Chapter 2: The Wedding I Never Wanted

Her words left a sharp, metallic taste in my mouth.

Anger, disbelief, and a bitter sense of absurdity churned in my stomach. A hot pressure built behind my eyes, and for a second, the room tilted.

My mother must have seen the color drain from my face.

“Elara’s not feeling well,” she announced abruptly. “We won’t keep you. We’ll all get together on my birthday.”

Zane’s eyes flickered to mine, but he said nothing. He just took Sofia’s hand and led her out the door.

My mother was convinced my boyfriend was really dead.

After they were gone, she wrapped an arm around my shoulders, her expression etched with worry.

“Elara, you’re still so young. You have your whole life ahead of you.”

“If he couldn’t marry you, that was his loss.”

She squeezed me gently. “You’ll find someone better.”

I forced a smile that felt like cracking glass.

“I’m fine, Mom.”

“Just a little tired. I think I’ll go lie down.”

I dragged my suitcase into my bedroom.

On the wall, in Zane’s familiar scrawl, were the words he’d written for me years ago: No Easy Day.

When I first got to training, the intensity nearly broke me.

Zane found out and stayed up all night, outlining the key points for every single assessment.

He’d handed me the notes along with that piece of paper.

“Idiot,” he’d said, cuffing the back of my head. “If you still can’t pass after this, don’t ever tell anyone you know me.”

The meaning was simple.

The only easy day was yesterday. Keep going.

I passed every assessment and eventually transferred into his special warfare unit.

Thinking of what he’d said just minutes ago, I walked over to the wall.

I ripped the paper down, tore it cleanly in half, and dropped it in the trash.

My eyes landed on a framed photo on my desk. The three of us.

It was taken on our first leave after basic training.

I was in the middle, with Zane and Sofia both leaning in, smiling.

That day, Sofia had nudged me closer to Zane.

“This is your shot,” she’d whispered.

“If you don’t make a move, someone else will.”

I stared at the photo for a few seconds before tossing the entire thing, frame and all, into the trash can.

They’d destroyed our friendship.

They’d destroyed the trust between us.

There was no reason to keep the evidence.

I went through my room like a storm, gathering everything that had any connection to them.

Military magazines Sofia had left behind.

Birthday gifts from Zane over the years.

The letter I’d written him when I was eighteen but had never been brave enough to send.

That evening, after dinner, I hauled the heavy garbage bag downstairs.

“Isn’t that heavy? Why didn’t you call me to help?”

Zane’s voice came from behind me.

I turned.

He was in civilian clothes, hands shoved in his pockets, watching me.

In the past, whenever I was too lazy to take out the trash, I’d make him do it.

After we started dating, it was a chore I never had to think about.

“Not talking? Still mad?”

He arched an eyebrow and started toward me, reaching for my hand.

I took a deliberate step back.

Zane clearly hadn’t expected it. His brow furrowed.

I met his gaze, my voice flat.

“The whole neighborhood knows you’re getting married.”

“We shouldn’t see each other anymore.”

Zane looked at me like I’d just told a bad joke.

“The marriage is a favor to Sofia. It’s not real.”

“We’ll get divorced. It’s just a matter of time.”

He shook his head. “Other people might not get it, but you? How can you be taking this seriously?”