Chapter 2

Ethan turned around. He looked me up and down with cold, calculating eyes.

The first words out of his mouth were: "Maya, you're still too fat."

My smile froze. The stylist beside us went completely stiff.

"Your face looks bloated, your arms look thick, and your shoulders look way too broad. It's totally unflattering."

Ethan sighed, sounding deeply disappointed. "Maya, you don't look like a bride at all in that."

His voice wasn't incredibly loud, but it was clear enough for everyone in the boutique to hear.

Dozens of eyes locked onto me—some pitying, some mocking, some just watching the drama unfold.

In that moment, I didn't feel like a human being. I felt like a piece of cheap merchandise Ethan was inspecting and rejecting.

Tears welled up in my eyes, choking the breath right out of my throat.

To fit into this dress, I had done exactly what he wanted. I ran every single day.

For three months, I starved myself, living on tiny portions, losing twenty pounds just so I could look perfect on our wedding day.

Why was he still doing this to me?

Maybe it was the months of hunger, or maybe it was the agonizing weight of shattered expectations.

Whatever it was, the girl who had endured his insults for ten years was gone.

I ripped the veil off my head. For the first time in my life, I screamed at him.

"Ethan! If you think I'm so terrible, then don't marry me!"

"You're right, I don't look like a bride. So we're not doing this. The wedding is off!"

While Ethan stared at me in absolute shock, I took a deep breath, finally saying the words that had haunted my mind for years:

"Ethan, we're over. I'm leaving you."