Before the Wedding, the Dutiful Bride Flew to Iceland Alone Chapter 03

Before the Wedding, the Dutiful Bride Flew to Iceland Alone Chapter 03

Back at the apartment, I started packing.

Miles and I had picked this place out together.

He’d told me what it would be like: coming home from work to the entryway light on, a warm dinner waiting in the kitchen, camellias on the balcony because he knew I loved them. Just picturing it used to make me so happy.

But now I saw it clearly.

Serena was everywhere in this home.

The fridge was stocked with her favorite peach sparkling water.

Her cashmere shawl was still draped over the sofa.

Even the bridesmaid dress hanging beside my wedding gown looked more striking than mine.

I stood in the walk-in closet, staring at the two dresses side by side.

Something bitter and aching rose in my chest.

The wedding hadn’t even happened yet.

Every part of Miles that should have belonged to me had already been taken by Serena. I didn’t cry.

I just put my ID, my passport, and a few essentials into my suitcase. Halfway through, the front door clicked open.

Miles was back.

He was holding a jewelry bag, his voice soft and placating.

“Babe, don’t be mad.”

“I walked past the store, and these made me think of you. I remembered you love pearls.”

He opened the box. Inside was a pair of South Sea pearl earrings.

I did love pearls.

I’d stood outside that shop window once, wanting them, but I couldn’t justify the price.

Miles had squeezed my hand and smiled.

“When we get married, I’ll get you even better ones.”

And now, here they were.

But they were earrings.

I didn’t have pierced ears.

Serena did.

Miles pulled me into his arms.

“Can we just let tonight go?”

I looked down at the earrings.

Before I could answer, another receipt slipped out of the bag. The total printed at the bottom felt like a slap.

A designer handbag. Ten times the price of the earrings.

I recognized the brand.

Half an hour ago, Serena had posted on her Instagram story.

There she was, holding that exact bag, her smile wide and bright.

The caption read, [Landed the new project, and a certain someone surprised me with a gift.] I stared at that receipt, and the tears came before I could stop them.

Whatever patience Miles had left disappeared from his face.

“Why are you crying again?”

“Chloe, when you’re like this, it’s just really exhausting.”

The words landed, and I went still.

There was a time when my tears made Miles panic.

He’d fumble to wipe them away.

He’d hold me and murmur the same things over and over.

“Chloe, don’t cry.”

“It kills me when you cry.”

Once, I woke up at two in the morning, crying from a nightmare.

He drove across town to bring me a bowl of hot chicken noodle soup.

He said, “My Chloe never had anyone to hold her when she was little.”

“From now on, every time you cry, I’ll be right here.” That version of Miles had meant every word.

But now, my tears bought me exactly one sentence.

“It’s just exhausting.”

When your tears can’t reach someone anymore,

That’s when you learn to stop.

I wiped my face, my voice hollow.

“I’m fine.”

Miles actually looked relieved.

He stepped closer and leaned down to kiss me.

I turned my face away before I could think about it.

Miles’s expression went cold.

He raked a hand through his hair.

“Whatever.”

“You need to cool off.”

He turned and walked into the study.

Later that night, I was reaching for the light when the tablet on the nightstand lit up.

Miles was still signed in to iMessage.

I only meant to turn off the screen.

But a message had popped up, and Serena’s name cut right through me.

Serena had written, [Did you smooth things over?] Miles replied, [No.]

[She’s getting harder to deal with.]

Serena sent a smiley.

[So did you at least give her a little action tonight?]

A few seconds passed before Miles replied.

[Don’t even get me started. She pushed me away.]

[Honestly? It’s fine. It’s been seven years. I stopped feeling anything for her a long time ago.]

[Good thing she turned me down. I would’ve had to fake my way through it.]

I stared at those messages.

My eyes burned, but there was nothing left to cry out.

Even intimacy with me.

To Miles, it had become something he had to fake. I turned off the screen.

I put the pearl earrings back in the jewelry bag.

Then I set them on the entryway table, along with my engagement ring.

Like handing back a dream I’d finally woken up from.

Just then, my phone lit up with a booking confirmation.

My flight left early tomorrow morning, bound for Snowcrest.

From now on, I’d fly wherever I wanted.

And I would never land beside Miles again.