Whitney Moore’s fingers danced over her phone screen, sending a bright message that radiated her excitement: [Honey, I just landed. See you at City Hall in half an hour.]
Today marked a significant milestone in her life-she and Carter Harris were finally set to obtain their marriage licenses.
Five years had passed since they first met during their college days, blossoming from innocent romance to a heartfelt engagement, and now, they stood on the brink of a new chapter.
As she sank into the plush seat of the cab, the morning sun streamed through the window, bathing her in a golden light that accentuated her delicate features and brought an ethereal glow to her smile.
The driver, noticing her cheerful demeanor in the rearview mirror, chuckled, “Wow, you just landed, and already you’re racing off to City Hall? Must be a special day!”
“Absolutely! Valentine’s Day,” Whitney replied, her smile widening. “I scheduled the appointment two weeks ago. I couldn’t let this day slip by!”
The driver laughed heartily. “Young folks really know how to make things memorable. My daughter couldn’t snag a spot for today, so she’s settling for tomorrow instead.”
“Congrats to her!” Whitney said, her enthusiasm unshaken.
“Same to you,” the driver responded, his tone warm.
Yet, as Whitney stepped out of the cab, a nagging feeling settled in her stomach-she still hadn’t heard from Carter.
With a frown tugging at her lips, she dialed his number, her heart racing with anticipation.
The phone rang endlessly, each beep echoing her growing anxiety until, finally, he answered.
Carter’s voice was flat and devoid of emotion. “Yeah? What’s up?”
Whitney’s grip on her phone tightened, her pulse quickening. “Carter, where are you? I’m already at City Hall. We need to-“
He interrupted her, his tone brusque. “Whit, I can’t come right now.”
A lump formed in her throat. “What do you mean? Didn’t we agree that today was our day to get the marriage license?”
“Yeah, something came up. Let’s just do it another day, okay? Any day works. It’s not a big deal,” he replied, his indifference cutting through her excitement like a cold wind.
To her, it was a big deal. She had anticipated this moment for weeks, her heart invested in the promise of their future.
Suddenly, a familiar voice echoed in the background. “Carter, are you on the phone? Everyone’s waiting downstairs for us to join them for breakfast!”
Whitney’s heart plummeted. That voice belonged to Emily.
Emily Miller-the girl the Harris family had adopted eighteen years ago. Whitney’s mind raced, ‘Is Emily back in town?’
Her fingers turned white as they gripped her phone tightly, but before she could voice her concerns, the call abruptly ended.
“He told me he was too tired and went to bed early last night. But was he really spending the night with another woman?” Whitney thought bitterly, the pain of betrayal slicing through her.
Moments later, a text illuminated her screen.
Emily: [Whitney, was that you on the phone with Carter just now? I just got back. Carter threw me a welcome party yesterday. I drank too much and didn’t go home. Please don’t get the wrong idea. Would you join us for breakfast?]
A heavy weight settled in Whitney’s chest, making it hard to breathe.
She quickly typed back: [Just send me the address. I’m on my way.]
As she stood outside the private room of Sunrise Bites, the sound of laughter and chatter spilled into the hallway, familiar voices mingling together.
“Carter, isn’t today the big day you and Whitney are supposed to get your marriage license?” someone teased, their tone light-hearted.
“Yeah, I heard Whitney snagged an appointment half a month ago just to lock down Carter today,” another chimed in, the words dripping with mockery.
“Wait, what’s so special about today anyway?” someone else asked, feigning ignorance.
“You forgot? It’s Valentine’s Day!” came the reply, followed by a chorus of laughter.
“Tsk, Carter doesn’t even love her. Everyone knows the only one in his heart is Emily,” another voice sneered, and Whitney felt her stomach churn.
Emily ducked her head, putting on a shy act. “Come on, don’t say that. Carter is just my brother.”
Whitney stood frozen outside the door, her face pale and her heart racing. She desperately wanted to hear how Carter would respond.
The door to the private room was slightly ajar, and she peered through the narrow gap, her breath hitching. Inside, Carter lounged casually in his chair, his arm draped across the back of Emily’s seat.
From her vantage point, it appeared as if he was holding the girl he cherished most.
Carter’s voice floated to her ears. “Emily, do you really only see me as your brother?”
“Carter,” Emily replied, her voice trembling, “are you really not going to get the marriage license with Whitney?”
“No, I already told her,” Carter said, his tone indifferent, as if the weight of his words barely registered.
He noticed Emily’s shoulders quaking from the teasing, and he leaned in closer, whispering, “Emily, no one is more important to me than you.”
As soon as he finished, the room erupted into laughter and playful jabs.
But Whitney, standing alone outside, felt a sharp ache in her heart, a realization dawning on her-no matter what she did, she would always be second to Emily in his heart.
She thought bitterly, ‘How pathetic am I?’
Just then, someone emerged from the restroom and halted abruptly upon spotting Whitney by the door.
“Uh, Whitney, you’re here too? Aren’t you coming in?” the person asked, their voice hesitant.
The door swung open, and all eyes turned to the woman standing there, her face drained of color.
After a moment of awkward silence, someone attempted to ease the tension. “Oh, Whitney, you’re here! Have you eaten yet? Come on, grab a seat and join us.”
Carter withdrew his arm from behind Emily’s chair, his brow furrowing as he asked, “Whit, what brought you here?”
Whitney inhaled deeply, summoning her courage as she stepped forward. “Am I not welcome here?”
Emily quickly stood to offer her seat. “Whitney, come here. This seat is for you!”
“Emily, don’t leave.” Carter placed a hand on her shoulder, and Whitney felt another stab of hurt at the gesture.
“It’s fine. You can sit there. I’m not here for breakfast,” Whitney replied, her voice steady but laced with pain.
Carter’s voice dropped, a hint of annoyance creeping in. “Whitney, what are you doing here? Didn’t we agree to get our marriage license another day?”
With a mocking smile, she retorted, “Forget it. I’m calling it off.”
“Huh? What did you say?” Carter frowned, confusion clouding his features.
Whitney took a deep breath, her calm smile contrasting with the turmoil inside her. “I’m calling it off.
“You said Emily is the most important to you. Let’s call off the engagement. You can be with whoever you want.”
Carter froze, caught off guard by her words.
His eyes narrowed as he demanded, “What did you just say?”
“Since she’s the one you care about, why don’t you take my appointment and get the marriage license with her? Consider it my gift to you both,” Whitney said, her tone icy.
With that, she flung the tightly gripped paper onto the floor, a symbolic act of defiance.
“Whitney,” Carter warned, his voice low and tense. “Emily just got back. Can’t we talk about this in private?”
Someone scoffed from the back, “No way she’s really calling it off. Everyone knows she’s crazy about Carter. If Carter’s grandpa hadn’t objected, she wouldn’t even be here.”
Emily felt a surge of satisfaction, but she feigned innocence. “Whitney, don’t listen to their nonsense. Carter is just my brother!”
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.