My chest tightened, but I did not want to fight with him anymore. Instead, I said evenly, “Come with me to see Mom tomorrow.”


    He still owed her a thank-you.


    Erik looked a little confused but nodded anyway.


    While I sat in silence, the wedding nner-tired of waiting for my reply-called me directly.


    I lowered my voice and said slowly, “I’m sorry, the wedding’s canceled. You don’t need to prepare anything else.”


    Erik walked out of the bathroom, towel in hand. “What don’t they need to prepare?”


    “Nothing,” I replied lightly. “Just telling them my new song’s almost done, so they don’t need to prepare anything.”


    He smirked, leaned in, and kissed my ear.


    “I’ll thank you on Tania’s behalf.”


    That night, Erik’s call woke me from my sleep. He hung up quickly, then started getting dressed to go out.


    “Where are you going in the middle of the night?” I asked.


    “Apany emergency,” he said.


    Company emergency. Right. Tania probably could not sleep.


    He grabbed his car keys, ready to leave. I did not bother exposing his flimsy excuse, so I just reminded him, “Don’t forget, you promised to see Mom tomorrow.”


    “Why are you in such a rush? Dead people don’t go anywhere,” he snapped. However, when I handed him an umbrel-, the anger in his face dissolved.


    “I’ll be back soon. Meet me at the roadsideter, I’ll pick you up.”


    After he left, Iy in bed until dawn, unable to sleep. By noon, I was still waiting by the roadside. Erik never showed.


    I stared at my unanswered call, a wave of exhaustion washing over me. I was about to head to the suburbs alone when a bridal shop message popped up.


    “Ms. son, the wedding dress has been altered per your request. Will youe see it?”


    At first, I thought about letting them handle it. However, I remembered how much work I had put into designing it. So, I figured I should see the finished result at least once.


    What I did not expect was to see Erik and Tania there.


    0.0%


    08:31


    Tania was wearing my wedding dress, which I had designed myself.


    Erik stood beside her, holding her hand, smiling for photo after photo like they were the perfect couple on the verge of marriage.


    In front of the camera, he dropped to one knee and slid a diamond ring onto her finger.


    The dull ache in the empty space where my finger used to be pulsed faintly.


    Yet, my heart-already deadened by pain-did not stir.


    I just stood there, staring for a moment, then turned and walked away.


    “Stop!”


    Tania crossed her arms, a smug little smirk tugging at her lips, her eyes practically dripping with provocation.


    “You’re such a copycat. You learned piano because of me, dressed like me, and even stole my boyfriend. And now? You even copied my wedding dress to match my style.”


    She smoothed a hand over the gown-clipped tight at the back because it was toorge for her-and beamed.


    “But here’s the thing: no one ever truly loves a stand-in. See? All I have to do is crook my finger, and everything that’s yours bes mine.”


    I nced at the ill-fitting dress and let the corner of my mouth lift. “As long as you’re happy.”


    I turned to leave, but she caught my arm. “Hey, I was just joking. Don’t be so stingy, I hate taking other people’s things.”


    She picked up a square box and held it out. “Look, I even prepared a wedding gift for you and Erik.”


    I eyed her warily.


    She suddenly grinned, tilting her head. “Oh, silly me. I forgot that you’re disabled now. Don’t worry, I’ll open it for you.”


    The lid popped open to reveal a ster hand mold-hers and Erik’s fingers intertwined.


    “Pretty, right? Erik said he wanted to hold my hand and grow old together.


    “By the way, does this ring look familiar?”


    My gaze locked on it. The pattern was one I had designed myself for Erik and me.


    My chest tightened. Tania’s smile widened. She reached up and unsped the ne around her neck.


    A bone-white flute was dangling from the chain.


    It was not just any flute. It was my finger.


    My pupils blew wide, my hands trembling. Then, she twisted the engagement ring on her finger, her voice sickly


    34.8 %


    08:31


    288 IVeuchere


    sweet.


    “Your finger could’ve been reattached, you know. But Erik insisted on turning it into jewelry for me, saying it would help my artistic career.


    “Oh, and he told me if your mother hadn’t been nice to him when she was alive, he would’ve kicked you out long ago.”


    Her tone turned vicious. “And your mother, that wretched old woman, even after she died, she still…”


    Smack! My palm connected with her cheek before she could finish.


    She stared at me, stunned. “Are you crazy? How dare you hit me?”


    I ignored her, yanking the ne from her throat.


    Hearing footsteps, Tania’s eyes flicked with calction. She suddenly copsed, knocking the ster mold to the floor, shattering it into pieces.


    “Kara, what are you doing?”


    Erik rushed over, pulling her into his arms, ring at me like I hadmitted a crime.


    Tania covered her flushed cheek, her voice trembling. “Erik, I just wanted to give her a gift, but she got mad.”


    His gaze dropped to the broken pieces on the floor. His face darkened.


    “Kara, I’m warning you. Apologize to Tania while I still have patience.”


    I met his cold stare with one of my own.


    His tone sharpened. “What? Do you want to postpone the wedding again?”


    Augh escaped my throat-sharp, humorless. I looked at him with nothing but disappointment.


    Then, I raised my hand and pped him across the face.


    “Sorry,” I said tly. “I forgot to hit you


    earlier.”


    As his stunned expression froze, I added, slow and deliberate. “Oh, and the wedding? It’s not postponed.


    “It’s canceled.”