Lahat ng Kabanata ng I Do, I Don't: Kabanata 1 - Kabanata 10

Jason and I were campus sweethearts.Back in junior year, we met through a competition. He claimed it was love at first sight, and from then on, he pursued me relentlessly.At the beginning, I was not optimistic.My parents were divorced, and custody went to my mother. But she quickly remarried, leaving me in the care of my grandparents.I witnessed my parents' marriage collapse with my own eyes, and the fear of love was etched deep into my bones.It was Jason who told me, again and again, that he would give me a home.It was Jason who let me ask for reassurance a thousand times, who never tired of affirming his love.It was Jason who slowly broke down the walls I built.He was attentive, gentle, and always considerate of my feelings.Everyone said he was the perfect boyfriend, and I once believed that, too.But as days turned into years, our friends and colleagues settled down one after another, yet Jason and I never took things further.Before my grandfather passed away, h

The sharp edge in his voice left me momentarily dazed. It was the first time he ever spoke to me like this.I saw something he did not want me to see, and he was actually angry.Glancing at his visibly shaken fiancée, Jason pulled me by the arm and dragged me out of the restaurant.His grip was so strong that my wrist was ringed in red. But he did not even spare it a look.Standing by the roadside, he lit a cigarette, his tone cold and detached."You've seen it all, so there's no point hiding it anymore. I'm getting married. Of course, not to you. She's young, and she comes from a good family. She's far more suitable for me than you are."Even though I already prepared myself for this moment, hearing it from him straight still brought tears to my eyes.Apparently, being together for too long became the very reason we could not get married.What he meant was easy enough to understand: I was no longer fresh, exciting.I stared at him in silence.Now, dressed in an impeccable su

Nathaniel really was a man of action. That very night, he informed all his relatives.The wedding date was set so smoothly that I almost felt dazed.Was getting married really this easy?But whether it was his mischievous streak or deliberate planning, our wedding ended up scheduled on the same day as the one Marcella sent me: hers and Jason's.When I asked him about it, Nathaniel was perfectly unapologetic."Of course! Nothing feels better than slapping them in the face on their big day. I want that scumbag to see exactly what he lost!"Every time Jason's name came up, Nathaniel seemed even angrier than I was, as though he was fueled by some personal vendetta. Time was short, yet he still went all out. Whether it was the dress, the decorations, or every little detail, he pushed to make everything perfect.Watching him, I half-suspected he secretly had a thing for Jason: resentment born of unrequited love.I gave him a doubtful look, but hesitated to voice it.When he figure

His gaze drifted down. When his eyes landed on the wedding gown I was wearing, a flicker of awe flashed across them.But almost instantly, that awe twisted into the disdain and mockery I knew all too well.Jason let go of my wrist."Of course. You've always been so desperate to get married. The moment you heard I was tying the knot, you couldn't handle it, could you?"Laughter erupted around us."Hah! If I'd known, I wouldn't have made that bet. No wonder Jason said it'd be easy."Even Marcella was laughing so hard she swayed against him like a flower in the wind.Jason wrapped an arm around her waist, looking down at me with smug superiority."That man on the phone yesterday. You brought him just to spite me, didn't you? I even went back for a look. Quite the act you put on. You even cleaned up all the junk in that place."He clicked his tongue. "Too bad. Tricks like playing hard to get don't work on me. Still, since you're so hopelessly devoted to me, maybe I'll consider you

In the end, Jason's wedding never took place.Because the groom vanished.He hid himself at mine and Nathaniel's wedding, torturing himself with the sight of us exchanging rings and vows.Those should have been moments he shared with me. But now, every guest present was celebrating me and Nathaniel.When the hall erupted in applause and cheers, Jason could no longer bear it. He fled the hotel in despair.He did not even know where to go.The little home that once belonged to us was nearly empty now, stripped bare of warmth. The sofa we used to curl up on together was gone. The couple's toothbrush cups, the matching mugs, and even the slippers were all gone.But what broke his heart most was not those things. It was I who fully prepared myself to leave his world for good.Jason began to wonder what on earth he had been doing these past months.He remembered lying to me, saying he was on a business trip when he was actually having a candlelit dinner with Marcella.He remembered