He Used AI to Text Me, While Chatting with Her All Night. Ok, I Canceled the Wedding Chapter 03

He Used AI to Text Me, While Chatting with Her All Night. Ok, I Canceled the Wedding Chapter 03

Margaret Whitmore loved a crowd.

Multiple dinners a month, relatives packed in.

Celeste was always there.

Me? A courtesy invite at month’s end.

I arrived to a full table.

Celeste sat beside Elias, picking at crab legs.

Elias—self-proclaimed germaphobe—had peeled a bowl of shrimp for her.

She saw me and smiled sweetly.

“Rosalind! You made it.”

“Waiting for me” was a formality. I let it pass, sliding into a corner seat.

Most dishes were seafood. Celeste’s favorites.

I picked at the greens.

Mid-meal, Margaret turned to me.

“Rosalind, how’s the banquet menu? Add lobster per table? Celeste adores that baked crab.”

Celeste ducked her head, shy.

“Auntie, I just mentioned it.”

“If you love it, we’ll add it. Wedding’s for everyone’s joy.”

The food turned to ash.

My wedding. Elias checked out. The menu catered to Celeste.

But there wouldn’t be a wedding.

So what banquet?

I murmured, “Mm.”

Dinner dragged. Flavorless. I endured it.

Margaret shooed me to the sofa for fruit, then beckoned Celeste.

“Celeste, help Auntie with the dishes.”

Celeste started to rise. Elias frowned.

“Mom, Celeste has her period. Cold water’s bad. Rosalind can do it.”

My fingers tightened around my glass.

So he remembered that.

In five years, he never remembered a thing about me.

Last month, first day of my cycle, I’d curled up, pale.

He’d eyed my face and said, “That foundation’s too light. Stop using it.”

Margaret paused, then laughed.

“Guests shouldn’t clean. Since Celeste can’t, you boys handle it.”

Elias and his father headed to the kitchen. Celeste leaned in the doorway, watching.

I sat alone on the sofa. A spectator to someone else’s life.

Later, Celeste yawned.

Elias noticed. Stood. Grabbed his keys.

“Late. Let’s go.”

Same routine. Drop Celeste off first.

Her apartment wasn’t far. Elias picked it himself.

Quiet complex. Green space. Secure.

Favorite café downstairs. Dessert shop around the corner.

Two blocks from our place.

“In case Celeste has an emergency,” he’d said.

“I can get there fast.”

His definition of emergency was broad.

Leaky pipes. Blackouts. Fevers.

Nightmares. Scary movies.

At her building, Celeste waved.

“Drive safe, Elias. Rosalind too!”

Elias waited until she disappeared inside before starting the car.

Silence settled, broken only by our breathing.

Just before home, I spoke.

“Elias. Don’t you think you and Celeste are… close?”

He was in a good mood. Reached over, rubbed the back of my hand. Like soothing a restless pet.

“Jealous?”

“We’ve known each other since onesies. If it were happening, it’d have happened by now.”

“Besides, you’re the one I’m marrying. Isn’t that enough?”

It wasn’t.

But I stayed quiet, withdrawing my hand. Sighed.

“Free tomorrow?”

“Need to talk.”

He frowned automatically.

“Can’t text it? Or—”

He stopped. Remembered the AI.

After a beat, he revised.

“Fine. I’ll make time.”