2
Pedro stormed out, dragging Lily by the hand.
As his figure disappeared, the entire wedding hall erupted into chaos. I watched him go, a faint smile playing ɔn my lips. I walked onto the stage, took the microphone from the stunned emcee, and addressed the cro- wd. “Hello, everyone. I, Stella Sterling, am officially announcing the cancellation of my wedding to Pedro Lynn. From this day forward, we go our separate ways.”
‘Please, enjoy the food and drinks. The Sterling family is covering everything today.”
A wave of stunned silence, followed by a roar of whispers, swept through the hall.
My mother rushed to my side, her voice trembling. “Stella, is this real? Are you really done with that scumb- ag?” Her grip on my hand was so tight her nails dug into my skin. She had despised Pedro for years. He was nferior to me in every way-family background, education, you name it-and on top of that, he was a drama queen who never treated me with an ounce of respect. If I hadn’t acted like my life depended on him, my
mother never would have approved this marriage.
To see me finally come to my senses filled her with an explosive mix of shock and joy.
I looked into her hopeful eyes, about to nod, when my father took my mom’s arm. “Darling, don’t get your hopes up. She’s just saying it,” he said, his voice heavy with resignation. “She’s just jealous that Pedro left with Lily. He’ll say one word to her later, and she’ll go running right back.”
“It’s the same story every time. And you fall for it like a fool.”
Chapter 1
My mother’s hand went limp, sliding away from mine. She gave a bitter laugh. “You’re right. Why did I even believe her for a second? God, I’m so stupid.”
Her words cut through me like a thousand tiny knives. Every time I had debased myself for Pedro, every time I’d crawled back, it wasn’t just my own dignity I was sacrificing. It was a form of torture for the people who truly loved me.
What a monster I’d been.
I grabbed my mother’s hand again, holding it tight. “Mom,” I said, my voice shaking with conviction, “this
time, it’s for real. I swear.”
She forced a smile, her eyes filled with doubt. “Of course, sweetie. Mom believes you.”
But her expression said otherwise.
I sighed. It was alright. They would see.
Soon enough, they would know that every word I said from this moment on was the absolute truth.
