Chapter 4His, and His Brother's

While I was clearing out the closet, I found the crimson-colored stationery where we had written our vows.

I opened it. The handwriting inside was a messy, joyful scrawl.

I spread the paper on the floor and, with a blank expression, took a black marker and drew a thick, final line through my name.

I had to remind myself.

A promise, like a heart, once it’s cracked, can never be repaired to look like it was never broken.

After packing everything, I put the voided vows back in the safe. It was where Connor kept his most precious things.

Suddenly, a different box caught my eye. On impulse, I pulled it out.

It was filled with letters, none of them addressed. The envelope simply read: For Ashley.

“Ashley, how’s London? Are you okay?”

“I heard you cried over your thesis. Don’t cry, my Ashley. Your beautiful eyes should only shed tears of joy.”

“I found it. The pink diamond you always wanted.”

“You said you wanted a wedding dress that looked like it was made of stars. I’ve already designed it.”

“When you walk down the aisle, I should be the first one to take your hand, right?”

“Ashley, I miss you so much. I’m lying. I’m not trying to pressure you to come back.”

After reading them, our own vows felt like a sickening joke.

I was about to put the letters back when my phone buzzed. Three screenshots from Zoe.

The first was a photo of a girl holding a bouquet of roses. In front of her, a man was on one knee, holding a ring box. I stared at the back of the kneeling man for a long time.

It was the same suit Connor was wearing when he left.

The next two photos were close-ups of two different diamond rings, each one breathtaking. The caption read: “Pink or white, girls? I think the white is so basic. Help me choose!”

Followed by another post: “No surprises, no drama. Just my childhood sweetheart, back with the pink diamond he promised me. He proposed! Wish me luck! #blessed #isaidyes”

I looked at the simple platinum band on my own finger and laughed until tears started to stream down my face.

I pulled it off and placed it on top of the crossed-out vows.

I searched for her Instagram profile and scrolled through it for a while. Then I liked the post and left a comment: Congratulations.

Just then, a message from Connor came through:

Baby, so much to do tonight. I’m not coming home. Love you.

The man who had just proposed to another woman was now, as if nothing had happened, calling me baby and telling me he loved me.

For a second, I wanted to ask him.

Connor, does it ever get tiring, playing this devoted character?

But in the end, I swallowed the words, deleted the text, and replied with a simple:

Okay."