He Gave Her an Hour, I Chose Another Groom in Seconds Chapter 06
Silas stood frozen, struck silent by Mom’s harsh words, his face drained of all color.
My mother pointed toward the stairwell, her voice firm. “Now you’re here asking why? It’s far too late. Get out. You have no right to interfere in anything involving Chloe ever again.”
She slammed the front door hard in his face.
Refusing to accept it, Silas drove straight to the bridal boutique we’d booked for our fitting.
He stumbled up to the reception desk, breathless. The staff member gave him an awkward look. “Sir, Ms. Sinclair called roughly an hour ago to cancel today’s bridal fitting. She also said… the wedding between you two won’t be happening.”
Silas swayed and gripped the counter to keep from collapsing.
Unwilling to believe it, he dialed the wedding planner, the venue, the officiant, one after another.
Every call brought the identical reply: Ms. Sinclair had notified them to cancel the wedding entirely.
From what I later heard, Silas’s world went silent that day. My phone stayed unreachable. Texts went unanswered. My Instagram profile was completely blank.
The next morning, Silas waited outside my office building long before I arrived.
The second I stepped out of my car, he rushed over and gripped my
—
wrist hard. “Chloe! Don’t leave. We need to talk.”
I took in his disheveled state without surprise. I nodded, pulled my arm free, and led him to a quiet corner café nearby.
Once we sat down, I met his eyes. “Go on. What’s there to discuss?”
Silas leaned forward urgently, reaching out to touch my fingers again. I gently but firmly pulled back.
He rambled frantically. “Chloe, I’m sorry. I know I messed up. I shouldn’t have left you to take Willa out for fondue, shouldn’t have delayed our marriage license appointment. I don’t want us to break up. Can you get that marriage annulled?”
“We can go straight to city hall to reapply. I swear nothing will go wrong this time!”
“Chloe, just give me one more chance, only one!”
Silas kept pouring out endless promises. But I just watched him in silence until guilt and panic finally silenced him.
Then I spoke calmly. “Silas, none of this matters anymore. I gave you plenty of chances.”
“We settled the date and time for the license appointment half a month ahead. From the moment I stepped into city hall first thing in the morning until I left last, I handed you chance after chance.”
I held up a finger and listed them: “First, you were an hour late because of Willa. Second, you insisted on waiting for her while she used the restroom. Third, you prioritized her game and missed our number being called. The final time, I texted and called you.”
—
repeatedly. You still chose Willa.”
“The truth is, getting that license never really mattered to you. And neither did I. Silas, this is truly the end for us. Don’t come looking for me again.”
Silas shook his head desperately, tears spilling. “No, I can’t let it end like this. I know I was wrong. I thought you wouldn’t actually leave me. I only looked out for Willa because she’s your best friend. Why couldn’t you understand?”
A bitter laugh escaped me.
I tapped his phone with my fingertip. “Silas. Are you lying to me… or to yourself?”