"Our relatives and friends are waiting at the hotel right now. Are you seriously going to drive this car to our wedding?"
Andrew frowned, clearly annoyed. "It’s just a car. It gets us to the hotel—what more do you want? Why do you care about things like this? Can’t you be a little more compassionate?"
"You’ve heard the saying, right? Marriage is where love goes to die. So really, what’s the difference between a wedding and a funeral? A hearse sounds about right."
"And anyway, Raquel couldn’t even get a taxi while carrying the ashes. If we don’t help her, who will? You’re usually so understanding. What’s gotten into you today?"
Tears burst from my eyes. I rushed forward and tore off the black veil draped over the wedding car. "Who gave you the right to use my wedding car like this? Who said you could make this decision without me?"
Raquel hurried over to stop me. "Naomi, please don’t. Today is Peanut’s funeral. Just… let him go in peace."
I shoved her aside. "Get out of my way."
She stumbled backward and fell straight into Andrew’s arms. He caught her, then turned on me, grabbing my arm and shoving me to the ground.
"Have you gone mad?" he shouted. "Your wedding dress is white, the car seats are also white—what’s the problem? Why is it okay for you to make a scene, but no one else can do anything? Have some shame."
Pain shot through my hand as I hit the pavement. Blood welled up from my palm. I pointed at the urn in Raquel’s arms, my voice shaking.
"Andrew, do you even hear yourself? Do you have any idea what you’re saying? Have you even thought about how I feel?"
"A woman only gets married once in her life. And you Andrew Benedict, you want me to ride to my wedding in a hearse? Do you even want to marry me?"
Andrew was about to argue back, but Raquel gently stopped him. "This is all my fault, Mr. Benedict," she said softly. "I was overwhelmed with grief after Peanut passed away and I didn’t think about Naomi’s feelings. Of course, the wedding is more important than Peanut… after all, he was just my pet. I can handle it on my own."
As she spoke, her tears silently fell, landing one by one on the small urn in her arms.
"I have no family in this city—only Peanut, who stayed by my side every day like a companion, like family. I’m sorry. I just wanted to give it the farewell it deserves."
"Even if I go alone, I will walk to the cemetery."
She pushed open the passenger door and stepped out unsteadily. Dressed in black, her figure looked fragile and grief-stricken. She wiped at her tears, then turned to me and said through her sobs, "I’m sorry, Naomi. Please… go ahead and get in the car."
Andrew quickly got out after her and grabbed her wrist. "You don’t have to get out. I told you I would take Peanut on his last journey. Did you forget? I said I’d be his father, didn’t I?"
In that moment, a memory struck me. The caption I had seen earlier that morning in Raquel’s social media post read, [Mom and Dad will always love you, my baby.] So, that was what it meant. "Mom and Dad"… they were referring to Andrew and Raquel. And that familiar shoulder in the picture—it was his.
Raquel had joined Andrew’s company a year ago as a secretary. He found her attentive, thoughtful and quickly promoted her to assistant. From then on, she was by his side constantly, managing much of his work.
I had heard whispers from senior employees, warning me to keep an eye on their relationship, but I brushed it off. This was Andrew Benedict—my Andrew. The man I had loved for years, the man who had loved me deeply in return. I never once believed he could betray me. I believed no man would ever dare to cheat on someone like me.
But now, the truth was right in front of me, so clear and cruel that I could no longer deny it.
Raquel was not just his secretary. And Andrew… he was no longer the man I once knew.
My chest tightened with pain. I opened my mouth, but no words came out. Today was supposed to be the happiest day of our ten-year relationship. And yet, it had become this.
Andrew stepped toward me, his voice cold. "Do you really need to make a scene? Do you even have any idea how far it is from here to the cemetery? How long it would take Raquel to walk there all alone?"
