My Power Showed Me His Cheating An Hour Earlier Chapter 08

My Power Showed Me His Cheating An Hour Earlier Chapter 08

That wedding became the talk of every relatíve and family friend for a long time afterward.

The Holloways didn’t try to continue the ceremony.

That same afternoon, Mrs. Holloway had every gift envelope returned, one by one.

She didn’t make excuses fór Garrett. On the phone, she just kept repeating the same thing.

“We failed as parents.”

“I’m sorry you all had to see that.”

I heard that when Mr. Holloway got home, he slapped Garrett hard across the face.

Not because the wedding fell apart.

Because several of his business partners had seen the video, and they pulled out of deals that had already

been finalized, overnight.

Garrett had always been polished in front of other people. Composed, steady, someone who knew where the

lines were.

But now, whenever anyone mentioned his name, the first thing that came to mind was that video from the

lounge, one hour before his own wedding.

Reputation is like that.

It shatters faster than glass.

Celine didn’t fare any better.

The day her parents took her home, Mrs. Marsh cried the entire way.

The thing she said most was, “Mia paid for your education. How could you be so heartless?”

Later, Celine went job hunting.

A position she’d been all but promised went silent. The interviewer was perfectly polite about it.

“Ms. Marsh, your qualifications are impressive. It’s just not the right fit for us at this time.”

But she turned around and overheard people whispering in the break room.

“Isn’t that the one who stole her best friend’s groom?”

“I saw the video. Absolutely vile.”

Celine finally learned.

Some things don’t go away just because you cry.

Garrett came looking for me many times.

The first time, he waited outside my apartment complex until well past midnight.

He was holding a bag of candied pecans, the kind I used to love.

But they’d gone cold a long time ago.

The second he saw me, his eyes went red.

“Mia, I was wrong.”

“I really was just confused.”

I looked at him and felt something strange. He seemed like a stranger.

I used to love watching him shell pecans for me. He’d always complain they were too hot, but he’d crack them open one by one and drop them into my palm anyway.

But now, even the smell of that sugary sweetness made my stomach turn.

I didn’t take them.

I just said, “Don’t come back.”

The second time, he brought a diamond necklace.

Not the one he’d given Celine.

A more expensive one.

He said, “This one’s for you.”

“Only for you.”

I looked at the jewelry box and let out a small laugh.

“Garrett.”

“I’m past the age where a necklace can make me happy.”

“And besides, when I actually wanted one, you didn’t give it to me.”

“Giving it now doesn’t change anything.”

His face went bone-white.

He had nothing left to say.

I moved after that.

Changed my number.

Got rid of everything connected to the wedding.

The only thing I kept was the veil.

I took it to a restoration specialist.

The woman said the lipstick stain could be faded but would never fully disappear.

I nodded.

“That’s okay.”

I just wanted the pearls sewn back on.

Not for a wedding.

For my mother.

A month later, the restored veil was delivered back to me.

There was still a faint trace along the edge.

Unless you looked closely, you’d never notice.

I folded it carefully and placed it in a new box.

At the very bottom, I tucked in a photograph of my mother from when she was young.

In the picture, her smile was gentle.

Like she was telling me:

It’s okay.

A ruined wedding doesn’t mean a ruined life.

After that, I left the city.

My new job kept me busy. Busy enough that I rarely thought about Garrett anymore.

Once in a while, a mutual friend would mention him. They said he’d quit his job and moved away.

Celine, unable to find work, had ended up at a cocktail bar.

I listened, and all I said was a quiet “Mm.”

Whether they were doing well or not.

That had nothing to do with me anymore.

One weekend, while I was unpacking, I came across the veil again.

Sunlight fell across the white fabric, and the pearls caught the light with a soft glow.

I reached out and touched it gently.

Then I closed the box.

In that moment, it finally didn’t hurt.

Mama.

I didn’t marry the wrong person.

And I didn’t stay trapped in that ruined wedding.

I took the love you left me.

And I kept walking.