Chapter 1
“Tessa, looks like it’s not meant to be yet. You draw the lot yourself. It’s fair, not my fault.
“Don’t worry, let’s set the next wedding for three days from now. I’m sure you’ll get the marriage slip then.”
Ryan quickly took off his tux, revealing shorts and a T–shirt underneath.
I laughed bitterly. Just like the last 98 times, he’d come ready to run.
“Yes! Told you the wedding wouldn’t happen! Come on, give me my money!”
“Geez, here we go again. Tessa is so pathetic, still hanging on to Ryan…”
“I swear, we’re just pawns in whatever game they’re playing.”
“Quit wasting time! Pay! I’m betting on Ryan running again next time!”
***
The crowd buzzed with chatter.
My wedding had become a giant betting game.
The ones who won were all smiles.
The ones who lost were glaring at me like they wanted to tear me apart.
I bit my lip and gently tugged at Ryan’s sleeve.
“Ryan… this time… can you not run? Everyone’s-”
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“No!” Ryan snapped, clearly annoyed as he yanked his arm away. “We made a deal–draw a slip, let fate decide. You agreed. What’s the point of backing out now?”
I staggered back, almost falling.
My eyes stung as a tear slipped down.
I looked at him helplessly as he turned and walked away without a second glance.
“Tessa, um…” Jenna Jenkin, Ryan’s mom, awkwardly took my hand and patted it. “You know how he is–always playing around. Next time, you’ll definitely draw the marriage slip and finally marry him.”
She had said that 99 times.
I was so tired.
I closed my eyes, feeling the weight of every humiliation I’d suffered these past few years.
I finally made up my mind, biting my lip with a bitter smile. “Jenna, maybe it’s time to let this go. Ryan and I`just—”
Albert Jenkin, Ryan’s father, cut in, face darkening. “No.”
He stepped forward, clearly annoyed. “Tessa, you’re a good girl, but all men play around, especially at Ryan’s age. He didn’t do anything wrong. You agreed to the drawing system, and you pulled the slip yourself. At this point, you don’t get to say no,
”
The air turned awkward in an instant.
“Okay, okay, we’re all family here.” Jenna jumped in to ease the tension. She slipped the emerald bracelet off her wrist and pushed it into my hand. “This is our family heirloom, passed down to our only daughter–in–law.
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I’m giving it to you today.
“Ryan will marry you sooner or later!”
The bracelet felt like a burning hot potato in my hand.
Jenna saw my hesitation and pressed on. “Tessa, don’t tell me you’ve forgotten how Ryan nearly lost his life saving you. And your parents asked us to look after you before they passed. Now it feels like… we’ve let them down.”
She raised a hand to her eyes, pretending to wipe away tears.
My breath caught. I thought of my parents‘ tearful faces before they died, and with a heavy heart, I nodded.
“Okay, one more wedding.”
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