Abandoned by Her Fiancé

Back at the old, rundown cottage my parents left behind, I leaned against the wall beneath their faded portraits and finally allowed myself to cry. Once the tears had flowed, I tidied up a bit before heading out to buy some essentials. After that, I settled in.

Lying on the bed from my childhood, my anxious heart suddenly found peace. I had the best sleep I’d had in ages, without worrying about Saul Moore’s moods or whether he was eating well or dressing warmly.

In my dreams, I saw my long-gone parents. I barely had a moment to talk with them before the dream twisted. Saul appeared, questioning my harshness towards Jane Bradley, tugging at my sleeve, urging me to apologize to her.

A surge of anger rose within me, and just as I was about to retort, the abrupt ring of the phone jolted me awake. Dazed, I answered, only to hear Saul’s voice, full of frustration: “Maddie, where have you been? Did you forget about the company’s signing event today? Everyone’s showing up with a partner, but mine is nowhere in sight. Are you trying to embarrass me?”

Fully alert now, I held back my irritation and distanced the phone slightly. “If that’s what you think, then sure.”

“Maddie!”

Saul’s voice rose noticeably before I heard the sound of footsteps through the receiver. He must have moved to a quieter spot to continue our conversation.

He sighed, his tone softening. “Maddie, today’s important for the company. Please don’t do this. Come over, the signing ceremony is about to start. Once the event is over, I’ll explain everything, okay?”

His voice carried a hint of pleading, and for a moment, my grip on the phone relaxed. Before I could reply, laughter and teasing remarks reached my ears: “Wow, Jane, you look like a bride today!”

“Absolutely, when you look closely, Jane and our little Saul really complement each other.”

Jane spoke with a shy tone, “Don’t say that, I just threw something together.”

When I hadn’t responded for a while, Saul called out to me again.

I chuckled dryly. “Saul, seems like your partner is already in place. Don’t contact me again.”

Not waiting for his response, I quickly hung up the call. I knew that if I didn’t, the growing sadness might become overwhelming.