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.

The engagement party ended abruptly and left me and my family embarrassed. Everyone said that I was the abandoned bride left by Jake at the altar.

My mother stood protectively before me. Even though her eyes were red, she shielded me from the relentless onslaught of reporters. My father hunched his back and apologized to the guests.

They didn't leave until the evening.

Later that evening, the door to our home opened.

Jake entered with Elsie in his arms. She was drenched, and he was coaxing her gently.

It was the first time I got a close look at Elsie. Her skin was delicate, and her eyes were still red. She was indeed much like a timid bunny.

Seeing me standing in the room coldly, Elsie seemed frightened and burrowed further into Jake's embrace.

Jake frowned and said in a slightly displeased tone, "Isabel, mind your expression. You're scaring her."

I ignored them and continued packing my belongings.

My mother walked out of the kitchen with a bowl of chicken soup. She barely glanced at Jake before coming straight to me. "Isabel, have some soup to warm yourself."

I was about to thank my mother when Elsie suddenly began to cry. "Mr. Shaw... I miss my mother too... No one has ever made chicken soup for me."

Jake wiped away the tears from Elsie's eyes tenderly. His gaze towards me was venomous. "Isabel, you know Elsie has no family. Do you think it's appropriate to highlight your close bond with your mother in front of her? Elsie's very naive. She will overthink. Why do you constantly have to make things difficult for her?"

I met Jake's gaze and said calmly, "Whether she has a family or not has nothing to do with me. You think I'm making things difficult for her? I don't have time for that!"

I rarely argued with Jake, much less so aggressively. He was momentarily stunned. And then he grew impatient. "Even if it has nothing to do with you, you can't deny your role in Elsie's situation today. If you hadn't insisted on her leaving back then, she wouldn't have..."

Jake's complaints stopped abruptly.

I glanced at Jake's empty ring finger and felt irony.

He was actually blaming me.

Even though he pretended to be sincere, the truth emerged bloodily when the dream showed a crack.

He knew that I had never forgiven him and that he had never truly forgotten about Elsie.

I suppressed the bitterness in my chest and swallowed the lump in my throat. "So what do you want?"

Jake averted his gaze and no longer met my eyes. "I'll book the best hotel for your parents and let them leave now. Elsie won't be happy when she sees them. Isabel, you'll take care of Elsie for the next few days..."

I looked up at him. "I'm leaving with my parents."

Jake seemed surprised at my words. He paused briefly before he became relieved. "Isabel, you are the most understanding one. I knew it. It's true that too many people aren't good for Elsie's recovery. But don't worry. Once she's better, I'll bring you back."

With that, he stepped forward and intended to hold my hand.

Jake never held my hand initially, but now it seemed that he just wouldn't do it for me.

His long fingers were about to touch mine when Elsie pulled him back. Jake reflexively turned his head and saw Elsie's eyes brimming with tears. "Mr. Shaw, I'm so cold..."

Jake didn't have time to say more and hurried to carry Elsie to the bathroom.

Through the half-open door, I clearly saw Jake bent over before Elsie and gently took off her wet blouse. "Mr. Shaw, I can do it myself..."

He said gently, "Be good. Don't move. The doctor said you couldn't make large movements with your wrists."

Jake's broad back overlapped with that in my memory. My throat ached badly, and I closed my eyes tightly to hold back my tears.

Just as we graduated from college, we were in that tiny rental apartment, where Jake had taken care of me meticulously like that. Back then, a ring from a soda can was enough to signify our love.

But things had changed, and so had Jake. Perhaps I should have realized long ago that he was no longer the young man who made my heart race.

"But Jake, I will never be coming back."

At that moment, I realized how wise it was for me not to get married to Jake. At least we had no shared property to dispute. But even so...

"Ms. Douglas, the property between you and Mr. Shaw is a large sum. And it takes about one week to clear it up."

I nodded.

Since I'd decided to break up with Jake, I wouldn't leave Jake with anything that belonged to me. I have waited for seven years. So I could easily wait for one more week.

When I went to the company, everyone looked at me with curious eyes. I knew they were speculating about what was going on between Jake and Elsie.

Only when I entered the elevator did those probing gazes get shut out, so I could breathe a sigh of relief.

But the next moment, I noticed the elevator buttons were covered with bunny stickers.

Seeing my confusion, my assistant, Noreen Robertson, said hesitantly, "These are... Miss Davies's doing. Mr. Shaw said to let her be if she was happy and didn't have them cleaned up..."

Noreen knew my relationship with Jake was complicated, so she cautiously tried to mediate. "Mr. Shaw is a good guy. He just takes care of Elsie because she's supported and is an orphan. He sees you differently from how he feels about her..."

In fact, I had thought the same way before.

But Jake suddenly stopped loving me.

I said, "We have no relationship."

Noreen didn't understand me. "What did you say?"

I looked at the pink heart on the top floor button and repeated, "Jake and I have no relationship anymore."

As soon as my words fell, the elevator doors opened.

Jake stood there and looked down at me, and Elsie was standing behind him in a pretty dress.

