THE GROOM WHO NEVER CAME
1205 Words
For several seconds, Elena couldn't move.
The wedding hall had become strangely quiet.
She could hear the faint hum of the air conditioner.
She could hear someone breathing heavily in the front row.
She could even hear the tiny click of a camera being lowered.
But she couldn't hear her own thoughts.
Damian had just said he couldn't marry her.
Yet her brain refused to accept it.
She smiled.
It was an instinct.
A desperate attempt to turn the moment into something harmless.
"You are joking."
Damian didn't respond.
Elena laughed nervously.
"Okay. That wasn't funny."
Nothing.
She stepped closer.
"Damian, look at me."
He did.
She immediately regretted asking.
There was no warmth in his eyes.
No tenderness.
No trace of the boy she had loved since she was sixteen.
"Tell me you're joking," she whispered.
"I'm not."
Her fingers tightened around the bouquet.
"What are you saying?"
"I am saying that this wedding cannot continue."
The room erupted in whispers.
Elena stared at him.
"Why?"
Damian exhaled.
"I should have told you earlier."
"Earlier?"
"Yes."
"How much earlier?"
He didn't answer.
Her voice shook.
"Yesterday?"
Still nothing.
"Last week?"
He looked away.
Elena's stomach twisted.
"Damian."
"I knew before today."
She stopped breathing for a second.
"You knew?"
"Yes."
"And you still let me come here?"
He remained silent.
"You let my parents come here?"
Silence.
"You let my friends come here?"
Silence.
"You let me put on this dress?"
Damian's jaw tightened.
"I'm sorry."
Elena shook her head.
"No."
She laughed softly.
"No, don't say you're sorry. Tell me why."
"It's complicated."
"Then explain it."
"I don't want to do this here."
"You already did it here!"
Her voice cracked.
She looked around the hall.
"Everyone is here."
Her mother stood frozen in the front row.
Her father looked furious.
Her friends looked like they didn't know where to look.
Elena turned back to Damian.
"Eight years."
Her voice became quieter.
"Eight years, Damian."
He swallowed.
"I know."
"You know?"
"I know."
"Then how could you do this?"
"I made a mistake."
Her eyes widened.
"A mistake?"
"Yes."
"You dated me for eight years by mistake?"
"No."
"Then what was the mistake?"
He hesitated.
"You."
The word struck harder than anything else.
Elena went still.
"What?"
Damian looked away.
"I should never have allowed our relationship to get this far."
Her eyes burned.
"You loved me."
"I thought I did."
"You told me you did."
"I was wrong."
Elena's lips trembled.
"When?"
"What?"
"When did you stop loving me?"
He didn't answer.
She stepped closer.
"Tell me."
"I don't know."
"You don't know?"
"Elena, please."
"No."
Her tears finally fell.
"No, you don't get to say please. Not now."
Damian lowered his voice.
"I'm trying not to humiliate you more than necessary."
Elena stared at him.
"Humiliate me?"
She looked around.
"Do you see where we are?"
He said nothing.
"This is my wedding day."
"I know."
"You invited everyone."
"I know."
"You let me walk down that aisle."
"I know."
"And now you're telling me you're worried about humiliating me?"
His silence was an answer.
Elena shook her head.
"You should have told me before I put on this dress."
Damian looked at her.
"I should have."
"Before my father walked me down that aisle."
"I should have."
"Before my mother cried."
"I should have."
"Before I told you I loved you."
Damian's face tightened.
"I know."
Elena wiped her tears.
"Do you even feel anything?"
His eyes flickered.
For a second, she thought she saw regret.
Then it disappeared.
"I'm sorry."
She laughed bitterly.
"You keep saying that."
"Because there is nothing else I can say."
"Then say the truth."
He was quiet.
Finally, he said, "I don't love you anymore."
Elena's chest tightened.
She looked at him as if she had never seen him before.
Then a woman's voice came from behind them.
"Damian."
Elena turned.
Victoria Sterling walked toward them.
She looked flawless.
Her dress was elegant.
Her hair was perfect.
And she wore a smile that made Elena's stomach twist.
Damian looked at her.
Something changed in his face.
Something Elena hadn't seen all morning.
Warmth.
Recognition.
Relief.
Victoria stopped beside him.
She reached for his hand.
Elena watched their fingers intertwine.
Her eyes dropped to Damian's hand.
His thumb moved gently across Victoria's fingers.
He had done that to Elena countless times.
On dates.
In movie theaters.
Under restaurant tables.
During long car rides.
She remembered all of it.
Now he was doing it to another woman.
"Who is she?" Elena asked.
Damian answered quietly.
"Victoria."
"I know her name."
Victoria smiled.
"I'm sorry you had to find out this way."
Elena looked at her.
"Find out what?"
Victoria glanced at Damian.
Then back at Elena.
"We're together."
The hall went silent.
Elena felt as if someone had pulled the floor from beneath her.
She looked at Damian.
"How long?"
Neither answered.
Her voice rose.
"How long have you been together?"
Damian finally spoke.
"Several months."
Elena's eyes widened.
"Several months?"
"Yes."
"You cheated on me."
"I ended our relationship emotionally before—"
"You cheated on me."
He stopped.
Elena nodded slowly.
"Eight years."
She looked at Victoria.
"You knew about me?"
Victoria's expression softened.
"Of course."
"And you still did this?"
"I didn't plan for things to happen this way."
Elena laughed.
"You didn't plan it?"
Victoria lowered her eyes.
"I'm sorry."
Elena looked back at Damian.
"Did you bring her here knowing you were going to leave me?"
Damian didn't answer.
That was enough.
Her father suddenly stepped forward.
"You will not speak to my daughter like this and walk away."
Damian turned.
"Mr. Bennett—"
"You humiliated her."
"I understand."
"No, you don't."
Her father's voice shook with anger.
"You stood there and watched me give my daughter to you."
"I know."
"Then you threw her away in front of everyone."
Damian's expression hardened.
"I never promised her forever."
Elena looked at him.
"You did."
He looked at her.
"I thought I meant it."
Her father took another step.
"Get out."
Damian nodded.
He reached for Victoria's hand.
Elena watched them turn toward the exit.
Something inside her broke.
"Damian."
He stopped.
For one foolish second, hope returned.
He turned.
Elena looked at him through her tears.
"Was any of it real?"
He stared at her.
Eight years passed between them in silence.
Then he said the cruelest thing he could have said.
"I don't know."
He walked away.
Victoria followed.
The doors closed behind them.
Elena stood beneath the flowers she had chosen.
The white dress she had dreamed about suddenly felt like a punishment.
Her mother rushed to her.
"Elena."
Elena didn't respond.
Her mother grabbed her.
"My child."
Elena finally broke.
She collapsed against her mother's chest.
"I don't understand."
Her mother held her tightly.
"I know."
"Why did he do this?"
"I don't know."
"I loved him."
"I know."
"I loved him so much."
"I know."
Her father stood a few feet away.
His face was hard.
His eyes were wet.
But before anyone could say anything else, a man's voice came from the back of the hall.
"Is this how the Cross family treats a bride?"
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