I crashed at a random hotel for the night. It wasn't until noon the next day that I finally charged my phone and turned it on.
Sure enough, there were 109 missed calls and countless WhatsApp messages. Everyone was asking me why I had run away from my wedding and canceled it.
Just then, a call from Felix’s mom, Sophia Vance, came in. After some hesitation, I swiped to answer.
"Rosa! What is the meaning of this? Announcing the cancellation of the wedding publicly—whose face are you trying to slap? Felix agreed to marry you because he liked you, even though someone with your family background shouldn't be matched with our Felix, and yet, you’ve gone and humiliated us."
Already nursing a headache, I couldn't help but interrupt her, "Aunt Sophia, aren't you going to ask what Felix did?"
"Isn’t it just changing the wedding dress? Our Thorn family organized the entire wedding; changing the dress is nothing. Why are you being so unreasonable? You’re already throwing a tantrum, and you're not even married yet!"
"Aunt Sophia, shouldn’t you be happy that I’m no longer going to be your daughter-in-law?"
There was a moment of silence on the other end of the line.
"What do you mean by that? Let me tell you, if you keep up this attitude, don’t blame me for making sure you never enter the Thorn family!"
I couldn't listen to Sophia’s scolding any longer. I told her I had things to do and hung up the phone.
From the beginning, Sophia never thought highly of me, mainly because I came from a single-parent household. I knew she preferred Gemma; I had seen a family photo in the Thorn's living room corner. In the picture, Sophia was lovingly holding Gemma and Felix's hands, her eyes filled with a warmth and kindness I’d never seen directed at me.
Sophia often compared me to Gemma, pointing out I wasn’t as pretty, refined, or intelligent. She’d pull Felix aside to talk, but close enough that I could overhear every word. I never once heard Felix defend me; he probably agreed with her silently.
After hanging up, I briefly skimmed through my messages and found dozens from my mom, Diana Wren. She was asking where I was and why I hadn't come home.
Tears suddenly started falling uncontrollably.
"Mom."
"Rosa, where are you? Diana has been trying to reach you all night, you're making her worry to death."
There was no blame, only concern.
"Mom, I’m okay."
"Come home soon, Diana has something to ask you."
I heard a sigh from the other end of the line.
I went to a nearby mall, bought a change of clothes, and tossed my old ones into the trash before heading home. As soon as I walked through the door, I saw Diana waiting on the sofa. When she saw me, she quickly stood up.
"Are you hungry? Did you eat?"
She guided me to the dining table and brought out the food she'd kept warm. There was my favorite dish, tomato pasta.
"Eat first, then tell Diana what happened."
At that moment, I couldn't hold back my tears any longer. "Mom, aren’t you mad at me for being so headstrong?"
"Diana knows what her daughter is like. You’ve always been well-behaved and had your own opinions since you were little. If you canceled the wedding, it’s because you faced something unbearable. Diana doesn't blame you; she just wants you to be happy."
"No matter what decision you make, Diana supports you."
I broke down completely, crying my heart out. From yesterday until now, I finally felt I could let it all out without any reservations. There was no blame, only understanding and compassion.
In the middle of my crying, my phone in my pocket started vibrating crazily.
