The Bride Who Escaped Him

My mother was fading away in her hospital bed. Her final wish was to see me married to Rhodes Sterling.

She had no idea that Rhodes and I were already a hollow shell of a couple.

Looking at her gaunt face and the flickering hope in her eyes, I couldn't say no. I begged Rhodes to play along for just one day.

But on our wedding day, in front of everyone, he took another woman's hand and walked out.

The shock was too much for my mother's heart. She stopped breathing right there.

My wedding turned into a funeral. I held her cold body, feeling my world shatter into pieces.

Later, I fell ill.

Rhodes came crawling back, clutching my hand. "Give me a chance to make it right, Shae. Please."

But the moment his skin touched mine, my body revolted.

He watched in horror as red hives erupted across my arms. Seeing my physical repulsion, Rhodes finally lost his mind.

1.

I stripped off the heavy lace of my wedding gown and slumped into the corner, feeling utterly drained.

My mother died with a heart full of regret.

I was a failure of a daughter. I couldn't even grant her one last wish.

My heart twisted as I remembered what Rhodes said when he walked away with Lila Vance.

"Shae Lennox, you'd even curse your own mother just to trap me in a marriage. You're truly a heartless woman."

He didn't know that my mother's radiant glow that morning was a lie.

It was all carefully applied makeup and a high-quality wig.

A month ago, she was diagnosed with terminal cancer. There was no hope for a cure.

I had cried until my eyes were swollen shut.

"Don't cry, Shae," she whispered. "I've lived a good life. My only worry is leaving you alone."

My parents divorced when I was in middle school.

My father was a deadbeat, and despite the protests from our relatives, my mother fought for full custody.

She spent her whole life sacrificing for me.

She was once the town beauty, but years of back-breaking work had carved deep lines into her face.

She gripped my hand tightly. "Shae, I want to see you in that white dress. I want to know Rhodes will take care of you. I want you to be happy."

She thought Rhodes and I were still the golden couple we used to be. She didn't realize we were strangers sharing a bed.

Ever since Lila Vance appeared, I had become an invisible ghost in my own relationship.

"Can you do that for me, Shae?"

I looked at her pleading eyes and choked back my sobs, nodding firmly.

With eyes as red as cherries, I went to Rhodes's office.

"Rhodes, can you please just play a part for me? One day."

He let out a sharp, mocking laugh. "Still trying to win me back with these elaborate schemes? What is it this time?"

I knew he didn't trust me, but I didn't realize I was so wretched in his eyes.

"My mother is dying. She wants to see us get married before she goes. Can you justD"

He cut me off with an impatient wave.

"No."

I fought back the tears. "We were together for five years, Rhodes. Does that mean nothing? Why?"

He looked me dead in the eye. "Because Lila would be upset."

I felt like a pathetic clown.

Lila would be upset...

That was all it took to erase five years of history.

As I turned to leave, he spoke again. "However, if you apologize to Lila personally, I might consider it."

Apologize to Lila...

It felt like a cold hand was squeezing the life out of my heart.

"Fine," I whispered. "I'll apologize."

Lila arrived shortly after, a sweet, triumphant smile on her lips. She walked past me as if I were a piece of furniture and went straight to Rhodes.

"Rhodes, babe, what's going on? I'm so busy getting ready for the design competition."

Rhodes's voice softened instantly. "You were hurt when Shae accused you of theft, right? Well, she's going to apologize to you now."

Lila finally looked at me, her eyes glinting with malice and provocation.

I stared back at her, my throat bone-dry. "Miss Vance, about that design... I lied. It was yours, and I copied it. I'm sorry."

It felt like my bones were being crushed. I was forced to bow my head for a crime she committed.

Lila gave a dainty shrug. "It happened so long ago, I've almost forgotten. But since Rhodes asked, I guess I can forgive you."

The thief was the one offering forgiveness.

I looked at Rhodes, my voice hollow. "Are you satisfied now?"

"Fine," he said. "I'll play my part. But after this is over, I never want to see your face again."

2.

But he couldn't even keep that promise.

At the altar, under the judgment of a hundred guests, Rhodes grabbed Lila's hand.

"I'm done with this little game. From now on, you're on your own, Shae."

I looked at him with desperation. "Rhodes, please. You can't leave now. The ceremony isn't over."

Lila leaned into his chest, her pale face streaked with fake tears. "Rhodes, it's okay. Stay with Shae. I'll be fine on my own."

As she spoke, she winced and clutched her side.

Rhodes held her tighter. "She isn't half as important as you are."

They walked out together, looking like the perfect couple, leaving the bride standing in the wreckage.

My mother stared at the empty aisle, her face twisted in confusion and disappointment.

"Shae... what's happening? Why did he leave? He..."

Before she could finish, she collapsed onto the floor.

Even the heavens seemed to weep for me as rain began to pour, soaking my hair and staining my white dress with mud.

