The Lies He Told Me (Grace and Antonio)

On our engagement day, I discovered countless erotic photos of my fiance with another woman on his laptop.

Eight years with him, and this was my reward.

Betrayal, raw and unforgiving, clawed at me.

Immediately, I booked a flight to Fiassi, a flight scheduled to depart on our wedding day.

This had to end.

I called my boss. "Mr. Rowland, I've decided. I'll take the Fiassi job."

His surprise was palpable. "Fantastic. I'll get the team on it. But your wedding..."

"No problem," I managed, my voice trembling.

Tears streaming down my face, unseen by him, as I ended the call.

It was the first time I'd ever touched Antonio Kaufman's computer.

We'd started at the same company after graduation, different departments, separate lives.

Tonight, he was at a bachelor party, his phone off.

His boss, desperate for a proposal, contacted me.

That was when I saw those photos.

Eight years of memories flooded back.noveldrama

No snapshots of us, not a single trace on his phone.

My pleas for shared photos were always dismissed: "We see each other every day. No need for pictures."

But it wasn't about the need; he simply wasn't invested in me.

Then, his friend's words from our engagement party resurfaced. "I thought Antonio would be a bachelor forever for Mandy's sake! You're actually getting married? Are you sure you're not doing it in a fit of pique? I hadn't notice the guilty look in Antonio's eyes then.

"Our marriage is based on love!"

declared, my voice ringing

confidence I no longer fonet

Shaking. I closed his laptop.

A breakup text was ready to send, but his response to my

message from yesterday

. o

was

His Facebook profile was a void waiting for someone to come back."

A wry smile played on my lips.

He had someone else. a blank canvas except for one line: "I'm

I'd always thought Antonio was simply introverted, but my naivety was breathtaking

I'd questioned that bio countless times; he'd never explained.

Now it was chillingly clear.

Three days until our wedding.

The countdown on my phone's wallpaper mocked me

Tears blurred my vision as I stared at the relentless ticking seconds.

Then, the call from Antonio's friend.

"Grace, Antonio is wasted. Come get him."

In the background, I heard Antonio's slurred voice. "Mandy, don't leave me..."

A sharp pain pierced my chest.

Before

ang to fetch him, I s trinkets now. Cet

discarded our matching couple gear

went

As I approached the private room, laughter spilled out.

"Hey, Mandy, what brings you back today? Regretting Antonio's wedding?"

Mandy Delacruz was there.