Chapter 6: The Door Quietly Closes
11
According to the original plan, Derek and I should start preparing for the wedding and reception.
In my last life, I eagerly handled all these things myself.
This time, I did nothing, and instead, Derek asked:
"Shouldn’t we start getting ready for our wedding?"
"I’ve already filed the paperwork. After the reception, we’ll go to the city to get our marriage license."
In my previous life, I was always excited to talk about this before the wedding.
But now, I stayed silent.
Seeing me not answer, he looked at me in confusion.
His voice softened a bit:
"Our parents are both gone. I’ll ask the mayor to be our witness tomorrow, is that okay?"
"And the wedding photos you always wanted—tomorrow we’ll go to the city and take a set together."
In my previous life, not having wedding photos was my lifelong regret.
My hands trembled slightly as I stared at the wedding invitation sitting on the coffee table, its cursive letters mocking me. I remembered how I used to flip through bridal magazines, circling bouquets and dresses I could never afford, dreaming of a day that, now, didn’t feel like it belonged to me at all. I wondered if Derek could see the change in my eyes, if he sensed the door quietly closing between us. He reached for my hand, but I pulled away. This time, the future was mine—and I wasn’t giving it up for anyone.