"Mom, Harrison and I aren't getting married for now. I'm going abroad for three years."
Even though I was telling the truth, Fiona Delgado's sharp instincts picked up on the lie underneath immediately.
"Did that boy do something to wrong you? I'm going over there right now! The wedding tomorrow will go on as planned!"
"Mrs. Delgado, the wedding really can't happen—"
But she'd already hung up.
It was Harrison's turn to figure out how to handle his own mother.
And it was time for me to pack my bags and leave.
The apartment was still dressed for a celebration. Every detail—the red accents, the fresh flowers, the carefully chosen linens—was something I'd picked out, each one a small prayer for the happy life I thought was coming.
Now they were all knives, buried in my chest.
There wasn't much to take. A single suitcase, and it wasn't even full.
But there was plenty to throw away.
By the time I finished, I noticed Harrison had called me several times.
I didn't need to guess why. He was going to blame me for not keeping his mother under control.
I left the key on the entryway table and picked up the last framed wedding portrait on my way out.
I walked straight into Harrison.
The portrait smashed against the floor, the glass shattering into pieces.
A shard sliced across the top of my foot. Blood welled up instantly.
Harrison grabbed Claudia and pulled her behind him, his face tight with irritation.
"Tilda, what the hell? Didn't you see Claudia standing there? What if you'd hurt her?"
He didn't see the blood pooling on my foot. Instead, he crouched down and carefully brushed a speck of glass—no bigger than a grain of rice—off Claudia's shoe.
I had no interest in watching him dote on another woman. I grabbed my suitcase and walked past them.
His eyes caught the luggage, and he scrambled to his feet, seizing my arm.
"Tilda, where are you going?"
I opened my mouth to answer, but his phone rang.
I saw the name on the screen. His mother.
He picked up, visibly annoyed.
"Fine! I know! It's not canceled! I'll smooth things over with her! Don't worry!"
He hung up and turned to me.
"Tilda, my mom says the wedding tomorrow has to go on as planned."
"I don't want to upset her, so let's keep everything the way it is. But can you be the one who runs?"
"My mom loves you. If you're the runaway bride, she won't blame me. And I can explain to her afterward that I only married Claudia on impulse, out of spite."