I Called Off the Engagement After Our Pre-Wedding Trip Chapter 01

I Called Off the Engagement After Our Pre-Wedding Trip Chapter 01

My hometown, Hazel Creek, is the kind of place that doesn’t take kindly to outsiders.

Anyone who marries in or out has to go through a family trial.

A week before our wedding, I asked my boyfriend, Caleb Thornton, to join me on a pre-wedding trip.

But just because his childhood friend Brianna Hart said, “I just want to see Savannah fall in the water. It’d be hilarious,” he didn’t hesitate.

“Jump.”

I froze, sure I’d misheard.

He admitted, “This trip is to make it up to Bri. You took me from her, so she’s pissed. Just let her blow off steam.”

My heart turned to ash. I looked at him like he was already dead.

He forgot—Hazel Creek is my home.

And my people aren’t exactly pushovers.

They were watching from both banks of the river. Right now.

***

When I didn’t move, Caleb frowned. “What’s your problem?”

I took a deep breath, swallowed the burn in my nose, and told him, “I’m not jumping. I can’t swim. If I go under, I’ll drown.”

We were in the middle of Cattail Creek. Even a good swimmer could run out of strength and drown out there.

And I was a total landlubber. “Bri wants to see it. Just deal with it.”

Caleb stepped up and grabbed my wrist.

He squeezed so hard my bones ached.

I struggled, my eyes burning as I choked out, “Caleb, I’m not risking my life because she had a thought!”

“You won’t die. I’ll save you.”

His voice was impatient now. His usually soft face had gone cold as frost.

He lowered his voice. “Last month you made Bri kneel in front of your studio. Now she’s just asking you to jump off a boat. Call it even.”

I couldn’t believe it.

Brianna knelt because she’d stolen my design drafts and sold them behind my back.

She didn’t know that draft was a custom order for another company. Double-selling nearly got her sued and jailed.

Caleb knew all that. He’d dragged her to my studio door and forced her to apologize.

At the time, I softened because he stood up for me. I handled everything myself.

But now I saw the truth: he just didn’t want her to go to jail.

“She’s the one who messed up. So why do I have to be the one making her happy?”

I shoved his hand off and bit out, “You love her? Fine. Wedding’s off. We’re done.”

Caleb’s face went dark.

“Don’t threaten me with a breakup.”

“I’m doing this for you. Bri and I grew up together. My parents treat her like a daughter. When you marry me, we’re all going to be family. Why are you making a scene?”

The future?

The second he threw me in the river for Bri, there was no future.

I took a breath. “Tell them to turn the boat around. I—”

Before I could finish, his arm locked around my waist. My feet left the deck.

Caleb had picked me up.

A cold dread flooded me.

“What are you doing—?!”

“You’ll be fine.”

That was it. One second later, he hurled me into the river.

Splash!

Ice-cold water filled my mouth and nose. I thrashed, panicked, gasping for air.

“Help! Somebody help me!”

“Hahaha, Caleb! Look at her flailing—she’s like a duck! So funny!”

Brianna leaned against him, pointing at me and laughing.

The others around them hesitated. “Uh, isn’t this a little much… we thought you were joking. She really can’t swim.”

“If you feel bad for her, jump in yourselves!”

Brianna sniffed. “Caleb paid for this boat. We can do whatever we want. Right, Caleb?”

“Right.”

He ruffled her hair, doting. “Whatever makes you happy.”

Watching that from the water, my heart got ripped apart.

Then, through the haze, I heard a distant call.

“Savannah—”

I couldn’t turn to see who it was, but I knew—it had to be someone from my village.

I couldn’t just drown.

I tried to remember how to save myself, and by some miracle, my hand caught the edge of the boat.

“Help—”

I didn’t finish. A paddle slammed down on my head.

The pain exploded, and through it I heard Brianna’s smug laugh.

She leaned close and whispered, “You still don’t get it, do you? Caleb loves me.”

“I already slept in the house you decorated. By the way—nice mattress. Real comfortable.”

My hand let go. I sank.

Brianna tossed the paddle aside, then threw herself into Caleb’s arms, pointing at me. “Caleb! Savannah lied—she can totally swim! She just tried to pull me in! I’m so scared…”

No. That’s not true.

I wanted to explain, but the current dragged me deeper. My head was splitting. I couldn’t fight anymore.

Right before I blacked out, I heard Caleb’s disgusted voice.

“Don’t be scared. I’ll protect you. As for Savannah—she’s being ridiculous. Let her soak. Maybe it’ll knock some sense into her.”

“We don’t need to wait. Let’s keep going.”