I Cancel Our Wedding, Then He Comes Begging

Chapter 4

I lived in a rented house not far from Lucian's. He'd asked me to move in with him before, but I always said no, not wanting to give up my place with its steady lease. Looking back, it was one of the best decisions I'd made.

As soon as Amanda heard I was back, she came over with her kid. While playing with her child's toy, she asked, "Wendy, how did you find out about him getting a hotel room with someone else?"

My smile faded as I explained, "I used his phone to book a hotel once and entered my number. Forgot to change it back." That little slip-up had torn my world apart.

Amanda, who never held back, didn't mince words. "That's insane. Lucian seemed decent, but he's worse than scum. You're lucky you found out before the wedding. Discovering this after marriage? Ugh, it'd be like choking on dirt."

Her raw honesty actually lightened my mood. Amanda was always passionate, never one to sugarcoat things.

"Don't stress," she went on, "there are tons of guys out there. You're amazing. You'll find someone who's a better match for you."

I smiled, a little more genuinely this time. "I am pretty awesome, aren't I? No point in wasting my time on someone who doesn't deserve me."

I shook it off and threw myself back into work. Colleagues who knew about my wedding plans congratulated me. Their smiles warmed my heart, but there was an undercurrent of sadness. Who would've guessed I'd be single again before they even finished the wedding candies I handed out?

At lunch, one coworker whispered, "Wendy, you're not planning to get pregnant soon, are you? We all know that manager position is practically yours. Choosing family now would be such a waste."

I'd worried about that too, torn between the promotion I could practically taste and the family I thought I was building. Now, that dilemma had taken care of itself in the most unexpected way.

"Don't worry," I told her with a cool smile, "I won't be making any plans like that for the next few years."

"Oh? Won't your husband mind?" she asked, surprised.

I smiled faintly. "No one gets a say in my decisions."

She looked taken aback for a moment, then gave me a thumbs-up. "You're so level-headed! But you're right, it's our life. No one should tell us how to live it."

A bitter taste crept up in my mouth. If I were truly level-headed, I wouldn't have let it get this far before walking away.

After that, I buried myself in work, carefully steering clear of anything related to Lucian. It was surprisingly easy when you really wanted to avoid someone.

For five days straight, I didn't see him. Just when I thought he had given up, he showed up at my door.