That wedding was something I had spent ten years envisioning, shaping detail by detail in my mind.
Every flower arrangement, every piece of décor, I had spent six months crafting with my own hands.
Benjamin knew full well that it was our dream wedding.
And he was handing it to his student?
I drew a long breath, forcing the pain down before I spoke.
"Fine. Whatever. Just send my things back. Especially the bracelet in the safe."
The manager sounded even more bewildered.
"But the groom already took the bracelet from the safe. He said it was going to be a bride gift for the new bride."
My head exploded with a deafening ring.
I hung up and dialed Benjamin's number. Over and over.
Every call was rejected. He declined each one until the eighteenth, when he finally picked up.
His voice carried a thin, weary irritation.
"Didn't I already tell you? Don't contact me for a while. I need to play the part of a real husband for Elise. I was just chatting with her parents and you almost blew my cover."
My throat locked shut, but I forced the words out.
"Benjamin Delgado, did you take my bracelet?"
He paused for a second, then laughed.
"Yeah. Elise's mom said it's their family tradition to have a bracelet as part of the bride gift. Yours was heavy enough and pretty, so I grabbed it for her."
My heart felt like it was being ripped apart, stitch by stitch.
"Benjamin Delgado!!"
My voice cracked, shrill enough to shatter.
"That was the only thing my mother left me before she died! What gave you the right to take it and hand it to your mistress as a bride gift?!"
"Give it back! Right now! Bring it to me this instant, or I'm calling the police! I'll make sure you two have your wedding behind bars!"
I was shaking with rage, every word barbed.
Benjamin flinched on the other end of the line, then fired back with anger of his own.
"What kind of way is that to talk? I told you it was all for show! I just borrowed it! It's not like I'm keeping it forever!"
"I was going to wait until tomorrow and buy you a few similar ones as an apology gift. But you just had to—"
Fury surged through me. I couldn't stand to hear his voice for another second.
I hung up, walked out the door, and hailed a cab, giving the driver Elise's address.
I grabbed Benjamin's luggage on my way out.
During the ride, my phone buzzed nonstop. Text messages from Benjamin.