I knew how much my fiancé loved me until he showed up at the altar on our wedding day. A day later, I saw him signing papers at my father’s office without understanding what they were about.
On the night of our sixth wedding anniversary, Brian and I went to our favourite restaurant. He seemed very nervous, and I kept wondering why. ‘What’s wrong, Brian? Are you okay?’ I asked when he shifted in his seat a couple of times, glancing back at me.
He nodded and tried his best to smile. ‘Yes, of course, I’m fine,’ he assured me. ” Today is our anniversary, and I couldn’t be happier.”
I smiled at his answer and continued to study the menu. I had memorised the menu from all the times we had been to this restaurant, but I still looked at it out of old habit. When I looked up from the menu, I was in for the surprise of my life.
Brian was down on one knee, and behind him was a group of musicians playing soft, romantic music on their violins. ‘Jane, my dear. We’ve been together for six years, and I’m more than sure that I want to spend the rest of my life with you,’ Brian said. ‘Will you do me the honour of becoming my wife?’ he asked.
I gasped and covered my mouth with my hands. ‘Of course, yes!’ I said, jumping up from my seat to hug Brian. I looked at the beautiful solitaire ring Brian had put on my finger and realised how long he must have saved up for something so big and beautiful.
The next day, I visited my parents to tell them that Brian had proposed. My mother was happy for me and gave me a big hug. However, my father’s reaction was completely different.
‘You won’t be happy if you marry this man, Jane,’ he said. ‘What will happen to you and your children? Will he be able to buy you a house? Send your children to private school?’ he began to ask.
“Dad, how can you say that? Brian works hard, and so do I. We’ll figure it out together, like all married couples do!” I replied.
“How long did it take him to save up for that ring? As if that should convince me that he can take care of you. If I were you, I would return the ring and call off the wedding. It’s not too late, Jane. There are plenty of wealthy bachelors I can introduce you to — men I can truly trust with my daughter and the future of my business,” he told me.
I snorted sceptically, knowing that my father had always been concerned only with money. I shook my head and left the house before I could say anything I would later regret.
Brian and I planned our wedding on our own, with a little help from my mother. Three months of preparation passed, and finally the big day arrived.
Before the ceremony, Brian couldn’t find his sister and niece. ‘Where are they?’ he asked his mother. Reluctantly, Brian’s mother told him that his niece Maxine had to be taken to the hospital for emergency heart surgery.
‘Your sister is trying to find people she can borrow money from,’ his mother told him. ‘The hospital won’t start the operation until they make the first payment, but Maxine doesn’t have much time left. They need to start the operation as soon as possible.’
Without hesitation, Brian decided to ask his father for help. ‘Sir, I know this sounds bad, but I was wondering if you could lend me some money for my niece’s surgery. I just spent almost everything I had in my account on my wedding,’ Brian confessed.
I decided to have a cup of coffee at the nearest coffee shop when I suddenly saw Brian looking around before entering my father’s office building.
‘I promise I’ll pay you back in a month. I just need to get through this month until I get my salary,’ he asked.
My father shook his head. ‘I knew you weren’t up to anything,’ he said mockingly. ‘But yes, I’ll help you, on one condition,’ he told Brian.
‘What is it, sir? I’ll do anything,’ Brian replied without hesitation.
‘You don’t have to pay me back, but you have to disappear from Jane’s life. Run away and never come back,’ he declared.
Brian’s heart skipped a beat when he learned of his father’s condition. However, he remembered his mother’s words that Maxine didn’t have much time left, and reluctantly agreed. It was his only chance to save his niece’s life.
A few minutes later, I was standing at the altar, sobbing. Brian hadn’t come to the wedding, and everyone was trying to comfort me. ‘What happened? Everything was fine yesterday,’ I cried. ‘Where did he go?’ I kept asking, after hearing from guests that Brian had been at the church earlier that morning.
The next day, my father asked to meet me in his office. I was supposed to meet him in an hour and a half, but I arrived early.
I decided to have a cup of coffee at a nearby coffee shop when I suddenly saw Brian looking around before entering my father’s office building. ‘What is he doing here?’ I asked myself before deciding to follow him.
By the time I got my bill at the coffee shop, Brian had already entered the lift. I had a feeling he was heading to my father’s office, so I hurried to take the next lift up to see what was going on.