He Stole My Wedding, I Reclaimed Myself

The lights suddenly blazed on, forcing me to squint. When my vision cleared, I saw a massive prize wheel standing in the center of the room. Across its colorful sections were labels that read: "Fake Proposal," "Ghost Her," and "Scratch-Off Dare." I understood what it was for almost instantly. I'd spent nearly ten years as a wedding planner. I'd used gimmicks like this at countless proposal events. I just never imagined that when it was finally my turn, I'd be the punchline. The arrow stopped squarely on "Fake Proposal." A bitter smile tugged at my lips. So this was the proposal I'd been waiting for all these years. I stepped forward and gave the wheel a gentle spin. It wasn't some cheap prop. The craftsmanship alone told me it had been custom-made for high-end events. Then my gaze drifted to the giant screen outside. A place like this waterfront location was worth every inch of its ground. Even a ten-minute advertisement slot on that screen cost $1,250. Yet the proposal ring in my hand had cost only $1.39. I wiped away the tears that had moments ago been tears of joy. Now they felt painfully ironic. I'd turned down a $125,000 wedding planning contract, booked the first flight I could find, and traveled more than 1,400 miles overnight to get here, only to become the prop Jason had used to make Chloe smile. My fingertips slowly traced the heart-shaped ring. The chocolate coating had begun to soften from the warmth of my hand, and its sickly sweet smell filled the air. I hadn't eaten all day. My stomach lurched, and I doubled over, dry-heaving. Chloe's smile instantly froze. "Zoe, we were just messing around. You're not seriously mad, are you?" Jason's expression darkened. "Everyone's here. Don't ruin the mood." In an instant, everyone started trying to persuade me. "Zoe, you and Jason finally get to see each other. Don't sit there looking so serious." "Exactly. A strong woman like you doesn't need to worry about every little detail." "If you're upset with Jason, just punish him when you two get home." They all thought I was making a big deal out of nothing. But only I knew—Jason had really changed. Jason used to always put me first. He would never use something I cared about as the subject of a bet, and he would never ignore me when I wasn't feeling well, much less blame me coldly. But now... Chloe seemed more like his real girlfriend than I was. "I'm not angry. I just spent the whole night on a flight because I wanted to surprise you. I guess we were thinking the same thing. I'm just a little short of breath." Jason frowned. A flash of concern crossed his eyes. But when he spoke, his tone was still harsh. "You flew here alone? You know you're afraid of flying. Why are you forcing yourself?" Chloe raised an eyebrow slightly. "How is that forcing herself? Zoe is the kind of woman who loves a challenge. If she wasn't, she never would have chosen her career over staying in the same city with you back then." Jason nodded. "That's true. Your time is worth every minute, Zoe. Even dating me was something you squeezed into your schedule. If you didn't fly, the round trip would take almost a week. When would you ever have the time to date me?" His words struck me like a blade coated in ice. My mother married my father when she was young because she believed in love, not money. But when she became pregnant with me, she discovered that my father already had a daughter with his ex-wife. My grandmother questioned why my father needed another child when he already had one. She forced my mother to get rid of me. That night, my mother secretly left and moved to another city just to save my life. Growing up, my mother always reminded me that a woman had to stand on her own, because no one else could be counted on forever. When I was 18, my father finally came looking for me. He was dying, and his only regret was not seeing me sooner. But in his will, he left his eldest daughter two apartments in the city center. For me, he left only a pile of yellowed stamps and $635.70 in cash. A man's words are never as honest as his actions. Not even when that man is my own father. I loved Jason deeply. But loving him was never enough to make me give up my career and sacrifice every part of myself. That was why, after graduating from college, I accepted my mentor's recommendation without hesitation and joined the company he suggested. Jason had held that against me ever since. He even used the phrase "the strong independent woman" to mock me time and time again. I had tried to break up with him before, but he refused. Instead, he called me cold-hearted and ruthless. I knew he loved me. That was why, every year on our anniversary, no matter how important a client or project was, I would put work aside and come to see him. Even though I was afraid of flying, it was the fastest way to reach him. For the sake of love, I could overcome anything. But I never imagined that all my compromises and all the times I crossed the distance for him meant so little in his eyes. I took a deep breath and forced down the emotions surging inside me. If this relationship had become such a burden for both of us... then maybe there was no reason to hold on anymore.