Expired Love, After the Rain

I locked the door, submerging myself in the darkness.

Outside, the familiar London rain beat against the windowpane, echoing all the things I had swallowed for the past eight years. On the bedside table, a copy of *Vogue Weddings* from six months ago had gathered a layer of dust. Its cover feature had once been a prop I used to hint at our future — a suggestion he had shelved with a dismissive "not now, we'll talk later". Now, it sat there, unread and forgotten.

My phone vibrated on the pillow, Stella's message cutting through the silence.

"Still awake? I honestly wanted to throw my Earl Grey all over Ryan's expensive suit. The smug look on Emily's face was enough to make me sick. What kind of game is Ryan playing?"

I stared at the screen, my fingertips turning cold. What was he doing? Playing a game he thought he couldn't lose, because he was certain I would always be the one to compromise for the so-called "bigger picture".

Stella followed up with a voice note, her tone dripping with disdain:

"Claire, I truly don't understand. You've been together for eight years — longer than most marriages last. The bouquet landed right in your arms, and he actually snatched it away in front of everyone to hand it to his assistant like a piece of charity? It's the biggest social joke in Mayfair this season."

"Listen, babe. I know we had a vow to marry in the same week. But if your groom hasn't learned how to respect his bride-to-be, I'm giving you permission to miss this deadline."

Watching the glowing light on the screen, I typed back a single line:

"Stella, when have I ever missed a deadline?"

The sound of the shower in the next room stopped. Ryan was likely preparing for bed; his disciplined routine would never deviate by a second for the sake of my tears.

In his logic, as long as he remained silent tonight, I would still appear in the kitchen tomorrow morning to prepare his iced black coffee, and pretend tonight's humiliation had never happened.

He didn't realise that some things, once broken, are no longer worth repairing.

Listening to the rain outside, I felt a sense of unprecedented tranquillity.