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I kept quiet about what Antonio was saying.
“I’m not here to hassle you,” he said. “It’s my folks who want to meet you.”
To Antonio, the wedding was my personal show.
He only reached out when he wanted something from me.
I was too tired to argue, ready to crash.
At home, the table was a mess of leftover chicken and ham.
My dad was chatting with Antonio’s dad.
Antonio’s mom grabbed my hand, all warm and fuzzy. “So glad to see you. I miss you so much.”
I managed a weak grin. She took a look at Stella and then leaned in. “What’s the deal with Stella and Antonio? She’s not exactly the best company. You should talk to Antonio about it.”
I just grunted, not really saying much,
When I raised my head, Antonio was already next to Stella.
He’d brought some wedding and bridesmaid dresses for us to try.
“I know you’ve got enough on your plate, so I got Stella to pick out your wedding dress. She’s got a better sense of style than you,” he said, handing me the dress.
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I slipped the simple wedding dress on, only to find a big rip right down the middle.
Stella, on the other hand, was in a white dress that trailed behind her. She looked more like the bride than I did.
Antonio jumped in, “It’s probably a mix–up from the bridal shop. It’s not on Stella.”
Antonio didn’t give me a chance to speak. “It’s late. We can deal with the dress swap tomorrow,” he decided.
“Sounds good to me,” I replied, eager to be rid of the wedding dress.
Stella piped up, “How about we take a group photo instead?”
She elbowed her way in, pushing me aside.
Stella made sure to stand right by Antonio’s side.
Just as the camera was about to click, she gave me another little shove.
In the end, all I got was a blurry figure, too hazy to even tell who it was.
Antonio wanted to try again.
I waved it off with a laugh, “Let’s do it some other time. It’s late, and I’m outta here.”
The group photo was the last thing on my mind.
Stella was all apologies, her eyes welling up with tears.
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“Please, don’t be mad at Antonio. I’ll run all over town tonight, trying to find you the perfect dress,” she said and then bolted out, crying.
Antonio shot me a look and went after her.
Feeling so tired and bored, I just left with the dress that was in tatters.
Anyway, everything would be settled by tomorrow.
Back at my place, I started packing my things.
I was up late, and I stumbled upon Antonio’s diary, completely by accident.
The diary laid out the tale of how Antonio and Stella crossed paths during his darkest days, in a hostel for travelers.
The pages that mattered most were torn right out.
What remained was just a note. “This was the best time of my life.”
Page after page, it was filled with his yearning for Stella.
The day he asked me to marry him, his diary had a confession. “I can’t make myself love her. Stella’s the one I truly love. Please forgive me, God.”
I looked at myself in the mirror. With my white dress and long, straight hair, I resembled a grown–up Stella.
I figured, growing up together with Antonio, we’d have some kind of connection.
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But…
He witnessed the pain Stella put me through, yet he put his trust in her.
He was well aware of how much loathed Stella, yet he made me into her substitute.
Overwhelmed with a sense of injustice and rage, I smashed the mirror and chopped off the hair I’d let grow for ages.
Once I was done with it all, I ripped off the last page of my diary. There, my last wish was scribbled down.
“To don the most stunning wedding dress and tie the knot with my one and only, Antonio.”
Now, that dress was nothing but a shredded mess.
The one I used to love with all my heart was now just a memory.
I balled up the paper and let it fly out of my hand.
I didn’t bring anything and hailed a cab, heading to the airport.
Noon rolled around, and as I was getting comfy in my seat, Antonio’s call buzzed in.
His voice was all wobbly, like he was trying to hold back the tears.
“Grace, where the heck are you?”
The loudspeakers started blaring the takeoff warning.
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I ignored the call, switched off m ready to catch some Zs.
It had been a wild ride lately, and
Chapter24
I ignored the call, switched off my phone, and reclined my seat, ready to catch some Zs.
It had been a wild ride lately, and was totally wiped out.
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Chapter25