After the funeral, I locked myself away from the world.

In my dark bedroom, it felt like the entire world had vanished, leaving only me and the shadows.

The only thing that broke the silence was a call from the clinic.

A week ago, I had been diagnosed with severe clinical depression.

The doctor's words echoed in my head: "Miss Lennox, you need to start treatment immediately."

On the phone, the receptionist sounded hesitant. "Miss Lennox, your payment for the next session was declined. There are no funds in the account."

That was impossible.

I stared at the card in my hand, my mind going blank.

That money was my last resortDthe fund I had saved to try and get my mother a final, experimental treatment.

Only one other person had access to that account.

Rhodes.

Ignoring the startled looks of the office staff, I stumbled into Rhodes's corporate building, only to be stopped at the desk.

"Mr. Sterling is on vacation with his girlfriend."

The receptionist showed me her phone screen.

The headline read: "Rising Star Designer Spotted on Beach with Mystery CEO."

The girl in the photo was glowing, sitting playfully on a man's lap. She looked shyly into the camera, hiding her face in his chest.

Even with the blur, I knew them instantly.

The top comment read: "I know them! That's Lila Vance and Rhodes Sterling. They are goals!"

Another user wrote: "Rhodes Sterling from Sterling Group? Wow, they look so perfect together. Lila is so cute when she's shy."

I scrolled through the comments, feeling nothing but a dull, numbing ache.

My heart didn't even hurt anymore; it was just cold.

3.

I dialed the private number the receptionist gave me. Rhodes answered, his voice cold and distant.

"What do you want?"

"It's me. Rhodes, did you take the money from our joint account?"

He sounded bored. "Yeah. Lila is entering a major competition. She needed the entry fees and materials."

I felt a surge of rage. "But that was my money! My savings!"

"You're the reason she missed the last competition!" he barked, his voice vibrating in my ear.

In the background, I heard Lila's soft whimpering. "Rhodes, if Shae is upset, I don't have to go..."

I let out a shaky breath. "Even now, you don't believe me? Rhodes, if I told you that without that money, I might not survive, would you give it back?"

"No," he said flatly.

"You faked your mother's illness to get a wedding, and now you're faking your own death? You're truly sick, Shae."

The line went dead. My face was as white as a sheet.

Ever since everything fell apart, I had lost the will to keep going.

After three days of not eating and staring at the walls, I realized my condition was spiraling out of control.

Then, my phone rang.

It was Finn Jasper.

Finn was my childhood best friend before his family moved to London.

We used to talk every day, but Rhodes had been so jealous that Finn backed away to give me space.

I had told him I was dating Rhodes, but I hadn't told him we were over.

"Finn... my mom... she's gone..."

There was a long silence on the other end. Then, a soft, comforting voice. "I'm coming home, Shae. Hang on. I'm coming to take care of you."

My vision blurred. I hung up and finally let out the screams I'd been holding back.

Finn told me that if my mom were still here, she wouldn't want to see me like this.

A few days later, Finn arrived. When he saw me, he looked like he'd been punched. "Shae, what happened to you? You're skin and bones."

The dam broke. "Finn, I just want to be with my mom..."

At the hospital, Finn stayed by my side as I saw the psychiatrist and got my prescriptions.

I followed him like a lost child.

Finn reached out and ruffled my hair, just like he did when we were kids.

"It's my fault, Shae. I shouldn't have left you. I told you back in grade school I was the boss and I'd protect you. I failed."

Suddenly, a familiar shadow fell over us.

Rhodes was standing there, his eyes burning as he stared at Finn's hand on my head.

"Shae Lennox, what is this?"

His tone was accusatory, his handsome face twisted with anger.

Then his eyes dropped to the orange pill bottles in my hand. He looked shocked for a second.

But the shock quickly turned back into a sneer. "Another act? Is he the audience for your little drama this time?"

Finn started to step forward, his jaw tight.

I grabbed his arm. "Let's just go."

As we walked away, I heard Lila's voice from the end of the hall. "Rhodes, why are we in the psych ward?"

Finn was worried about me, but he didn't realize that when someone really wants to leave this world, you can't stop them.

That night, I told him to go home and get some rest.

Once the house was silent, the crushing weight of my mother's death returned.

I curled into a ball, whispering to the empty air.

"I'm so tired... Mom... I miss you so much..."

"I'm coming to find you."

My hands shook as I picked up the small blade. I laughed at how it had come to this.

I made the choice. The warmth that followed didn't even hurt.

I lay on my bed, clutching a photo of my mother. Everything started to fade.

The front door crashed open.

In my final moments of consciousness, I saw Finn's panicked face and my mother's sad eyes in a dream.

I also saw Rhodes's cold glare and Lila's smug smile.

When did living become such a chore?

I thought about the brooch I had designedDthe one made of pure love. Rhodes would never know the secret hidden in its backing.

To him, I would always be the villain.

