Seek My Happiness Far Away

My fiancé, Tyler, was set in his ways. Once he made up his mind about something, nothing could change his mind. That was why I went along with all his decisions when it came to buying and renovating our house. At least, that was until the day of the housewarming party when he and his childhood sweetheart, Summer, got into a heated argument over whether to install a bathtub in the master bedroom. “I told you, a bathtub is great for relaxing the mind!” Summer argued. “And what about the flooring? Don’t you know dark floors show every speck of dirt? A lighter shade would make the space look so much brighter!” The debate raged on until our next-door neighbor knocked on the open door and offered a cheerful piece of advice. “When it comes to home renovation, you’ve always got to listen to your wife, man. Yield to her this once. Like they say, happy wife, happy life!” Tyler paused for a second, then nodded. “Alright, fine. I’ll get in touch with the contractors tomorrow.” Summer’s tears instantly turned into a smile, and she playfully nudged his arm. “See? If you had just said that earlier, we wouldn’t have had a problem.” Neither of them noticed as I quietly turned around and walked out the door. A soft evening breeze rustled the light-colored curtains through the window—a design choice Summer had handpicked. In fact, the furniture in the house, the wedding venue, and even the style of the wedding dress had all been chosen according to her tastes. Exhaustion suddenly washed over me. I took out my phone and dialed the wedding planning agency. “Hi, could you please update the bride’s name on the registration to Summer Cooper?” Since this entire marriage had nothing to do with me anyway, I chose to step back. Chapter 1 The person on the other end of the line was taken aback for a moment. “Miss Spencer, are you sure? Do you need us to inform Mr. Reed?” “No need, I’m sure,” I replied calmly, then hung up. As I turned around, I texted Tyler, using a sudden business trip as an excuse. Only three days later did I return to our so-called home. When I pushed the door open, my eyes immediately landed on the entryway. My gray slippers had been kicked into a dark corner, replaced by a pair of pink rabbit slippers set side by side with Tyler’s black ones in close proximity. In just three short days, the minimalist living room had been overhauled. The dark hardwood floors were replaced with light natural wood, and the cool-toned sofa was piled high with lace floral throw pillows. Even the balcony’s greenery had been swapped out for sunflowers—Summer’s favorite. Everything in sight had been modified according to Summer’s tastes. As I walked toward the master bedroom, a sharp scent of cheap fragrance hit my nose. On the vanity, a rare, out-of-production perfume I had specifically asked someone to bid on overseas had been swept into the bin, and glass was shattered all over the floor. Taking its place across the counter were Summer’s various bottles and jars. There was even a sheer silk nightgown belonging to Summer draped right over the nightstand. “Lea, what are you standing there for?” Tyler walked in carrying a plate of cherries, his brow slightly furrowed. “Summer thought that perfume smelled way too strong and made her dizzy, so I tossed it out,” he said matter-of-factly, showing zero remorse. “Everyone’s going to hang out here often in the future, so we have to be mindful of her sensitivities.” Looking at the shattered perfume bottle in the bin, I took a deep breath. “Tyler, this is our home–” “Oh, right,” Tyler interrupted, looking a little impatient. “The wedding planning agency called me this morning, but I was in a meeting and missed it. Is there some issue with the wedding schedule on your end?” I looked at him and was just about to tell him that the wedding was canceled when Summer cut in, “Oh, Tyler, did my necklace arrive?” She came running in barefoot and naturally linked her arm through Tyler’s. Tyler immediately set down the fruit plate and retrieved a velvet box from behind his back. “Of course. It’s a million-dollar antique piece I had someone bid on from overseas. Take a look and see if you like it.” Summer wrapped her arms around Tyler’s neck excitedly. “You’re the best, Tyler!” Tyler patted her back and then turned to look at me. “Summer said she wants to be your bridesmaid, and she needs a proper piece of jewelry to look the part. So I bought it for her. Don’t get the wrong idea.” Summer touched the antique necklace around her neck, her eyes brimming with pride. “Lea, please don’t take this the wrong way. This is all to make your wedding look spectacular.” At that, Tyler chimed in softly, “You don’t like flashy things anyway, so giving this necklace to you would be a waste!” I looked down at the discounted plain band ring on my wrist