Chapter 2

Back in the dressing room, I stripped off the heavy gown.

The moment I changed into a simple hoodie and sweatpants, the suffocating weight lifted off my chest.

As I was packing my things, Julian and Serena walked in.

He looked at me, falling back into his usual lecturing tone.

"You walked off the stage five minutes too early, and you missed your cue during the vows. That's a five-point deduction for this wedding performance."

"Remember this lesson. Practice by yourself for another five months before the next wedding. Stop dragging us down to pay for your mistakes."

Julian loved using a point system to measure the perfection of our relationship.

A one-point deduction meant I had to practice for another month.

Five months after five months.

Over eighteen weddings, I had waited for him for seven whole years.

A marriage that hadn't happened in seven years wasn't going to magically work in the eighth.

I didn't have many seven-year cycles left to waste. I was done waiting.

Since I remained silent, he took it as my usual submission.

Serena, however, asked curiously, "How did she get a deduction? I thought you used a reward system, Julian?"

"What's Ellie's score right now?"

My throat felt incredibly dry. "Negative five. What about yours?"

"Oh, I have over six thousand points!"

I froze entirely.

Thinking I didn't believe her, Serena eagerly unlocked her phone to show me her Instagram.

Her feed was flooded with photos of her and Julian. Every caption detailed her mounting points.

Baked a perfect batch of chocolate chip cookies: +10 points.

Left work exactly on the second: +20 points.

Getting a ride home in Julian's passenger seat and staying completely dry: +50 points.

At the very top was a post from three minutes ago: Perfectly cleaned up Ellie's wedding mess: +100 points!

The account posting it was a handle I didn't recognize.

But I instantly recognized the profile picture. It was the luxury watch I had gifted Julian for our anniversary.

When I first found out Julian had added Serena on another account, I thought it was just a burner account he rarely used, a sign of him keeping his distance.

But now I realized the account on my friend list, the one that never posted anything, was the actual burner.

I stared at those glaring numbers. My eyes stung so badly I couldn't look up.

Seven years of struggling and suffocating just to end up with negative points. It was a complete joke.

Serena seemed to realize she had crossed a line. She playfully punched Julian's arm.

"It's all your fault! Ellie is your fiancée. How can she only have negative five points!"

They began to bicker playfully over the scoring system.

I quietly pulled out my phone and sent a message to my client.

"Mr. Carter, is that offer for the overseas branch still open?"

The reply came almost instantly. "Of course! My flight leaves the day after tomorrow. Want to join me?"

I looked up and met Julian's deep gaze.

My heart skipped a beat.

But he just scoffed, looking annoyed.

"Fine, I'll give you five points back so Serena stops calling me too strict."

"But if you wear that dress again next time, it's a two-point deduction."

"You've worn it so many times. It's old and dusty. Throw it away."

His gaze fell on a corner of the wedding dress peeking out of my suitcase.

My hand tightened on my phone. I pressed send. "See you the day after tomorrow."

Then, I pulled the wedding dress completely out of the suitcase.

Along with all the jewelry and clothes he had bought for his "perfect wedding," I threw it straight into the trash can.

"You're right. Old things should be thrown away."

Julian stared at the trash pile, a flash of hesitation crossing his face.

Before he could speak, the clock in the dressing room chimed.

I cut him off. "It's time for the reception speech. If you linger, you'll miss your cue."

Meeting Serena's eager eyes, Julian turned and led her out.

Before closing the door, he paused. "For actively keeping track of the schedule, I'll give you three points. Just prepare for another week."

"Don't worry. The next wedding will definitely be a success."

My hands didn't stop packing. My heart didn't flutter.

He didn't know that in a week, there wouldn't be a wedding.

I didn't want his belated exceptions anymore.