With my heart pounding, I stumbled to the roadside, lifting the hem of my gown to keep from tripping. I waved desperately at passing taxis, my arm shaking as I signaled for one to stop. Finally, a cab pulled up and I slipped inside, collapsing onto the seat as I slammed the door shut behind me.
The driver glanced back at me through the rearview mirror, his face a mix of surprise and sympathy. He didn't say much at first, but after a few minutes of watching me decline call after call from Leon, he sighed softly and murmured, "If that were my daughter, I'd be devastated."
I tried to focus on the passing cityscape through the rain-streaked window, but the memories flooded in relentlessly. Every corner we passed seemed to hold remnants of our relationship—our favorite café, the park where we'd had our first date, the little bookstore where he'd once pretended to be interested in my favorite novels just to impress me. It felt as if the entire city was conspiring to remind me of what we'd once been.
I couldn't bear it, so I put my phone on silent, leaned back and closed my eyes, letting the darkness take over. By the time we reached my apartment, my phone showed over a hundred missed calls. But it wasn't just the missed calls; Leon had left a string of messages too, each one colder and more demanding than the last.
[Are we still doing the wedding photos or not? I'm only waiting here for twenty minutes. After that, forget it!]
[Emily, the bridal shop is making me pay for the dress. What do you want me to do?]
[Transfer me the money to pay for the dress! Emily, you've embarrassed me!]
As I scrolled through, my hands began to shake again. Before I could even finish reading, Leon called once more. Against my better judgment, I answered, his voice hitting me like a slap.
"Emily, transfer me the money! Five thousand! Do you know that dress you walked out with costs five thousand? Hurry up and send it!"