that Tyler had bought me. Back then, he had said that we were practical people, and fancy, useless things were unnecessary. As it turned out, he was practical and stubborn because I wasn’t worth his effort. He was a germaphobe, yet he allowed Summer’s silk nightgown to lie on his bedside and permitted her to walk barefoot in our bedroom. Watching the two of them laughing together, I suddenly found it absurd, and I didn’t want to say a word. Tyler stared blankly at my overly calm face. In the past, whenever Summer overstepped her boundary even just a little, I would’ve given him the silent treatment for days. He frowned and casually comforted me, “Alright, drop the long face. I heard the mall just put out a discounted necklace line. I’ll have someone pick one up and bring it to you later.” “It’s fine.” I smirked and said flatly, “I don’t need it anymore.” With that, I walked out of the master bedroom. As I approached the living room, my phone vibrated with a confirmation text from the wedding planning agency. [Miss Spencer, as requested, the bride’s name on all wedding materials has been changed to Summer Cooper. Please remember to settle the final balance.] I replied and immediately transferred the remaining payment over. After that, I walked into the guest bedroom, opened my laptop, and clicked submit on the application for a transfer to the headquarters in Suisse—a request I had spent half a month preparing. In less than a minute, my boss called. He sounded surprised. “Lea, I’ve approved your transfer to the headquarters in Suisse. But you’ll be gone for three years. Have you discussed this with your fiancé? Aren’t you getting married next month?” I spoke calmly into the phone, “There’s nothing to discuss. The wedding is canceled.” Chapter 2 At ten o’clock that night, Tyler handed me a paper box and said, “Here, the necklace I promised you.” I opened it to find a lusterless necklace made of tiny diamond chips. The label showing a price tag of two hundred and ninety-nine dollars hadn’t even been removed. Summer leaned over and covered her mouth as she chuckled. “Lea, that necklace is perfect for you. It’s so simple and practical, unlike mine, which is way too heavy and makes my neck ache.” I calmly closed the paper box. “Yeah, that’s fine. It really would be a waste to give something so nice to me.” Tyler’s brow furrowed, and he looked at me skeptically. “Why are you speaking in riddles today?” Clearly displeased, Tyler continued in his usual condescending tone, “Summer has been frail since she was a kid. What’s wrong with me looking after her a little more? Do you have to be jealous of her over a necklace?” I didn’t even have the energy to argue back, so I just looked at him coldly. Why was it that whether I made a scene or stayed quiet, it was always my fault? He took a step forward, his gaze passing over me and landing on my half-open bedroom door. Inside sat my suitcase, half-packed, with my transfer confirmation letter to Suisse resting on top. “Why are you packing a suitcase?” Tyler’s face darkened. “Lea Spencer, are you playing the running-away-from-home trick again?” He strode over, wanting to get a closer look, but I stood in his way, my expression remaining completely unbothered. “There’s an international project coming up in a few days. I need to go on a business trip.” Tyler stopped in his tracks, still skeptical, his frown deepening. “We’re about to get married, and you’re still this busy? Can you even do your job? If it’s too much, just quit after the wedding. I can afford to support you. Then, you can just stay at home and raise our future kids.” Before the words had fully left his mouth, Summer suddenly cried out softly and clutched her chest as she collapsed limply toward the floor. “Ah!” Tyler’s expression shifted. He spun around and rushed over to catch her. In his panic, his elbow slammed hard into my shoulder, and I stumbled back, the paper box slipping from my hand. Summer also knocked into a nearby picture frame on her way down, and glass shattered across the floor. It was the first photo of Tyler and me together from seven years ago, a piece that used to hold immense meaning. Now, however, I thought it had shattered right on cue. “Summer! What’s wrong?” Tyler was in such a panic that he didn’t even notice he was stepping on the broken glass. “Tyler, my chest hurts. I can’t breathe…” Summer said, leaning weakly in his arms. Tyler picked her up in one swift motion and lectured her with concern, “I told you you shouldn’t overexert yourself when you’re not feeling well! Why do you always have to push yourself?” I saw how worried Tyler was and found the whole scene ironic. Last month, I had worked nonstop until a high fever triggered myocarditis, leaving me curled up in bed from the crippling pain, yet Tyler didn’t even check in on me. He