They Cut Down My Tree for Her Box, I Cut Myself Out of Their Family Chapter 03

They Cut Down My Tree for Her Box, I Cut Myself Out of Their Family Chapter 03

A week before the wedding, Mom suddenly said she wanted to meet Cole.

I was stunned—and a tiny, pathetic flicker of hope sparked inside me.

I booked a nice restaurant for noon the next day and told Cole to dress well. I got there at eleven-thirty, ordered a full table of food, and waited.

One o’clock. Two o’clock. Three.

The lunch crowd came and went. The restaurant’s warm evening lights flickered on.

Nobody came.

My phone lit up. Mom had texted.

Mom: [Willa, something urgent came up. We’ll meet him another time.]

At the exact same moment, a message popped up in the family group chat—from Nora.

Nora: [Look! Mom took me to get my wedding nails done! Aren’t they gorgeous?]

The photo showed her fingers glittering with tiny crystals under the salon lights. My eyes stung.

Zane: [Stunning! So perfect for you, Nora.]

Dad: [Beautiful. My girl’s been working so hard for the wedding.]

I set my phone down with trembling hands.

So Mom’s “urgent matter” was a manicure appointment with Nora.

Willa, Willa. What were you still hoping for?

The more you hoped, the more you made yourself a joke.

I swallowed everything down and shook my head at Cole, who was watching me with worried eyes. “It’s fine. Let’s have them start serving.”

His eyes were full of heartache. “The day after the wedding, we fly to Switzerland. We’re not coming back.”

I smiled and nodded. “Yeah. We’re not coming back.”

When I got home, the living room was chaos. Dad was packing Nora’s dowry chests, pressing down with all his weight and still not getting everything to fit. The two big chests were full, and several bedding sets still sat on the floor—summer and winter sets, all in bright crimson.

“Nora, you’ll just have to bring the rest separately.”

Nora turned and saw me, a flicker of reproach in her eyes. “Where have you been? You’re about to get married and you’re not preparing a single thing.”

My throat tightened. “I waited for you until four o’clock today.”

Mom’s face darkened. “I told you I had something urgent. I’ve been running myself ragged every single day for your weddings, and I haven’t heard one word of thanks—and now I get attitude from you?”

“Getting her nails done was urgent?”

The words were barely out before Zane shot to his feet, voice rising. “Willa, Mom spent the whole afternoon shopping for your wedding things without a break! She already put everything in your room. You’re fixated on this one dinner—what, is your boyfriend dying? He can’t wait until after the wedding?”

I stared at him, unable to believe it. My own brother, wishing death on the man I was about to marry.

The room went silent except for Mom’s sobs.

A familiar scene. Once again, I was the villain.

In the past, I would have apologized immediately. Admitted I was wrong.

But now all I felt was tired. Bone-deep, soul-crushing tired.

I said nothing and went to my room.

Two red wedding quilts sat by the bed. I looked around. Nothing else.

This was the dowry Mom had “worn herself out” preparing for me.

In that empty room, the two red bundles stood out like a silent, mocking joke.