Chapter 3Pulling the Plug

"What was with that passive-aggressive comment?" Gavin’s voice was low and annoyed. "I've told you a thousand times, Sophie and I are just friends."

I let out a cold laugh.

"Friends don't do things lovers do. Sophie called it a proposal. Are you assuming I’m blind?"

"It was just a caption! Why are you so petty?"

"Besides, we're getting married in a few days. What is your problem? Are you seriously still mad I didn't babysit you at the hospital?"

He sounded so aggrieved, as if I were the villain in his story. He didn't think leaving me alone in a hospital for three days was a big deal.

I only wanted a ride home. I wasn't asking for the stars like Sophie.

"Yes, I am mad because you didn't take care of me," I said flatly. "So, are you going to rent a yacht for me to apologize? Like you did for Sophie?"

Silence stretched on the line.

Finally, Gavin spoke, his tone dripping with exhaustion.

"Chloe, stop changing the subject. I called to ask why you would embarrass Sophie like that? She’s crying because of what you wrote."

"Oh? Is she? She really is fragile, isn't she?"

Gavin lost his patience. He muttered, "Unbelievable," and hung up.

The rainy season in Seattle usually made me feel like I was molding from the inside out, but today, the sun finally broke through.

My suppressed emotions vanished with the clouds.

The first thing I did after leaving the hospital was go to the bridal shop and cancel everything.

The clerk looked at my cast with pity. "The photos are ready. We just needed to fit the dress. It’s a shame."

In the corner sat a massive framed canvas—Gavin and me, smiling like we were in love.

My body was there, but my heart was already gone. A shell without a heart isn't worth keeping.

Before I left, I told the staff to trash everything. The large frames were too big for the bin, so I told them to smash them and dump the pieces.

As luck would have it, just as the last frame shattered into the dumpster...

Gavin and Sophie walked up.

He looked surprised to see me standing there.

"Chloe? Why are you here? Did you not go home?"

I stayed silent, watching as he instinctively linked arms with Sophie.

"What happened to your arm? You just fell, right? You’re making a huge deal out of nothing," he said, his selective blindness kicking in again.

"Nothing. Just a scratch."

He noticed my stare and quickly dropped Sophie’s arm, looking flustered.

He walked up to me, looking me up and down.

"We're about to get married, stop acting like a child. The shop called me to pick up the photos. Did they call you too?"

Sophie giggled. She peered into the dumpster.

"Gavin... doesn't that guy in the trash look exactly like you?"

Gavin walked over and flipped a piece of the broken canvas.

It was his face, shattered under a layer of glass shards.

His face turned red with rage. He marched over to me, fists clenched.

"Chloe, have you lost your mind?"

"The wedding is next week! Why did you throw away the photos? Are we getting married or not?!"

My cast was heavy, weighing down my neck. I rolled my shoulders and looked him in the eye.

"Didn't you propose to Sophie? Why would you marry me?"