Waiting for a Heart Long Dead

"I didn't think you would be so sensible. You're the reason I got burned yesterday. Drop the urn and think of it as your way of making it up to me," Lily said with a smirk.

Nathan clearly hadn't expected me to be there. The look of surprise in his eyes was mixed with one of guilt.

I couldn't believe how shameless he was and clutched the urn tightly in my arms. "Get lost, the both of you!" I yelled. "How can you help her with such a ridiculous thing? My mother died saving your life, Nathan. How dare you?"

Nathan's expression wavered, but Lily immediately picked up on his hesitation. "Nate, this is what you promised me. If she doesn't drop the urn, I won't agree to you getting the marriage certificate with her!" Lily snapped.

At that moment, the look in Nathan's eyes suddenly hardened. He grabbed my shoulders tightly and held me in place. And then, Lily threw my mother's urn onto the ground.

I broke down, but Nathan held me so tightly that I couldn't do anything.

"This is so I can marry you. Lily is so generous, so why can't you just give in a little?" Nathan asked.

He only released me after watching Lily walk off.

I sank to the floor and lightly nodded. "Fine."

…

At the wedding, I stood beside Lily in a pink gown, looking like decoration.

Meanwhile, Lily was wearing a white wedding gown, and a diamond-strung necklace holding a lucky charm rested around her neck.

Anyone could tell who the real bride was.

Nathan caught me staring and gently took my hand, faking concern. "Remember the gift I told you about? You have one too," he said.

"I don't remember." That part of my memory didn't come back, but it didn't matter. All I wanted now was to carry out the plan soon.

In Nathan's hand was the matching half of the rosary he'd given me.

He grabbed my hand and looked me over, then panic flashed across his face. "Where's your rosary?" he asked.

"I threw it out."

Nathan looked at me in shock. "Why would you throw it away? How could you forget about it? You said it was the only gift that mattered!"

But I wasn't listening, and his voice faded into the noise around us.

From the crowd of guests, Sabrina gave me a signal, and I started counting in my head.

"Three. Two. One."

Right on cue, I leaned into Nathan with a smile and hushed him. "I have a gift for you too."

Then, a loud boom shook the air. The lively hall exploded in an instant, burying everyone beneath a pile of rubble.