Perhaps Jake had heard my words, and he didn't look happy. Elsie, however, walked up to me with a naïve smile and said, "Isabel, you know what? Mr. Shaw took me to a social dinner yesterday evening, and it was the first time I saw so much delicious food. But the tastiest thing was definitely the Doughnuts that Mr. Shaw ordered just for me. He said it was good for me."

The air was thick with a sweet, overpowering floral scent, which caused me to cover my nose and cough lightly. I ignored Elsie, and Noreen said to Elsie, "You'd better address her as Ms. Douglas in the office. Are you unaware of that?"

Noreen merely reminded Elsie, but the latter instantly broke into tears. She shrank behind Jake, and her face was full of grievance.

Jake gently patted Elsie's head to comfort her and then cast a cold glance at me. "Discipline your assistant. We are in the office now, and you cannot vent personal emotions here."

Elsie quickly masked the fleeting smugness in her eyes and clung to Jake's arm. "Mr. Shaw, it's my fault. Please don't make things difficult for Ms. Douglas..."

Seeing her act so pitifully, Jake wanted to say something to Noreen, but I instantly pulled her out of the elevator.

Jake said, "Isabel, I haven't finished my words."

I took a deep breath, turned back to him, and said emotionlessly, "Did you call me Isabel? Have you forgotten what you just said? Do you have the right to call my name so casually? You are the vice president. Mr. Shaw."

Jake's breath caught. He seemed to be facing someone he had never known for a moment.

Instinctively, he reached out to me and said, "Isabel, I didn't mean..."

"Smack!" Jake's hand froze in mid-air, and the back of it turned slightly red.

More employees gathered around, but I couldn't be bothered with them. "Mr. Shaw, I hired you at a high salary in the company, not to let you deal with your romantic affairs. If you can't separate personal matters from professional ones, I would have to reconsider whether you are qualified for your position."

The hallway fell into a dead silence. Then Elsie suddenly screamed, "Mr. Shaw, are you okay? Does it hurt? I'm sorry to make you and Ms. Douglas unhappy..."

At the same time, she cradled Jake's hand and rubbed it gently, and her voice sounded with sobs.

Then she unexpectedly got down on her knees before me. She pleaded while crying, "Ms. Douglas, I'm inexperienced and don't understand the complicated matters. If I said something that upset you, punish me as you like. I can take it. But please don't treat Mr. Shaw that way. He's kind-hearted, and I love..."

The rest of her words went unsaid, but everyone clearly understood what she meant.

Jake seemed to just come back to reality. He looked at me and then at Elsie, who was crying uncontrollably on the floor.

He held her up in his arms and said in front of everyone, word by word, "I'm sorry, Ms. Douglas. My woman has caused you trouble. I'll be more careful next time."

Then he left without a backward glance, and I felt bitterness in my heart as I saw him like that.

As the office door closed, tears that had been welling in my eyes fell down.

Well, perhaps I just cried for myself from seven years ago.

I went to the business conference alone. After I had a few cocktails with others, Jake appeared at the entrance with Elsie on his arm.

Our engagement party drama had created quite a stir not long ago and caused some of our business partners to be unsure of how to address us.

I walked up to Jake and handed him the speech script calmly.

He was supposed to introduce our products that evening. Before he reached out, Elsie snatched it away. "Oh, this is the introduction script. It doesn't seem too difficult. "Jake, oh no, Mr. Shaw, can I try it later?"

I naturally understood what she meant and quickly stopped her. "The launch of the product is crucial, but you don't even understand the product's features..."

"She can."

Jake stepped between Elsie and me and looked at me indifferently. "This is my duty. Elsie is my secretary, so it's reasonable for her to speak on my behalf."

I bit my lip as I looked at him. I had worked hard with my team on the product for nearly three years. Jake knew very well how important it was to me.

Jake said, "Isabel, she needs opportunities to grow. Not everyone has the innate advantages you do."

I stared at Jake's determined eyes and was too shocked to speak.

He had seen how hard I had worked on the product, but he now...

I didn't have time to argue further. The host announced the start, and Elsie walked onto the stage under the gaze of countless people in the same industry and reporters.

As expected, her presentation was abysmal. She couldn't even finish it. Her face flushed with embarrassment, and she looked at Jake with tearful eyes. "Jake..."

Jake was beside me. He pressed his lips tightly and finally made up his mind. He stood abruptly, and his gaze swept over me with a fleeting hint of guilt before he walked onto the stage amid the uproar of the crowd.

He reached past Elsie and firmly grasped the microphone. Then he held her in his arms and said, "I'm sorry. But my secretary isn't familiar with market operations. I'll handle the rest of the introduction."

I sat there and blankly watched their intertwined fingers.

Jake spoke eloquently, and even after his speech ended, the applause continued for a long moment.

Countless reporters swarmed forward and pointed their cameras at him and Elsie in his arms.

"Mr. Shaw, we've heard that you and Ms. Douglas had something unpleasant at the engagement party. Is she your new love?"

"Have irreparable conflicts erupted between you and Ms. Douglas?"

"Could you tell us about your relationship with this lady..."

Amidst the noise, Jake's gaze fell on me once more.

Everyone eagerly awaited his response, but I calmly looked at the phone screen that had just lit up.