Nine Weddings Fled I Left Him First

After my ninth wedding fell through, Julian Hayes and I played a game of prophetic truth or dare. The rules were simple. You had to name one thing you would definitely do in the future. No lying. I looked him straight in the eye and said clearly. "If the tenth engagement doesn't make it to the altar, I'm done with you. I'll find a new groom." The tenth engagement arrived. Fifteen minutes before the ceremony. Nadia West rushed up to Julian, her eyes red, her voice shaking. "Julian, I can't find the earrings my mother left me." He panicked instantly and tried to soothe her. "Don't panic. I'll help you look." My fiancé, fifteen minutes before his tenth wedding, chose to help another woman look for earrings. I smiled and sent a message to someone, along with a selfie. Clara: Need a groom urgently. You in? The moment I hit send, a reply popped up. Unknown Number: Give me 10 minutes. On my way. I walked onto the stage and grabbed the microphone. "This farce ends now. The real wedding starts in a moment." ***** Dead silence. Every smile in the room froze. All eyes turned to me. My best friend, Tessa, rushed to the edge of the stage, her eyes red. "Clara, the ceremony is about to start. Can your new groom make it in time?" She paused, suppressing her anger. "Last time, Julian left you alone in the banquet hall and went with Nadia to the hospital to pay her father's bills. You stood there alone, like a joke." I patted her hand and looked calmly out at the audience. Julian's voice carried a note of helplessness. "Clara, that was a long time ago. Nadia's father had a medical emergency. It was life or death. I couldn't just leave her." Nadia sobbed quietly too. "Clara, I'm sorry. It's all my fault. Blame me, not Julian." I was long tired of this act. I didn't respond. I just watched them. The groomsmen sensed the tension and immediately tried to reason with Julian. "Julian, go finish the ceremony first. You can help Nadia look afterward. The time is almost here. Any later and it'll be too late." Julian was being persuaded, about to compromise, when Nadia spoke first. "Julian, it's okay. My mother's earrings are my most treasured possession. I wore them to bring good luck to the wedding. I didn't expect to lose them and delay your ceremony." The scene was staged to make me look unreasonable and childish. Julian's wavering heart was pulled back to her. "Clara, Nadia lost the earrings because of our wedding. We're responsible. We have to see it through. Come help us look. It'll be quick. It won't delay the wedding." I almost laughed. "Julian, how many times is this now?" A flicker of guilt crossed his face. He took a step toward me and reached for my arm. "Clara, let me handle this and I'll come finish the ceremony with you. I won't delay. You know you're the one I least want to let down." I stepped back from his hand. The first engagement, I was overjoyed. I loved the sea breeze. I hated cookie-cutter hotel weddings. He promised me a private island wedding. Three months in advance, I locked in every detail. The seaside schedule, the flights, the venue. I was so excited. Then it was canceled at the last minute. Because Nadia was nervous about a performance, couldn't sleep, and needed him to stay up all night comforting her. That night he held me, his eyes red. He said he owed me an ocean and he would make it up to me in this lifetime. The second time. The third. The fourth. The excuses got smaller and more ridiculous. She failed an exam. She sprained her ankle. She fought with her family and ran away. Every time, right before the wedding, he put my ceremony on hold for her. At first, I was full of hope. I kept comforting myself. Then came the struggle. In the end, I wore down every last expectation. From the seaside to a lawn. Finally, a compromise to the most ordinary hotel engagement dinner. I thought eventually we would get one perfect day. The ninth time, with no warning, Nadia's father felt unwell, and Julian didn't hesitate. He abandoned the guests and me on stage and went to the hospital to look after him and pay the bills. He left me alone to endure the humiliation. The next day, he knelt outside my door for a whole night. He said it was the last time. He said he would only ever marry Clara Quinn. He cried. I believed him. And now, it was the tenth.