"Shae! Open the door! Shae!"

The noise was deafening. Finn's voice was breaking.

The bedroom door was kicked in. Finn ran to the bed, his voice trembling. "Shae, don't do this. Please, talk to me. Don't be so stupid..."

I saw him dialing emergency services through my tears.

Behind him, another figure stood frozen.

Rhodes looked paler than I had ever seen him. Unlike Finn's raw grief, he looked like he was seeing a ghost.

"How... how did this happen?"

His voice died in his throat when he saw the photo album in my arms. He seemed to realize something as he sank to his knees by the bed.

"Shae! Shae, look at me!"

4.

I woke up to a sterile white ceiling.

Finn was sitting in the chair next to me, jolting awake as I moved.

He looked exhausted. "Do you want some water?"

Guilt washed over me. I tried to speak, but he stopped me.

"Don't apologize. Don't say you're sorry."

He gave me a weak smile. "It's the boss's job to look after his crew."

A ghost of a smile touched my lips, but it vanished when I saw who was standing in the doorway.

Rhodes was staring at me, his mouth opening and closing like he wanted to say something.

Finn stood up, his voice low and dangerous. "What right do you have to be here? If I'd been five minutes later, Shae would be gone. She was finally starting to heal, and you show up to push her over the edge?"

Rhodes looked lost. "I... what did I do?"

"You have the nerve to ask that? Fine. Shae won't fight you, but I will."

Finn walked right up to him. "You gave Shae's life-saving medical fund to Lila Vance for a damn contest."

Rhodes bowed his head, his face turning ashen.

"When she begged you to help her for her mother's sake, you thought she was lying? You thought you were so clever, seeing through her 'scheme'?"

"You were wrong. Her mother really died. That woman was in agony, but she put on a wig and makeup just to see her daughter get married. She wanted to see Shae happy."

"And look what you did to her!"

Rhodes covered his ears. "Stop... please stop..."

"I won't stop! You were off playing house with Lila while Shae was being torn apart by trolls online. She has severe depression, Rhodes. Stay away from her. For once in your life, do the right thing and leave."

As if his legs had given out, Rhodes collapsed by the bed, reaching for my hand.

"Give me a chance to repent, Shae. Please..."

"Don't touch me! Get away!"

I recoiled as if his touch were acid. I didn't care about the IV in my arm; I just wanted to get away from him.

Rhodes froze. Where he had touched my hand, the skin turned a violent, angry red. Hives began to blossom across my arm.

"Shae..."

My stomach twisted in knots. I felt physically sick just being near him.

"Shae, what's happening? Nurse! Help!"

The nurses rushed in, shoving the dazed Rhodes aside.

"It's a severe psychosomatic allergic reaction," the nurse explained. "Did the patient come into contact with something she finds repulsive?"

The room went silent. Rhodes whispered, "Me. It was me."

The nurse looked at him with pure judgment. "You?"

Finn didn't hesitate. He landed a punch square on Rhodes's jaw. "Didn't you hear me? Stay away from her! You're nothing but a curse in her life!"

Rhodes stumbled back, blood trickling from his lip.

Before he left, he turned back one last time. "Shae... that brooch... did you really design it?"

I looked at him, feeling nothing but pity. What was the point of asking now?

When I had no evidence, he chose to believe Lila. He chose to destroy me.

I turned my back on him and let my tears soak into the pillow.

Back then, Lila and I worked for the same firm.

The creative director had pulled me aside. "Shae, your design and Miss Vance's... they are identical."

I had rushed to find her, only to see her wrapped in Rhodes's arms.

Lila looked perfectDexpensive makeup, glowing skin. I looked like a wreck from caring for my mother.

Rhodes's eyes were full of disgust when he saw me.

"I designed that brooch, Lila! Why are you doing this to me?" I had screamed.

Lila acted terrified, hiding behind Rhodes with a single tear rolling down her cheek.

"Shae, what are you talking about?"

Rhodes stepped in front of her. "Shae, stop. You have no proof. Are you really going to sink this low just to hurt Lila?"

The thief had stolen my sketches. I had no physical proof.

Except for one thing.

"Rhodes, look at the back of the brooch. If you look at the engraving, you'll know I'm telling the truth."

It was a secret symbol from when we were in love.

But he never looked. He never even checked.

He didn't want to believe me.

How long does it take to give up on someone?

Just a second.

The boy I loved was gone, and he was never coming back.

Finn started coming over every day to make sure I ate. He told me stories about our childhood and described his life abroad to keep my mind off the darkness.

He always told me not to overthink things before he left.

Around ten o'clock one night, my phone rang from an unknown number.

It was Rhodes. He sounded drunk. "Shae... I think... I miss you..."

One second. Two seconds. Three.

I didn't breathe.

Just as I was about to hang up, a woman's voice drifted through the speaker.

"Rhodes, honey, have you seen that brooch anywhere?"