You Don’t Want Me Marrying Someone Else

At a certain class reunion, the former class president brought out the time capsules everyone had written years ago and read them aloud one by one.

When it was Harper Langley’s turn, he opened her note and read, [Marry Jayden as soon as possible.]

The room immediately broke into teasing laughter.

“You two must already be married. Why didn’t you invite us to the wedding?”

Before Harper could respond, the man sitting beside her spoke up with a smile.

“She’s my boss now. She’s been busy building her company, so she hasn’t had time to get married. If any of you keep pressuring her to settle down and mess with my paycheck, you’re going to have a problem with me.”

The speaker was Eugene Rowe. Back in school, he had been Harper’s obsessive pursuer, and she had deeply disliked him for it. He had since become her assistant.

Harper did not deny anything. She simply took my hand and smiled, as gently as she always had.

I pulled my hand away and smiled at everyone.

“I’m getting married at the beginning of next month. You’re all invited.”

Eugene’s face turned deathly pale. He stared at Harper in disbelief.

She frowned and pulled out her phone.

A moment later, my phone buzzed with a message.

She texted: You didn’t have to lie to our classmates just to avoid embarrassment. My company is at a critical stage right now, so marriage can wait.

I locked my phone without replying.

I had not lied.

I really was getting married at the beginning of next month.

Harper was just not the bride.

My words instantly set the private room abuzz with excitement.

Everyone started congratulating us all at once.

“You’re something else! You really tried to keep something this big from us!”

“Exactly. We have to be there to share the happiness of our campus couple.”

“I knew it. With how much Harper loves Jayden, she must have wanted to marry him ages ago. Eugene’s just an outsider. He clearly got it wrong.”

The last comment hit Eugene Rowe the hardest. He could not sit there any longer.

He shot to his feet, excused himself, and left the room.

After he left, the conversation naturally shifted to him.

“Come to think of it, Eugene was Harper’s number one admirer back in school. It looks like he’s finally given up.”

“Well, he had no choice. Everyone in school knew Harper and Jayden were childhood sweethearts and deeply in love. Eugene never stood a chance. Right, Harper?”

Harper Langley took my hand naturally while smiling with gentle certainty.

“Of course. I’ll only ever marry Jayden.”

Her words sounded like the sweetest of promises, but I alone knew the truth behind them.

The hand she had on my waist tightened without her realizing it, and her gaze kept flicking toward the door as she spoke.

I pulled her away and looked at her calmly.

“Go to him if that’s what you want.”

Harper froze for a moment.

“What are you talking about? Why should I go to Eugene?”

I said nothing. I merely looked down and pressed lightly at the spot on my hand where her nails had dug in.

She sighed and edged closer to me, wearing a soft, helpless smile.

“Are you upset?

“Eugene is my assistant. He sees me working around the clock every day. He knows I truly don’t have time for marriage right now, which is why he said that.

“I know getting married has always been your wish. That’s why I didn’t call you out when you lied to everyone earlier. Let’s call it even, okay?”

Eight years ago, Harper had wished to marry me as soon as possible.

But somehow, she spoke of it as if marriage had been my wish and mine alone.

I gave a faint smile.

“I didn’t lie.”

My voice was soft, but every word reached Harper clearly.

“I’m getting married at the beginning of next month.”