simply remarked, “Why are you so weak? Just stay hydrated, and you’ll be fine.” Now, all Summer did was take a couple of big breaths, and he reacted as if she was about to die. Summer leaned against his chest and looked at me weakly. “Tyler, I’ve decided on the wedding favors and the officiant’s schedule according to my preferences… You won’t be mad at that, would you, Lea?” Without a moment’s hesitation, Tyler took it upon himself to answer on my behalf. “What would she be mad about? You fell sick working yourself to the bone for her wedding. She should be thanking you instead.” Looking at his self-righteous expression, I instantly lost all desire to say anything more. A smug smile played on Summer’s lips, but she made herself sound even more pitiable. “Lea, please don’t get the wrong idea. I only see Tyler as a brother. A long time ago, Tyler even said he’d marry me when we grew up. Planning this wedding is just my way of making a childhood dream come true.” Tyler’s eyes flickered slightly, and he immediately lowered his head to stop her. “Stop talking now. Save your strength. I’m taking you to the hospital right away!” With that, he picked Summer up and charged out the door without looking back. The door slammed shut. In the vast house that was supposed to be our home, I was left all alone. Swallowing the bitterness rising in my throat, I grabbed my suitcase and left. A heavy rainstorm was pouring outside in the dead of night. Dragging my suitcase, I had just made it to the intersection when an out-of-control van suddenly slammed into me from the side. Excruciating pain instantly tore through my entire body as I was thrown onto the puddle-filled ground. Immediately after, a sharp, cramping spasm surged through my lower abdomen, and warm liquid began flowing down between my thighs. Blood stained the rainwater red, and my vision began to blur. Trembling, I fumbled out my phone and dialed Tyler’s number. The phone rang for a long time before it was finally picked up. “Tyler…” I was trembling so hard from the pain that my voice was barely audible. “I got into a car accident… I’m bleeding so much… Please, come…” Chapter 3 On the other end of the line, Summer’s timid voice filtered through. “Tyler, you should check on Lea. What if something really happened to her? I’ll be fine here on my own.” Tyler sighed, his tone turning cold. “Lea Spencer, haven’t you had enough? Summer is experiencing chest pains, and you’re making up a lie about being in a car crash just because you’re jealous?” The pain was so bad that every breath made me tremble, and blood was flowing down my inner thighs. The next second, the line went dead as he hung up on me. The phone slipped from my hand into the pool of blood, and I lost consciousness. … When I woke up again, a nurse was putting a cast on my left leg. Seeing me open my eyes, she said apologetically, “You were six weeks pregnant. The car accident caused severe hemorrhage, and we couldn’t save the baby. Where’s your family? Why isn’t there anyone here to sign the papers?” I instinctively reached out and touched my flat stomach. Seven years of love, along with that unborn child, had died together in last night’s storm. Just then, my phone vibrated. It was the final digital invitation sent by the wedding planning agency. Written on the screen were Tyler’s name as the groom and Summer’s as the bride. With a blank face, I swiped the message away, opened the app where I booked my flight to Suisse, and rescheduled my ticket—originally scheduled for two weeks later—to eight o’clock the next evening. That entire night, Tyler didn’t send me a single message. Early the next morning, I leaned on my crutches and dragged my freshly cast leg down to the first floor to pay the bills. As I passed a VIP room, I saw Tyler combing Summer’s hair through the half-open door. Summer tugged weakly at his sleeve. “Tyler, it’s been all night. Maybe you should go back and check on Lea. I’m worried she’s mad at you.” Tyler sneered, looking annoyed. “She’s just putting on an act. Why bother with her?” My grip tightened around the crutches. Just then, Tyler turned his head abruptly, and our eyes met. His face darkened instantly, and he strode toward me. He demanded harshly, “Lea? I can’t believe you actually pretended to be sick just to stalk me to the hospital?” As he spoke, however, he looked over to my deathly pale face and the cast on my left leg. Then, his voice suddenly caught, and he was momentarily stunned. He opened his mouth and was just about to ask a question when a few of his buddies came rushing down the hallway. “Hey, Tyler! How’s Summer doing?” The guy in the lead, Luke Graham, pushed the door open, practically shoving me along on my crutches into the room with them. The small room instantly became overcrowded. Someone casually teased, “Seriously, Tyler, when