But just as I was about to leave, my eye caught a glimpse of something Theron had carelessly discarded by the door.
It was the handmade fabric photo album I’d poured my heart into for our sixth anniversary, meticulously crafted over a month.
Yet, he had dismissed it as meaningless and carelessly tossed it aside, barely glancing at it.
I sighed, ready to shove the album into the cupboard. But as I swung open the door, a cascade of unopened boxes spilled out. They were all the carefully chosen couple’s keepsakes I’d picked out for us, each still wrapped in its original packaging, untouched and forgotten.
I was brimming with frustration as I snatched the trash bin and threw all the couple’s keepsakes into it.
After tossing out the garbage, I hailed a taxi and sped off to the address his friend had sent, feeling like I was racing against time.
As I drew closer to the private room, the laughter from inside wafted through the door like an unwelcome breeze, teasing me with the celebration I was about to crash.
"Theron lost again! Truth or dare? You didn’t throw the game just to cozy up to Lyra, did you?" his friend teased, laughing.
I took a steadying breath, forced a smile to my lips, and gently pushed the door open.
The room fell silent; their laughter was cut short as every head turned toward me, panic flashing across their faces.
At the center of it all sat Theron, the man I was supposed to marry in just three days, leaning far too close to Lyra.
They leaned in, the playing card pinned between their lips, so close their lips hovered inches apart, as if a whisper could close the gap.
Theron’s friends flinched at my sudden appearance, clearly caught off guard.
One of his friends reached out to pull him away, but Theron, clearly intoxicated, scowled in annoyance at the interruption. The playing card still dangled from his lips as he slurred, "Get lost! Don’t touch me!"
I knew better than anyone that he was just playing the part, far from the intoxicated fool he tried to appear.
One of his friends leaned in. “Avery’s here to pick you up. Snap out of it! You’re on the verge of getting married…” he whispered, his breath hot against Theron’s ear.
While the others scrambled to lend a hand, Lyra eventually pulled away, leaving the card still clenched between Theron’s lips.