My Boyfriend & BFF Pranked Me At Our Wedding, I Dumped Both Of Them Chapter 09

My Boyfriend & BFF Pranked Me At Our Wedding, I Dumped Both Of Them Chapter 09

Autumn had settled over Belvaria.

Ethan never came to wait outside my office again.

At first, he emailed every few days to tell me which reposts had been removed and which were still awaiting action.

Once, he attached a photo of one of the clay mugs we had made together.

Ethan: I found it. Your name’s engraved on the bottom. Would you like me to send it to you?

I replied.

Nora: No. From now on, only contact me about removing the videos.

After that, his emails contained nothing but links and progress updates.

Another two months passed before the last batch of complaints was resolved.

He added a message below the list.

Ethan: I always thought I’d take you to try on wedding gowns once things settled down. Now I have time every day.

I looked at it for a while, then archived the email.

That evening, Adrian and I were checking sample garments at the studio.

Holding a pair of scissors, he asked whether I wanted help trimming the loose threads.

I handed him the skirt’s hem. He pulled up a chair and sat beside me, carefully snipping them

away.

It was almost 11 p.m. when he asked if I was hungry.

I realized it had been a long time since I had instinctively covered my face when someone

picked up a phone.

We went on to share meals and browse fabric markets together. We disagreed sometimes

too.

Once, after we had argued over a fabric for ages, he hung both swatches by the window. “Let’s look at them in natural light tomorrow.”

I couldn’t help smiling.

It turned out that not every argument needed to be settled tonight. No one had to be the first

to apologize.

That weekend, Adrian sent me a message,

Adrian: The weather’s nice today. Want to go for a walk?

Nora: Sure.

Adrian waited outside my apartment building with two cups of coffee.

When I came out, he handed me one. “Latte, light on the sugar.”

I accepted it, and we headed toward the park.

We didn’t say much along the way. We simply walked side by side.

Most of the leaves in the park had turned yellow. They rustled beneath our feet.

An older man sat on a bench feeding pigeons while children chased one another nearby.

After walking for a while, we sat on the steps beside a fountain.

Pigeons fluttered over and landed at our feet, staring at the bread in our hands.

Laughing, Adrian and I tore off little pieces and fed them.

*****

One year later, our plane landed at the airport back home.

I walked out holding Adrian’s hand.

Mom waved at me, her eyes curved with happiness.

Dad looked Adrian up and down before finally offering his hand.

During the drive home, Mom kept turning around to talk to Adrian.

She asked how many people were in his family, what he did for a living, and how long he had

lived in Belvaria.

Adrian answered every question with patient sincerity.

When we arrived, Mom made an enormous dinner.

She kept piling food onto Adrian’s plate until it was heaped high.

For the first time, I saw Adrian look completely at a loss.

Dad took a sip of his drink. “When are you two planning to make it official?”

“Next spring,” Adrian said. “Nora and I have talked it over. We’re going to design the gown and suit ourselves and keep the wedding simple.”

Dad nodded, set down his glass, and looked at me.

“You’re sure about this one?”

During the months leading up to the wedding, Adrian and I sketched designs, chose fabrics, and visited tailor after tailor together.

I revised the gown seven or eight times. Adrian stayed with me through three all-nighters at

the studio.

We chose an outdoor venue, and the weather was beautiful on our wedding day.

Only our parents and a few close friends attended.

Wearing the gown I had made with my own hands, I walked toward Adrian from the far end of

the aisle.

He smiled and reached for me.

The officiant spoke, but I barely heard a word. Adrian gently guided me through the

ceremony.

Afterward, our guests chatted in the courtyard.

I pulled him away to the empty garden at the back.

We leaned against the railing and let the breeze wash over us.

“Tired?” he asked.

“A little,” I said. “But I’m so happy.”

We clinked glasses and finished our drinks.

When our eyes met, neither of us could hide our smiles.

“Adrian.”

“Hmm?”

“Thank you.”

He didn’t answer. He wrapped an arm around me and nuzzled the hollow of my neck.

courtyard called

Someone in the front us over for pictures.

Adrian answered, took my hand, and led me outside.

A soft breeze stirred my hair, the flower petals, and the grass.

It also stirred the heart that had finally learned to beat again.