we first heard you were marrying Lea, all of us guys were baffled. I mean, you and Summer have been close enough to share everything since forever, so we all thought she would be the bride!” Tyler immediately looked a little uncomfortable. His gaze swept over my legs, and he took the opportunity to change the subject. “Lea, with your leg broken right now, there’s no way you can walk down the aisle next week. The venue and guests are all set.” He stared right at me and said confidently, “Why don’t we have Summer walk the aisle in your place?” Silence fell over the hospital room for a brief second before his buddies began hooting and egging him on. “Yeah, Lea! You and Tyler are like an old married couple anyway, so what’s the big deal if you miss one ceremony?” “Summer’s been in poor health since she was a kid, and her dream has always been to see herself in a wedding dress. Just be magnanimous for once and fulfill her dream.” “You don’t want to ruin things for everyone, do you? Don’t spoil the fun for the rest of us just because of yourself.” I looked on coldly, taking in every self-righteous face in that hospital room, until my eyes locked dead onto Tyler’s smug face. Forcing down the lump in my throat, I smiled and burst out laughing. “Tyler, are you sure you want to swap the bride and have Summer walk down the aisle?” Tyler frowned, assuming I was about to throw another unreasonable fit, and his tone turned impatient. “What choice do we have? Can’t you look at the bigger picture for once?” I stared at him for two full seconds, my smile eerily calm. “Alright. When the time comes, I’ll be sure to prepare an unforgettable surprise for both of you.” Chapter 4 Hearing the word “surprise,” Tyler froze. “What surprise?” For a moment, he looked dazed. Perhaps he was recalling seven years ago, when I used two months’ worth of earnings from my part-time job to buy him a pair of limited-edition sneakers. Back then, he held me tightly, his eyes red, as he said, “Lea, you’re the best surprise of my life.” A trace of uneasiness flashed in his eyes, and his tone softened. “Lea, after the wedding is over, I’ll take you on a beach vacation. Just think of it as my way of making it up to you.” I looked at him without taking the bait. Instead, I calmly tested him one last time. “Tyler, if I ask to cancel the wedding right now, would you agree to it? What if we just elope while we travel? Would you be willing to do that?” His friends exchanged glances before their eyes landed on Tyler. His expression turned grim, and the warmth in his eyes disappeared in an instant. “Lea, invitations have already been sent out, and all our relatives and friends have been notified. Are you seriously telling me to cancel the wedding now? Or were you just pretending to be magnanimous earlier? Are you throwing a tantrum again?” Summer’s eyes turned red, and her body swayed as if she were about to collapse. “Tyler… If Lea is not okay with it, maybe I shouldn’t stand in for her at the wedding… Cough, cough… I don’t want you two fighting because of me.” Tyler immediately held her hand, his eyes filled with concern. “Look at how upset you’ve made Summer! I’ll have you know that the wedding will go on as scheduled. Don’t even think about threatening me with this!” Seeing him like that, I suddenly didn’t feel like saying anything at all. “Alright, I understand.” I nodded calmly. At that moment, the string in my heart that had beat for him for seven long years snapped. Without saying another word, I walked away with my crutches. Behind me, Tyler snorted. “It’s best you come to your senses! And another thing! You better keep your word and stop playing any more tricks!” I left the hospital and returned to that so-called home of ours. In the living room, Summer’s flowers were blooming, and the lace throw pillows on the sofa felt like they were mocking my seven years of dedication. Indeed! This place had never been my home. I walked over to the coffee table and took off my plain wedding band. I placed it right in the center of the table, together with that free accent-diamond necklace. Then, I laid out the keys, the access card, and the wedding itinerary on the coffee table. Finally, I picked up the invitation card. Where the bride’s name belonged, it had been changed to Summer Cooper. I picked up a pen and wrote, “Wishing you both a happy marriage.” At seven in the evening, in the airport VIP lounge, the speakers announced the boarding call for the flight to Switzerland. I walked toward the boarding gate, looked out at the distant clouds, and thought, ‘Farewell, Tyler.’ However, in the next second, an emergency announcement rang out through the cabin speakers. “Pardon the interruption, ladies and gentlemen. We have an urgent announcement for a missing person. Is Miss Lea Spencer on board this flight?”