He Chased Me to Spite His Enemy. So I Left Him at the Altar Chapter 09

He Chased Me to Spite His Enemy. So I Left Him at the Altar Chapter 09

The day before the wedding. 

Tatum posted another update: **The man I love most is getting married tomorrow. And I’m not the bride.** 

The photo showed her wrists cut, lying in a hospital bed. A few shallow red scratches on a human girl’s skin–not deep, but deep enough to make someone’s heart soften. 

I got in my car, put on my sunglasses, and waited outside the hospital. 

Sure enough, Dorian Thorne showed up. 

Tatum threw herself into his arms. 

Dorian Thorne just stood there–didn’t put his arms around 

her, but didn’t push her away either. 

I was too far to hear what they said. 

Tatum pressed her head against his chest, crying. 

It was strange. I didn’t feel anything this time. 

I remembered the second year I was with Dorian Thorne. 

We were in a soft moment, and I asked him: “Would you ever 

cheat on me someday? With someone younger, prettier?” 

He rubbed his cheek against mine. “What are you talking about? Nobody’s prettier than you. And hell, if *I* can cheat, 

then there’s no such thing as a good man left in the world. I’ve 

known you since I was twelve. We got together when I was 

twenty–five. Half my life has been you. How could I ever want 

someone else?” 

All lies. 

A message popped up from my college best friend: 

**My PhD advisor is a big deal. You’re gonna love it here.** 

**I’ve been waiting for you to finally come for years–I can’t believe you’re actually doing it. I always thought that PhD application was just for fun.** 

**I can’t wait. When are you getting here? I’ll be at the airport 

with balloons!** 

I looked at the two of them having their little moment in the 

distance, then typed back: **Tonight.* 

** 

The house I’d shared with Dorian Thorne was wiped clean of 

any trace of me. 

I wrote one last entry in my wedding journal: 

[ 2 days until the wedding–I finally understand that you 

have to love yourself first. It’s not that I didn’t deserve to be 

loved. It’s that you weren’t worthy of loving me. There’s 

nothing wrong with me.] 

[1 day until the wedding–All this time I’ve been giving you chances, but really I was giving them to myself. So that I wouldn’t have any regrets when we parted. So I watched you. I watched you hurt me. I watched you justify it to yourself. Until I could look at you and feel nothing. Not a single ripple. Not even disgust. Just… nothing. And that’s when I knew–we were done. Dorian Thorne–we’re done.] 

Then I packed my bags and turned off my phone. 

I never looked back. 

I got on a plane. 

Some people are only supposed to be in your life for a short 

time. 

If I loved the wrong person, I’ll let them go. I’ll move on. 

There’s always an end to the road. 

But I have to admit- 

I’m kind of excited to see your face tomorrow, Dorian Thorne, 

when you realize I’ve run away on *you*. 

Surprise.