A Saint I Cannot Keep

When I looked at her, it hit me that Winona still didn't think she'd done anything wrong. It was as if her mere presence at the wedding today was doing me a huge favor.

I used to dote on her. The second she showed the slightest hint of irritation, I'd drop everything to make her happy. But right now, all I wanted was a clean break. I didn't want anything to do with her anymore.

"I've made myself perfectly clear," I stated. "I'm calling off the wedding. From now on, who you choose to help find closure is none of my business."

Winona yanked off her veil and threw it on the ground.

"Fine. Call it off then. Don't come crying to me later," she spat.

She then stormed out, brushing past Margaret's attempts to stop her. The guests had already pieced together what had happened and exchanged bewildered glances.

My parents came forward to comfort me. They said they never thought Winona would cheat on me. All I felt was relief that it was finally over.

I picked up the microphone and told everyone to enjoy the food and drinks.

That afternoon, I returned to the office and submitted a transfer request.

My supervisor was baffled. He couldn't understand why I wanted to relocate to a branch office out of town so soon after my wedding.

I gave him a bitter smile but didn't explain. He eventually approved it after I insisted.

I listed the apartment I'd prepared as our wedding home with a real estate agent and moved back in with my parents temporarily. Otherwise, staying in that apartment would've reminded me of memories that suffocated me.

That day, the agent called, sounding troubled. He said a woman kept insisting the apartment was hers and wouldn't let him bring anyone to view it. Through the receiver, I could faintly hear Winona's voice.

I didn't get it. I'd made everything clear that day, and she'd agreed. So why was she suddenly showing up at the apartment to make a scene?

I had no choice but to go deal with it.

When I arrived, Winona was standing in front of the door to prevent the agent from entering. The moment she spotted me, her face lit up, and she rushed over to grab my hand.

"Liam, this man's a scammer. He says this place is for sale, but this is our wedding home. How could you possibly sell it?"

I shook her hand off and responded calmly, "I'm the one selling it. This was supposed to be our wedding home, but that ended the day we called off the wedding."

Her eyes widened in disbelief.

She began, "Are you still upset with me? I already explained everything that day. Besides, it only happened once with Julian, and it was just to fulfill his dying wish.

"You're the one I want to spend my life with. Even that night, you were the one I was thinking about. I only said we should call off the wedding because I was angry. Please forgive me."

I'd never heard anything so shameless in my life.

So, she thought she could keep her heart and her body separated. Did she think there were different levels of cheating, and hers was somehow the acceptable kind?

"Winona, you know what? You've made the last five years of my life feel like a sick joke."