Clara Wilton.
I'm getting married, but my boyfriend of ten years still doesn't know.
Lately he's been busy with his new secretary. And I've been reassigned to administration by my boss. We share the same office but work in different departments.
They hit it off right away and chatted non-stop. To celebrate his secretary's birthday, he even ordered a ten-layer cream cake. At the party, they smeared cream everywhere, forgetting that I was highly allergic to it. He was so happy to be with this woman.
After being taken to the hospital, I woke up and agreed to the arranged marriage my family had proposed.
--- ...
Father wasted no time. As soon as I returned from the hospital and was about to swipe the key card to enter, he sent me some wedding plans for me to choose from. Even though I was only twenty-five years old, my parents wanted a wedding for me. They wanted to see me walk down the aisle with a man who loved me. Their dream was simple: to see their son happy. Knowing that, I immediately agreed to the wedding plan without thinking. "I really want to make them happy and smile with relief.
Scrolling through the options, I stopped at her last message.
[I knew from the beginning that your relationship with Fedrict
was not going to last. If he really wanted to marry you, why did he put it off for ten years? It's not too late to realize this. I've already prepared a wedding plan for you.]
[The wedding is in seven days. No rush.]
So all this is so obvious to everyone. However, I was trapped by Fedrict's empty promises, unable to let go, until over time my feelings for Fedrict began to erode bit by bit.
Sighing, I sent him a voice message. "Dad, just pick the one you like best. I like everything. Let's keep the wedding simple." I left everything up to my parents. I knew they would pick the best of the best. Their choice will always be right for me.
I didn't notice when Fedrict came up behind me. The twenty-eight-year-old man was startled when he heard the word "wedding," he said in surprise, "Wedding? What wedding?"
Just as he was about to look at my phone screen, I quickly put my phone away. She reached out to take it, but a second later her phone started ringing.
The night was so quiet that I could clearly hear the frantic female voice on the other end.
"Fedrict, I just went downstairs to get something and I think someone is following me! I'm so scared. I ran around the block, but I still can't shake them!”
Fedrict's expression changed instantly, filled with concern.
"Amora, don't worry. Go to a well-lit place, there should be someone on duty at the security post. Stay there and I'll be right there!"
She hung up, completely forgetting about the wedding. Without hesitation, she left me standing there and hurried away in the middle of the night.
I kept my expression calm.
After he left, I called my uncle to say goodbye.
My parents moved to the village to take care of my ailing grandmother, my father started a cattle farm there, and I've been living with my uncle ever since.
Fedrict lived next door, and that's how we met. Later, when my uncle got married and sold his villa to live with his wife, I didn't want to interfere with his new life, so I stayed with Fedrict temporarily. I never expected that the "temporary stay" would last for ten years.
.
When Uncle Jhon heard that I was getting married, he was surprised. "Getting married? To Fedrict? Well, that's great-it's been ten years, so I guess it's time to settle down."
I pursed my lips and corrected his assumption. "No, it's an arranged marriage by my family. I don't know the person."
He paused for a moment, then asked slowly, "Have you thought this through? I think Fedrict really cares about you; I just don't know why he hasn't proposed yet. Maybe I should talk to him?"
I smiled a small, indifferent smile.
"No need. It's not a real relationship anyway. We were never officially dating. It was just a vague, ambiguous thing for ten years. If I don't end it now, all my youth will be lost."
"Fine, if that's your decision!" Uncle Jhon smiled despite his doubts.
He was actually surprised that we had lived together for ten years without further explaining our relationship. He still hoped that Fedrict and I would get married. But reality doesn't match expectations without any certainty. I didn't want to ask for clarity first. I don't like to ask for people's pity, especially when it comes to feelings.
So he stopped trying to talk me out of it and said he would support my decision.
Before I went to bed, I installed a seven-day countdown widget on my phone. I wanted to watch it until the time came. Although I don't know what will happen in the future, I hope it will be for the best.
"What will happen when Fedrict finds out I'm married to someone else? Will he be angry or will he leave me alone? Won't he have feelings for me?" I touched my tight chest, ten years together is not a short time for us. Doesn't he have the slightest heart for me? That's been my biggest question all along. He was so ignorant and self-centered. I'm tired of loving him alone. Maybe if I let go of them, the feelings in my heart will disappear a little. "That is why I accepted the matchmaking offer, I wanted to get rid of my long pent up feelings and I was tired of loving someone without any reciprocation.
The next day, I asked my mother to send some local gifts as a way of saying thank you to Uncle for taking care of me for the past ten years and as a way of saying goodbye before I started a new chapter of my life by getting married.
That evening, the truck full of packages finally arrived. I gave the driver directions to my uncle's house, but I didn't expect to meet Fedrict downstairs.
"What an unexpected meeting to see him here!”
