I Dumped my Fiancé at the Wedding

Jake Shaw became infatuated with the impoverished female college student he had sponsored. Her name was Elsie Davies.

The relationship between him and me seemed to be ruined after several years.

On the day when I asked Jake to make the final decision between me and Elsie, I was uncharacteristically calm. After a tense standoff, Jake chose me and promised to send Elsie away.

On the day we got engaged, many people spread some news that Elsie had fallen into the lake.

With tears in my eyes, I stopped Jake's arm. He was in a panic at that moment. I said, "Jake, as soon as you walk out of the door, there's no turning back for us."

Jake's eyes betrayed an undeniable disgust and reproach. "If I lose Elsie, it is like killing me. Isabel, I will hate you forever if you stop me from saving her."

I froze, and Jake broke free from my grip. He ran out without looking back.

I glanced at the wedding dress I was wearing and chuckled.

Jake refused to get back together with me. Why didn't I move on?

...

The door slammed shut in front of me, and I couldn't hold back the tears that streamed down my face.

I had known Jake had supported Elsie for quite some time.

He had won a charity project. To enhance the company's image, he encouraged all the company executives to sponsor at least one underprivileged student for social outreach initiatives.

It was realistic in the workplace. Everyone just donated some money, and that was all. And I did the same thing.

But Jake was different. He fell for the young woman, who looked innocent.

The company's employees had at least a prestigious bachelor's degree, but Jake defied all opposition and directly gave Elsie a position in the secretarial department, although she graduated from a mediocre college.

Gossip had reached my ears, but I trusted Jake and our seven-year relationship.

Yet things didn't go as I had hoped.

I didn't know when it started, but Jake changed his phone's wallpaper and password. He set his social media to show posts from only the past three days. Jake hadn't talked to me in the shortest sentences, but he actually saved dozens of GIFs of cute facial expressions on his phone.

Every detail drove me crazy.

So I began to observe Jake's unusual behavior.

On the evening of our anniversary, his phone buzzed incessantly on the nightstand. He perfunctorily completed our intimate moments, put on his shirt, and stormed off to the bathroom without a backward glance.

I didn't hear the sound of running water. Instead, Jake's low laughter was heard through the frosted glass.

On an impulse, I picked up Jake's iPad, which he used for work, from the table.

Even though Jake was cautious, he would make mistakes. I had no idea whether he was clouded by another woman or perhaps convinced by my love, which made him fearless.

The real-time synced chat records left me dazed. The woman nicknamed "Miss Bunny" sent voice messages that were sweet to the core.

She coquettishly asked Jake why he didn't reply to her right away, and Jake sent an emoji to apologize and explained to her that he had been busy with his work.

I scrolled up and found that they had chatted about many things.

For instance, they talked about which bakery had delicious cakes, the latest popular movie, and whether almond-shaped or teardrop-shaped nails suited Elsie's slender fingers better.

Jake responded to every message from her. His tenderness almost shattered my last defense.

Jake and I had dated for seven years, but I never knew Jake could be so gentle.

At the end of the chat, Jake said, "Your period is coming soon. Don't have cold drinks since tomorrow."

Elsie laughed and softly asked Jake to give her a voice kiss before she stopped their chatting.

A few seconds later, a two-second voice message popped up.

Jake's kiss was gentle. I could sense that he was cherishing a treasure through the screen.

Just a moment before he walked out of the bathroom, I cleared the iPad screen and placed it back on the table.

I wept all night, but Jake slept soundly.

In the morning, he didn't notice my swollen eyes. He just frowned while rummaging through the living room.

I didn't miss the moment he put some medication for women's periods into his suit pocket. I looked at him as if I hadn't known him.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

I consoled myself that even if he confessed he was taking it to Elsie...

But Jake was stunned for a short moment and said while lowering his gaze. "Nothing. I was just looking for something."

His answer was bound to let me down, and only I continued to deceive myself.

It was common for the guy to have an affair in our circle. I had even gotten used to it.

But Jake and I started our business together from nothing, so I always believed that Jake wouldn't cheat on me.

We had seven years of love. The vast Shaw Corporation was the outcome of my countless efforts. I simply couldn't let go so easily.

So I asked Jake to choose between me and Elsie that evening. "Between me and Elsie, who do you choose?"

I didn't know what expression I wore when I said those words. I only remembered that the sky outside the window was dark and that my throat was tight. I was almost choking.

Jake didn't answer. He smoked a whole pack of cigarettes on the balcony and left a mess of ash behind as he walked away.

Three days later, he came back with red marks on his neck.

His voice was hoarse as he said, "I've made things clear with her. She won't be in our lives anymore."

I chuckled lightly. "Where is she?"

Jake raised his head abruptly, and he looked furious. "Do you really want to drive her to death before you are satisfied? She is an orphan. She has no family."

Jake looked at me like an enemy. I saw him like that and held back my words. I didn't even have the strength to argue with him.

He seemed to realize his overreaction and said, "Isabel, what I did was wrong before. I swear it won't happen again. So please don't make things difficult for Elsie, okay? She knows nothing. She is too innocent."

At that moment, I was heartbroken.

I had loved Jake for seven years, but he pleaded with me not to harm his beloved woman for the first time as his eyes were red.

Jake proposed to me that evening, and I accepted.

But we both knew that things between us would never be the same as before.

Jake didn't deceive me. From then on, I never saw Elsie again. She seemed to vanish from my world completely.

But at our engagement party, Jake saw a fleeting image on a guest's phone that resembled Elsie. He ruthlessly left me behind in front of countless guests and the media.