Before You Get Married - Chapter 2

David could no longer bear to watch the girl he loved being pushed into the arms of another by his own hand. He wanted to leave, so he applied for a transfer. David left the country for about a year. Since then, the two lost contact.

Trust brings people closer together; it’s not just about giving trust to the other person but also about placing trust in oneself. But neither Emily nor James was strong enough to move forward with the one they loved. They chose that—they parted ways before even saying a word of love—and then regretted it.

Emily took a deep breath. She had made a mistake, but there was no turning back. Because tomorrow, she would get married.

An arm wrapped around her waist, startling her, but James held her back. He placed a kiss on her forehead.

“You should go to bed early. A bride can’t walk down the aisle with dark circles under her eyes.”

Emily nodded.

“Okay, you go to sleep first. I’ll enjoy the breeze a little longer.”

James nodded, the scent of alcohol drifting around his nose and hers. He was slightly drunk after meeting his best friend and receiving congratulations on his happiness. James staggered into the cabin.

Another silence fell. Finally, David spoke. This time, he had returned not to congratulate James but to confront the knot in his heart.

“So, you’re getting married.”

Emily nodded without looking at him.

“This time is just like that confession, isn’t it?”

Emily thought for a moment, then nodded again. David sighed.

“I’m sorry.”

“Do you know why?” Although unspoken, both understood why Emily accepted the marriage. She had no other choice, caught in contradictions and unable to respect her own decisions. As for David, it was because he was too timid, or cowardly, to express himself.

Emily couldn’t hold back anymore; tears gently rolled down her cheeks. David’s heart ached. He reached out and wiped away her tears.

“Don’t cry.”

Emily cried even harder. David embraced her, comforting her. He felt responsible for the feelings he had given Emily, which had trapped her heart, lost and unable to escape. He should have told her this a long time ago.

“If I say now that I like you, can we start over?”

Emily sobbed. The words she most wanted to hear came in such a cruel circumstance.

“Do I have a choice?”

“Why not?” David said. “We’ll face trouble, but I won’t run away anymore. I will protect you.”

Emily hesitated. What should she do? She didn’t know. She just wanted to follow her heart, but she couldn’t turn back. She was on a boat drifting in the middle of the sea, only able to move forward.

“I really wanted to tell you that. Before my wedding day.” Emily kissed his cheek. “I’m fulfilled now.”

Emily left the ship’s railing. Maybe she shouldn’t have had this conversation, only to kindle a little hope and then immediately extinguish it.

“Don’t you think this is too much for all of us? Marrying someone you don’t love and deceiving him for life. Then the one you love suffers, and so do you.”

Emily stopped. David wasn’t wrong. But what else could she do? Meet James and say she wouldn’t marry him?

“This isn’t about the present,” David stepped closer. “This is about you, until you figure it out. I’ll wait and let you choose again. Because I’ve been honest.”

Emily nodded. She returned to her cabin bedroom, a spacious room with a sea view, cool and pleasant. But the suffocation inside her heart didn’t dissipate.

Emily sat by the bed, looking at James sleeping drunkenly. She felt lucky that James had drunk more than usual, lost in dreams and unaware of what was happening. She sobbed again, trying to cover her mouth, only letting out muffled cries in her throat.

James didn’t know when he had woken. He wrapped his arm around her waist, the familiar embrace tinged with a slight distance. James pressed his face against her back.

“You just need to know that I want you to be happy.”

James whispered.

Emily broke down in tears. It turned out he knew everything. While she was confused and trying to deceive him, he had known and waited. He didn’t hold her back; he respected her. James had also been deceiving himself and others for a while, making the relationship among the three even more tangled.

Both men beside her had faced the truth. In the end, only she remained standing still. She couldn’t make both of them suffer. It was time for her to make her decision.

Emily took off the ring from her ring finger and placed it in James’s palm.

“I’m sorry.”

“You’re not at fault. None of us are.” James kissed her forehead. “As long as you’re honest before everything happens, it’s never too late.”

The wedding was suddenly canceled. The ship continued its journey, docking on the other side of the ocean, carrying three hearts and clear souls.

Love can be gentle or passionate; that’s just the way it is. But it must never be unclear. A hidden word, a suppressed feeling, is enough to break hearts. Emily realized that and decided to be honest with herself, no matter how the future might change.