Chapter 8
As the plane soared through the clouds, my chest felt lighter and lighter.
The buildings below shrank into LEGO blocks. Cars looked like ants. People–mere specs.
They say the higher you go, the more clearly you can see.
Change your view, and the whole world changes with it.
I thought back to the day I first met Tyler. It was over a study spot at the college library. That was ten years ago.
Now that it’s over, I don’t just feel relieved. I feel free, like a prisoner walking out of a cell.
And yeah, I used to love Tyler.
I loved his independence and his ambition.
I loved how, despite being born into a wealthy family, he never flaunted it.
He never chased money, never flaunted wealth, never cared about showing off.
He poured all his energy into studying and working hard.
That kind of man–so rare, so focused–had me completely spellbound.
I was willing to be the woman behind him, to help him take over the
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family business smoothly.
Even when I started to realize he was changing.
He was becoming more shallow, more indulgent. His obsession with pleasure, luxury, and instant gratification kept growing. I still tried to be patient and give him space.
After all, he’d worked hard for so many years. He was still young, still rich–maybe he deserved a little break.
And with me running the company, keeping the books, managing the chaos, he could afford to relax.
But then came the endless runaway weddings. The betrayals. The cheating.
Even the deepest love can’t survive that kind of damage.
I was exhausted.
I didn’t want to play this game anymore.
Before you can love someone else, you have to love yourself first.
If I have to give up my self–respect just to be loved, then what’s the point?
Three hours later, the plane touched down in Hawaii.
I turned my phone back on–no messages from Tyler, of course.
Not surprising. I’d already blocked him.
But the internet was blowing up.
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“For the 101st wedding, it wasn’t the groom who ran this time. It was the bride.”
The story rocketed to the top of the trending charts.
“Shocking! Tyler actually stayed, but Sharon vanished!”
“I thought I knew how this would end. Boy, was I wrong.”
“Sharon is a queen! She’s the hero women need. Better to stay single than be a simp for a man who doesn’t deserve you.”
“This has to be scripted, right?”
“Life’s highs and lows–this drama is wild.”
“I was there! I swear it’s not staged. The groom is losing it.”
“Full video just dropped. Grab your popcorn!”
“Snacks! Drinks! Front–row seats to the drama!”
Someone who had attended the wedding posted the footage online, and within minutes, it had garnered over a million likes.
After checking in at the hotel, I sank into the deep soaking tub, let the warm water wrap around me, and hit play.
Back at the castle, it was 10:30 a.m., and still no sign of me.
The media crowd at the venue was buzzing–their phones pointed and ready, narrating in real–time.
Some were shocked. Some were thrilled. Some just wanted chaos. Plenty were openly gloating.
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Tyler’s face kept shifting–pale, flushed, grimacing, twisting.
He kept calling my phone over and over. Of course, he never got through.
Someone chuckled behind him.
“Dude, give it up. The bride bailed.”
“Hah! She didn’t even show. Now that’s a power move.
Tyler snapped. His voice cracked with hysteria, slicing through the smug commentary.
“No way!
“She wouldn’t leave me. She wouldn’t!
“Something must’ve happened! An accident! A car crash!
“She’s been kidnapped!
“Why else wouldn’t she show up?
“She wanted to marry me so badly! She loved me that much! If something didn’t go horribly wrong, there’s no way she would’ve bailed!
“She’s not me! She’s never impulsive like that!”
He was shouting now, louder and louder.
“What happened to her? Is she hurt? Did she die? Why hasn’t the kidnapper called for ransom yet?!”
And then he broke down.
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The tears came streaming down–full body shaking, his chest heaving.
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