Ella Carter stood outside the grand hotel, her fingers trembling as she clutched the small gift box in her hands.
This was it.
After six long years…
She was finally going to see him.
A soft smile touched her lips despite the exhaustion in her eyes. The journey from the countryside had been long, but nothing could dull the excitement bubbling inside her chest.
“Mason will be so surprised…” she whispered to herself.
She adjusted her simple dress, suddenly feeling out of place as luxury cars pulled up one after another. People dressed in expensive suits and elegant gowns walked past her like she didn’t exist.
But she didn’t care.
Not today.
Today was the day everything would change.
Her grip tightened around the box.
Inside it was a watch. Not expensive. Not perfect.
But it was bought with months of her hard-earned money.
Every drop of sweat, Every sleepless night,
For him.
Taking a deep breath, Ella stepped inside.
The moment she entered, her heart skipped.
The hall was decorated beautifully, white roses, golden ribbons, soft music filling the air.
It was breathtaking,
Her smile widened.
“So he really made it…” she murmured proudly.
Her Mason,
He had done it.
All those years of struggle… it was worth it.
She moved further inside, her eyes searching for him in the crowd.
Then, immediately she froze.
Her entire body went still.
At the far end of the hall… stood Mason.
Dressed in a perfectly tailored suit.
Handsome, confident, and Different.
But that wasn’t what made her heart stop,
It was the woman standing beside him.
Wearing a wedding dress, and
holding his arm.
Smiling like she owned him.
Lily Carter!
Ella’s breath hitched.
No…
No, this had to be a mistake.
Her feet moved on their own, her heart pounding violently against her chest as she walked closer.
Each step felt heavier than the last.
Until she stood right in front of them.
“Mason…” her voice came out shaky, almost unrecognizable.
The smile on his face disappeared,
for a split second.
There was shock in his eyes.
Then… it was gone.
Replaced with something cold,
something unfamiliar.
“…Ella?” he said flatly.
Lily’s lips curved into a slow, mocking smile.
“Well, well…” she said softly. “The charity case finally made it.”
Ella flinched.
Her fingers tightened around the gift box.
“What… what is this?” she asked, her voice breaking. “Why are you dressed like this? Why is she,”
“Oh, come on,” Lily cut in, rolling her eyes. “Don’t tell me you’re this stupid.”
Ella’s chest tightened painfully.
“Mason…” she turned to him, her eyes were desperate, “Say something.”
For a moment, he said nothing.
Then he sighed, annoyed, and
not guilty, not even ashamed,
Just… annoyed.
“I was going to tell you eventually,” he said.
Ella felt like the ground beneath her feet had disappeared.
“Tell me… what?” she whispered.
Lily leaned closer, her voice dripping with satisfaction.
“That the man you’ve been killing yourself for…” she paused, smiling sweetly, “has been mine for five years.”
Silence, Deafening.
Ella's body became numb not from her words but from the way Mason had been silent all along, the silence was what hurt her more than the words Lily had said.
But from that moment Ella realized something, Love is never enough and if placing her freedom and safety in the hands of a loser like Mason then she is better off without him.