My Fiancé Chose My Sister Over Me, So I Let Him Pay the Price

The table fell silent for a few seconds. My mother scolded me, "Nonsense! Changing the bride before the wedding, if word gets out, people will laugh at us." My father's face darkened. "Our relatives and friends are all here. Don't throw a tantrum." Liam Rivera tapped the table with his knuckles. That was his habit, a sign he was about to lecture me. "Maya Howard, marriage is not child's play. It was just a stupid joke. Did you have to blow it up like this?" I shot back, "Wasn't that what you all said? If I say no, let Zara take my place." I looked at my younger sister. "The dress, the venue, the guest list, all yours. The groom is yours too." Zara's eyes immediately turned red. "Maya, I wasn't trying to steal him. Everyone was just joking." "So you don't want him?" My mother answered for her, "Of course she doesn't want him. Liam is your fiancé. You're almost 30. If you really ruin such a good match, you'll be the one who regrets it!" I didn't argue. I simply opened the wedding planning group chat and transferred admin rights to Zara. If she wanted it, she could have it. I had spent 10 months preparing this wedding. From the seaside hotel to the seating chart, I had handled every single detail. All Liam did was criticize—the invitations were too tacky, the flowers too expensive, the outdoor ceremony too risky, the indoor ceremony too tacky. I asked him what exactly he wanted. "If you can't even arrange a wedding properly, how will you manage a household in the future?" For days after that, I was so anxious I couldn't sleep—not a single full night. He handed me a glass of water, saying he loved me and truly wanted to build a family with me. I actually believed him. A notification popped up in the group. Zara had accepted the admin rights. Liam's expression finally changed. "You serious?" I picked up my coat and prepared to leave. "The stylist will arrive at the apartment at nine tomorrow morning. Zara, don't be late." He grabbed my wrist. "Maya, even making a scene has its limits." "I know what I'm doing." "What about the apartment?" "I'll pack tonight and move out tomorrow morning." "Fine. Let's see how long you can keep this up." It was raining outside. I had just reached the restaurant entrance when I saw Liam's car parked by the roadside. He rolled down the window. "Get in." Zara sat in the passenger seat, the jacket I had given Liam draped over her shoulders. "Maya, you can sit in the back." I stepped back into the doorway. "No need." Liam's face darkened. "Maya! Can you stop making a scene? Who are you putting on this show for by getting soaked?" The moment he finished speaking, the car I had booked pulled up. I pulled open the door and turned back to look at him. "This time, there's no audience, and I don't need you watching me either." The apartment still had wedding decorations up. Liam's suit hung in the closet, and the tie I had chosen for him lay by the bedside. Liam came back. When he saw the suitcase, he stopped in his tracks. "Still not done making a scene?" I said, "I'll move out the rest of my things tomorrow morning." He loosened his tie. "What I said during the game is just a joke. Everyone there was family and friends. I said her name, and everyone laughed. She's never been in a relationship. You're my fiancée. Don't you even trust me this much?" It was always like this. Whenever I was unhappy, it was because I didn't trust him enough. "When I had a high fever, you made me go to the ER by myself. When she said she had a stomachache, you dropped everything and stayed with her all night." He frowned. "How is that the same? You just had a low fever. She was in so much pain she couldn't stand up." "Didn't you feel like she was faking it? Even the doctor said she just ate too much." Liam's frown deepened. "Nobody knew that before the tests!" "And you gave her the only keepsake my grandmother left me!" "It's just a brooch. Why are you being so petty? She's your sister!" He had an answer for everything. He stepped closer, patted my head, and his tone finally softened. "Maya, let's calm down. No more fighting, okay? After we get married, I'll be her brother-in-law. I'll be more mindful of boundaries." Just then, the phone rang. The caller was Zara. "Liam, the laces at the back of the wedding dress are loose. I can't tie them." Liam turned to leave, then seemed to remember the promise he'd just made. He turned back to explain, "She just wants to experience what it's like to wear a wedding dress. I'll go help her out." I asked, "You know how to tie a wedding dress?" "I watched while you tried it on." So he did remember. But that attentiveness ultimately went to someone else. I continued packing. He stood in the doorway, seemingly waiting for me to stop him. Only when Zara urged him again over the phone did he finally leave in a hurry. The elevator doors slowly slid shut. This time, I didn't stay behind to wait for him to choose.