Chapter 3
While packing my bags, I found two sets of design sketches on Wallace’s desk.
One was my wedding dress. There was only one draft.
The lines were messy, the design completely basic and plain.
The other set was Juliet’s bridesmaid dress.
There were over a dozen detailed sketches. He had redesigned the embroidery on the hem nine times.
The cut of the dress was specifically tailored to hide Juliet’s insecurities and highlight her best features.
It was gorgeous. In fact, it looked far more like a luxury wedding gown than my own dress did.
A few weeks ago, I had asked him, “Don’t you think my wedding dress is a bit too simple?”
He had replied, “You look best in simple things.”
I had been stupid enough to take it as a compliment.
He just didn’t care enough to put any effort into me.
My phone rang. It was the wedding planner.
“Hi, Alice. I’m the coordinator for your wedding with Wallace. I just wanted to double-check one detail with you.”
“Are we absolutely sure about replacing all the fresh lily of the valley with yarn crochet flowers? Artificial flowers might look a bit cheap on camera.”
The tear I had been holding back finally rolled down my cheek.
Juliet was highly allergic to flower pollen. He had planned this down to the very last detail.
Without even consulting me, he had ruined the lily of the valley theme I had been dreaming of for years.
I wiped my face.
“It’s fine. Just do whatever Wallace requested.”
After all, this wedding wasn't really mine anyway.
Whatever they did had nothing to do with me anymore.
Shortly after I hung up, Wallace came home. He was holding a box from my favorite bakery.
“Hey, Alice. Still feeling dizzy? I brought you your favorite lemon tart.”
His tone was casual, as if nothing had happened. This was his usual way of sweeping things under the rug.
When I didn’t answer, he pulled me to the dining table.
“Even if you’re mad at me, you need to eat. It breaks my heart when you’re sick.”
I stared at him, seeing a shadow of the boy he used to be.
He used to care about me more than anyone.
When I lost my appetite, he—a guy who hated the smell of grease—would look up recipes and spend hours in the kitchen trying to make something I’d eat.
When my medical checkup came back with bad results, he would grill the doctor about every single metric until the doctor had to tell him to calm down.
But everything changed the moment Juliet moved to our city.
At first, Wallace criticized her. He said she had no business trying to be a model if she couldn't manage her weight.
But slowly, he started saying things like, “Curvy girls actually have a lot of charm.”
They both loved bold, avant-garde styles. They shared the same creative vision.
Later, he told me that Juliet was like his soulmate, his ultimate muse.
The memories tasted bitter, making the sweet tart on the table look disgusting.
I reached for the spoon.
But before I could touch it, Wallace suddenly stood up, knocking the lemon tart right onto my lap.
The sticky cream and pastry soiled my clothes, leaving me in a complete mess.
Without even looking at me, he grabbed a shopping bag from the closet and rushed toward the door.
“An emergency came up at the studio. I have to go.”
“I’ll buy you another dessert next time.”
I quietly cleaned the sticky cream off my clothes.
Just then, my phone chimed with a Snapchat notification. It was Juliet’s public story.
The caption read: [I just mentioned wanting a vintage silk dress, and someone brought it to me instantly~]
The comments were already piling up.
[Juliet’s curves look amazing in that slip dress! So gorgeous and cute!]
[This photo has Wallace’s signature lighting. Wait, isn't Wallace getting married soon? Is Juliet the bride?!]
[Has to be! Wallace is so strict with models, but he always makes an exception for Juliet!]
I tapped on the photo. I recognized the slip dress immediately.
The shimmering silk, the delicate hand-pressed patterns.
It was identical to the most precious dress in my collection.
I ran to my closet and dug to the very bottom. The box was empty.