Ten Promises of Marriage, One Letting Go

Chapter One

Liam postponed our wedding for the tenth time.

I was ready to be done.

I RSVP’d for my friend’s twins’ baby shower.

I sent my congratulations early.

When my bestie suggested camping, I took off in the other direction.

My company wanted to send me to Liam’s to oversee a project.

I quit without a second thought.

Even when his parents came begging, I wouldn’t open the door.

I purged every picture of him.

I blocked and deleted all his contacts.

I shut down our shared social media.

It was dedicated to documenting our relationship.

I severed every tie to him.

We’d known each other since kindergarten.

We’d been together for five years.

I always thought we were each other’s soulmates.

But after ten wedding delays, I finally got it.

I needed to love myself first.

“Skylar, can you wait a bit?

I’m on my way, almost there!”

Liam hung up before I could even respond.

I gave the hotel staff an apologetic look.

“My fiancé’s almost here.

Could we have a little more time?

We can run through the rehearsal quickly once he gets here.”

The staff member gave me a forced smile.

“I’m sorry, ma’am, the ballroom rental is already ten minutes over.

The next couple is waiting for their rehearsal.

I apologize for the inconvenience.”

I glanced past him.

I saw the impatient expressions of the next couple.

I gave them a sheepish grin and apology.

“My bad, I’ll pack up right away.”

The wedding planner followed me out of the hotel.

“Ms. Rhodes, like the last nine times, the deposit is non-refundable.

That is even if the rehearsal doesn’t happen.”

I managed a weak smile.

“It’s okay, I wasted your time.”

This wedding planner was the best in the city.

It was hard to book them.

I’d paid double to get them to show up for my rehearsals.

“No problem, Ms. Rhodes is a valued customer of ours.

Just text me when you want to schedule another rehearsal.”

Her words were embarrasing.

I hurried away.

This was the tenth time Liam had missed our wedding rehearsal.

The previous nine times, he’d sweet talk me.

He would use a last-minute business trip as an excuse.

He would then convince me to postpone the wedding.

Even though the invitations had gone out nine times, I’d always caved.

But this time, I wanted to know his excuse.

I leaned against a birch tree across from the hotel.

I waited from sunrise to sunset for him to arrive.

“I had a last-minute company meeting.

I sped here as soon as it was over.

Is it too late for the rehearsal?”

His rambling excuse had holes in it.

I looked down at his casual clothes and smiled wryly.

“Too late.”

Liam stopped trying to drag me to the hotel.

His face was full of apology.

“I’m sorry that I built the company so big.

I’m the CEO, I can’t just abandon work.

We can always reschedule the rehearsal.”

I watched him quietly, waiting for what he would say next.

He looked troubled.

“I have to go to Europe next week for business.

We should postpone the wedding.”

Seeing the hurt in my eyes, Liam lowered his voice.

“Don’t be sad.

The next wedding will happen on time.

I’ll find a fortune teller to pick the best date for us.

Come on, I got you a new wedding dress for the next wedding.

You’ll look beautiful in it.”

Every time he postponed the wedding, he bought me an expensive dress.

The first ten filled my closet.

I didn’t want an eleventh.

I pulled out my phone and showed him the dress order.

“Scarlett Miller’s dress is ready too.

Remind her to pick it up.”

Liam’s expression changed slightly.

He recovered quickly.

“The company anniversary is coming up.

Scarlett, my secretary, works hard.

I thought I’d get her one as well.”

I nodded and pulled up a screenshot of his dinner post from an hour earlier.

He forgot to block me.

“What about this, Liam?

Do you have anything to explain?”

He suddenly looked angry.

“Skylar, do you think I’m cheating on you?

I lied about the rehearsal, but it was to have dinner with a client!

You have nothing else to do but pressure me to rehearse and have the wedding.

I lose millions if I take a day off.

I’m busy!”

I was speechless.

I laughed humorlessly.

“We grew up together, and everyone has a family business.

If you hadn’t said that taking over Rhodes Corp would ruin our relationship, would I have taken a job as a clerk in some small company?”

Liam flushed red.

“Fine, I’m holding you back from your inheritance.

We’re done here!”

I smiled and walked away from him.

My heart was bleeding.

My phone buzzed.

I saw a text from Scarlett Miller.

“I’m sorry, Ms. Rhodes.

I wanted to try a new restaurant, so Liam was late for your wedding rehearsal.

I’ll pick a better day next time.

It will work better than your eleventh rehearsal.”

Her text felt like a dart.

It pierced my heart.

I couldn’t breathe.

Liam had said he was having dinner with a client when he was on a date with his secretary!

It was absurd!

We were childhood friends.

Our parents had been friends for years.

They used to joke about us.

“You two are the same age, childhood friends, and always together.

Why don’t you get married when you grow up?”

Back then, I didn’t know what marriage was.

I just knew that if we were married, Liam would always be with me.

We could play games together.

I clapped my hands.

“Yes, yes, I want to marry Liam.”

I even wrote him a promise like in the movies.

I said I’d marry him when I grew up.

My parents would joke about it.

I was embarrassed and avoided Liam.

He cornered me and asked what he had done wrong.

Why was I giving him the silent treatment?

My heart melted, and I fell in love.

When we were twenty, we confessed our feelings and started dating.

I’d proposed and planned ten weddings, all postponed.

Scarlett Miller, his capable assistant, appeared around then.

They spent more time together than he and I did.

I told myself they were just working.

But not anymore.

The buzzing interrupted my thoughts.

I answered the phone.

“What is it, Brittany?”

“Great news!

