own ears.


Chapter 3