Chapter 9

The shop assistant was a gentle girl. Seeing me looking lost, she came forward to explain: "Just after you went in, that girl fainted. Your... boyfriend carried her away. They probably went to the hospital."

Fainted?

What a coincidence.

I smiled, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.

"Then the wedding dress..."

"Just that one."

I pointed to the one that had fallen on the ground earlier. "Please pack it up for me, thank you."

The shop assistant seemed to want to say something but ultimately said nothing and went to process the bill.

As she saw me out, she suddenly comforted me: "Marriage isn't the destination of love. If you feel confused, why not stop and think it over carefully?"

I was stunned for a moment, then smiled and nodded.

But in my heart, it felt like a wasteland, overgrown with weeds, lifeless.

Something that outsiders could see through at a glance, I was still unwilling to let go.

When I got home, I took out the wedding dress, hung it up, and carefully smoothed it out.

As white as snow, adorned with exquisite rhinestones, sparkling under the light.

It really was beautiful. No wonder Natalie liked it too.

I heard the door open but ignored it, continuing to smooth out the small wrinkles in the skirt.

Until someone came up behind me and hugged me tightly.

"Hazel..."

His voice was full of longing and dependence.

As if I was his whole world.

Every time he called me like this, my heart would tremble.

"Hazel, I'm sorry. I didn't think it through today."

"Natalie's parents favor boys over girls and treat her badly. When I was there to protect her, things were a bit better.

Now that we've separated, her parents have become even worse. They found her a man twenty years older than her, and disabled, just because he could give a $20,000 bride price. She was scared, that's why she came to me for help."

"I won't let her appear in front of you again, okay? Don't be angry. Forgive me, please."

I listened to him explaining and apologizing humbly, but my heart felt nothing.

Strangely, it was as if it had nothing to do with me.