My twins’ baby shower is this Saturday.

Come with your fiancé.”

I almost said I’d come alone.

Brittany and I were besties.

Her husband, Chad, and Liam were like brothers.

“Did Chad tell Liam?”

“They’re on the phone right now.

Why?

Aren’t you two together?

Do you go home separately after the rehearsal?

I can’t believe you’d waste a chance to get close to him.”

Brittany sounded confused.

Everyone thought I was Liam’s doormat.

I muttered something about going and hung up.

To celebrate, I asked my friend to get me a rare bottle of wine.

At the winery, I took it home and drank the whole bottle alone.

The security camera showed Liam using a moving company to move his stuff.

He seemed to notice I was watching him and talked to the camera.

“Are you afraid I’ll steal something?”

I laughed.

“You’re wrong.

I just wanted to remind you to take the dresses you bought me in the bedroom.”

Liam clenched his jaw.

I turned off the camera and answered Brittany’s call.

She asked, “Did Liam postpone the wedding again?

He didn’t go to the rehearsal, did he?”

She was quiet when I didn’t say anything.

“You can’t fight back when you’re treated badly!

I’m going to give Scarlett a piece of my mind!”

I could fight back.

I had given up and didn’t want to drag it out.

I convinced Brittany not to do anything.

“It’s good that you two broke up.

I always thought he wasn’t that into you.

I didn’t say anything because you were close.”

I smiled sadly.

“Don’t let our situation affect your marriage with Chad.”

“Never.

My husband and I are inseparable.”

I went home unsteadily.

The emptiness made me feel better.

I looked around and threw his cologne out the window.

I fell asleep.

I took Friday off to go to Brittany’s before Liam showed up.

She shushed me and took me to her garden.

Liam was playing with the kids and talking to Chad.

“I moved all my things.

I want to scare Skylar.

I want to prove my point.

She shouldn’t call me out on things.

She needs to think about who she is.

She thinks she can do anything, I tell you.”

I had spoiled Liam’s rich-boy attitude.

He thought I was weak.

Brittany frowned, looking more angry than I was.

I patted her shoulder and smiled.

Liam’s phone rang, and he ran to the gate after gesturing to Chad.

Brittany and I hid.

I followed after he left.

“Scarlett, I thought I gave you the day off.

Why aren’t you resting?”

Scarlett wrapped her arms around him.

“I missed you.

I can’t stop thinking about you postponing the wedding over and over.

I want to see you all the time.”

Liam poked her nose.

“You came up with the idea.

Why are you so mean?”

My blood ran cold.

I already knew, but it still hurt to hear it from them.

Scarlett pinched his cheek.

“You like that I’m mean.

You said you didn’t want to marry her.

I came up with the idea.

You agreed.”

They stared at each other.

If they weren’t at Brittany’s, they would have gotten physical.

Brittany struggled as I stopped her from running out.

The engine started, and the car drove away.

She scolded me.

“Why are you letting them get away with that?

Confront her!”

I shook my head and said, “There’s no need.

It’s better if we broke up.”

On Saturday, I didn’t go.

Liam called around lunchtime.

“Skylar, is this how you act like a friend?

Don’t you know that you are supposed to come?

You are embarrassing me!”

I knew he wanted to upset me and didn’t respond.

He said, “I forgot my cologne.

Don’t try to hide it.

I want you to think about me when you smell it.

Give it to me.”

“I threw it away.”

I hung up.

I thought he’d be angry, but I got another text.

“Are you trying to play hard to get?

I’m not buying it!

Fine, throw it away.

Don’t look for me anymore!”

On Saturday night, Scarlett suggested hiking on Sunday to thank everyone.

The group agreed.

I almost declined, but Liam said he couldn’t go.

I agreed.

On Sunday, I was grilling by the creek.

Some of Liam’s friends came over.

They were rude and asked, “It’s almost Valentine’s Day.

Did Ms. Rhodes get Liam an expensive gift?

Show us what it is.”

They didn’t know that we had broken up.

They thought I was the same as before and teased me.

I ignored them and fanned the flames.

They were choked by the smoke and ran away.

My meat was almost done.

I went to get the seasoning, but I remembered that it was over with Liam.

Why did I care about his preferences?

I turned back and threw on a lot of chili powder.

I put the meat on the table, and Liam walked over.

I took off my apron and turned to leave.

I heard my friend talking to him.

“You’re late, you have to take a drink.

I forgot you don’t drink beer.

Skylar will take your place.”

My friend called me.

I said, “I don’t drink for outsiders.”

Liam looked at me with a blank expression.

I took Monday off and went to work on Tuesday.

I swiped in, and my boss took me to his office.

I stood in front of his desk as he tried to sell me something.

I didn’t know what he was planning.

It was not going to be good.

He said he heard my boyfriend was Liam.

He wanted to send me to work with him on a project.

It wasn’t true.

My company had no projects with Liam’s.

Liam’s company was the best in the city.

He wanted me to use our relationship to get a project.

I refused, but my boss kept trying to convince me.

Liam called his office.

My boss nodded, spoke to him, and told me, “Liam said he has a small project for us.

He wants you to be the one to work on it.”

I laughed, took off my name tag, and put it on his desk.

“I quit!”

I turned off my phone and left the state to relax.

I turned it on a week later.

The number of texts almost crashed my phone.

There were texts from Liam.

The last one said, “Skylar, fine, you win.

Turn on your phone and call me back!”

I deleted them.

His phone rang.

“Skylar, you turned on your phone!

I’ve been looking for you for days!”

“Where are you?

Tell me your address!”