Thirty Years Too Late

The romantic wedding venue fell into stunned silence.

The hands of friends and family that had been raised in anticipation of applause froze awkwardly in midair.

Claire Sullivan looked up at me, shock written all over her face.

"Nathan Brooks?"

Instead of blaming me, she grabbed my hand at once, worry filling her eyes.

"What's wrong? Did I do something wrong?"

I looked at her quietly. She was exactly the same as I remembered.

For thirty years, she had always been like this with me.

No one around us would ever say Claire didn't love me. Everyone said she loved me more than she loved her own life.

Even during the car accident, her first instinct had been to shield me. She hadn't cared that she'd ended up with three broken ribs.

And yet this woman who loved me so desperately had deceived me for thirty years.

I closed my eyes and forced down the suffocating emotions surging through my chest.

Then, beneath her worried gaze, I pulled my hand from hers expressionlessly. "We're done."

Her eyes widened, and her lips turned pale.

"What?" She grabbed hold of me in a panic. Her voice stumbled over itself, her eyes darting anxiously.

"Is it because you don't like such a big wedding? Was all of this too much pressure for you? This is my fault. Please don't be angry with me."

I said nothing. The longer I remained silent, the more frightened she became.

My sister, Emma Brooks, was stunned too. She hurried over with a frown after setting down her confetti cannon.

"Nathan, what's going on with you? You and Claire have loved each other since high school! She loves you so much. What's going on?"

Pain tore through my chest.

She was right.

We had loved each other for so many years, but the deception had lasted even longer than the love.

I took a deep breath. Without answering Emma, I turned and walked away under everyone's bewildered stares.

I had barely made it home before Claire rushed in after me. She wrapped her arms tightly around me from behind, her voice trembling.

"Nathan, tell me what I did wrong. I'll change it. I'll change anything. Just please don't leave me."

I pulled away from her.

The embrace that had once burned so warmly now felt cold and distant.

I looked at her.

"Fine. Then answer one question for me. Have you ever lied to me about anything?"

For the briefest moment, her expression stiffened. Had I not known her for two lifetimes, I never would have noticed.

"No. I swear. Absolutely not."

Seeing that she was still lying, my heart continued to sink. Suddenly, I didn't want to say another word.

I turned and went upstairs.

In the middle of the night, the vibration of a phone woke Claire. She called my name twice. Seeing that I appeared to be asleep, she grabbed her car keys and quietly left.

In the darkness, I opened my eyes and followed her. I needed to know how many things there still were that I didn't know.

An hour later, her Maybach pulled up outside a villa in Southbridge.

Claire stepped inside with a dark expression.

I opened the listening software I had installed earlier that evening while she was showering, slipped on my earbuds, and immediately heard arguing.

"Didn't I tell you? Unless I contact you first, don't ever contact me."

I'd never heard such darkness in Claire's voice before.

The man sounded hysterical. "Why? I know you're getting married to him today! He's your man. Am I not your man, too?"

Claire's voice turned cold. "I love him. And what exactly are you? Ryan Mercer, I'm warning you. Don't appear in front of Nathan. Do you understand me?"

Several moments passed before the man choked out a quiet response. "Okay."

Only then did her tone soften.

"Be good. I've already arranged for you to join the project department at Sullivan Group. Other than marriage, I can give you anything. If you want children, I can give you that too. But don't cross my bottom line."

Outside, I sat in my car gripping my phone so tightly my knuckles turned white.

Tears fell without warning, one after another. The dark screen reflected my pale face.

The argument inside had long since ended. All that remained were their whispered sweet nothings.

I took a deep breath.

Then I accepted the study abroad offer to Ardenia.

In my previous life, I gave it up for her.

In this life, she wasn't worth it anymore.