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Chapter 5
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She Was Never the Real Reason Chapter 6
Countdown, day five. I submitted my resignation to the university. Initially, to be with Dominic, I'd turned down my advisor's offer to continue research, choosing instead to follow Dominic to Concordia University and become a teacher. My colleagues were surprised by my resignation. "Why are you leaving, Jane?" "I heard you were getting married. Going to be a stay-at-home wife? Dominic's a lucky guy!" one colleague joked. I smiled, holding my boxes. "No, the wedding's off." When I got home, I found Dominic and Beverly sitting on the couch—my first sight of Dominic in a week. He saw my boxes. "What are you doing with all those things?" I improvised. "Just stuff I don't need anymore." Dominic nodded, surveying the apartment. "I've only been gone a week. It seems like a lot less stuff is here." I took the boxes to the bedroom, calmly replying, "I just cleaned out some unnecessary junk." Dominic started to speak, but Beverly interrupted. "Jane, Dominic w
She Was Never the Real Reason Chapter 7
Dominic heard the last few words after he put Beverly in the car. Realizing he hadn't heard the beginning, I made up an excuse. "A friend of mine is leaving soon." Dominic nodded, asking no further questions. Countdown, day four. Dominic brought home his and Beverly's wedding photos. He video-chatted with Beverly on his phone while showing her the framed pictures, his eyes full of tenderness. "Beverly, our wedding photos are ready. The staff said they came out great." I happened to be getting water when he said that. A flicker of embarrassment crossed Dominic's face. He seemed about to say something. I glanced at the photo and commented, "They really are nice." I'd paid a high price for this photographer, hoping to capture the most loving moments between Dominic and me. I'd imagined feeling immense happiness when I saw the finished photos. Dominic, in his suit, was exactly as handsome as I'd envisioned. The only difference was the bride wasn't me.
She Was Never the Real Reason Chapter 8
Dominic's accusations made me laugh in anger. "Me apologize? Check the security footage yourself and see if I should apologize!" I hadn't expected Dominic to assume I'd tried to push Beverly down the stairs without even checking the footage. "Beverly is a patient, a pregnant woman. Would she deliberately harm herself?" A flicker of panic crossed Beverly's face. "Forget it, Dominic. Jane's anger is understandable. Let's go." But Dominic refused. "No, she has to apologize to you today!" I wouldn't back down. I wouldn't admit to something I hadn't done. Beverly, fearing Dominic would check the security footage and expose her, clutched her stomach, feigning discomfort. Dominic's furious expression instantly turned to worry. He scooped Beverly into his arms and rushed to find a doctor. Watching them leave, I felt a bitter taste spread through me. Twenty years of company, five years of dating, and I couldn't earn Dominic's trust. Thankfully, I'd woken up and could leave.
She Was Never the Real Reason Chapter 9
Dominic left the hospital after Beverly's condition stabilized. He texted Jane, asking if the wedding preparations were complete and that he was on his way to the cathedral. But he received no reply by the time he arrived. He opened his phone to text again, only to discover their last conversation was two weeks old. He scrolled up; the screen was almost entirely white. Sometimes Jane would ask what he wanted to eat, or seek his opinion on wedding details. Dominic's replies were always brief: "Whatever," "Fine," "Your choice." Jane remained unaffected, continuing to message him daily. Yet, for the past two weeks, there'd been no communication. A strange feeling washed over Dominic. Why hadn't Jane contacted him? He remembered Jane's disbelief a month ago when he told her he wanted to have a kid with Beverly. In twenty years, he'd never seen her so pained, or so vehemently opposed to something. After that, she'd only objected to the IVF; everything else remained the
She Was Never the Real Reason Chapter 10
Dominic stepped back, shaking his head in disbelief. How could she cancel? Two months ago, when he'd accepted her proposal, her joy had been undeniable. Why would she cancel the wedding? His friends and family were equally bewildered. They hadn't forgotten the date. Dominic's mother, after confirming with the staff that Jane had indeed cancelled, pulled him aside, anger simmering. "What's going on? The date was set! She didn't come, and cancelled the wedding? What does she mean?" Seeing his son's equally surprised expression, her anger intensified. She knew Jane and Dominic had been friends for twenty years, and she'd sensed Jane's affection for him; she'd approved of her as his daughter-in-law. But Jane, the bride, hadn't shown up, and had cancelled two weeks prior, without anyone knowing! "Call Jane! Ask her if she still wants to get married!" Dominic, jolted awake, pulled out his phone to call Jane. His hand trembled as he dialed. But she was already on a fli
She Was Never the Real Reason Chapter 11
The news hit Dominic like a thunderbolt. His suspicions were confirmed: Jane was breaking up with him. But why? Their wedding was today; he knew it was a dream she'd held for twenty years. How could she give it up? His mind raced. He remembered Jane's unusually calm face the previous night. She'd seemed to want to say something, but he'd rushed to the hospital to see Beverly, not hearing her out. He'd only glimpsed her sitting on the sofa, her face devoid of wedding joy or anger about his visit to Beverly – a stagnant pool of calm. Had she been trying to break up with him then? Dominic slumped onto the sofa, his thoughts tangled. His phone rang incessantly – his parents, his friends. He couldn't bring himself to answer. He couldn't understand her reasons. The staff had said she'd cancelled two weeks ago. Two weeks ago! That was the day he learned Beverly's IVF had been successful. He'd been about to bring it up again, to persuade Jane. But Beverly had texted him
She Was Never the Real Reason Chapter 12
After a two-hour flight, I finally arrived at Chrysalis. Emily had texted before takeoff, worried I wouldn't find the address, so she'd arranged a pickup. There were many people, but I couldn't find anyone with a sign bearing my name. I was about to call Emily when I heard someone shout, "Jane!" I turned to see a sunny young man approaching. "Excuse me, are you...?" He looked familiar, but I couldn't place him. He feigned a pained sigh, but his joy was unconcealed. "Jane, five years apart, and you've forgotten your junior? Heartbreaking!" The gaunt face of a student who'd spent 24 hours in the lab five years ago began to merge with the figure before me. "You're Marcus!" Five years ago, just before my graduation, my professor had taken on a new student, Marcus Holloway. I'd been busy with graduation and hadn't interacted much with him. My only memory was of him struggling with experimental data, spending a night and day in the lab. I'd been there to collect so
She Was Never the Real Reason Chapter 13
I didn't dwell on it, taking a deep breath and opening the door. Five years had passed; I noticed my professor had some gray hairs. The shame of leaving despite his pleas washed over me. He looked at his most promising, yet most regrettable student, sighing, "This time, stay and work with me." I nodded, suppressing my emotions. He dismissed us, sending Marcus to help me to the dorm. I dropped my bag, lay on the bed, and sighed contentedly. I'd only napped on the plane; exhaustion hit me. I fell asleep without unpacking. My phone rang, jolting me awake. Half-asleep, I answered. Dominic's angry voice blasted through the phone. "Jane, where are you?!" I was instantly awake. Seeing the time, I realized I'd only slept briefly. My annoyance and fatigue made my tone sharp. "It's in the calendar; we're over." His anger intensified. "No, I didn't agree!" "And you need to give me a reason." "Leaving me on our wedding day with just a breakup—what's that?" Underlying his an
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She Was Never the Real Reason Chapter 26
I agreed, and later that evening, I had someone deliver the invitation and a box of chocolate to Dominic. He unwrapped a chocolate, slowly putting it in his mouth. It seemed like he hadn't felt sweetness in a long time. Many guests attended the wedding, including my professors and colleagues from the lab, even those who were on vacation. My professor patted Marcus on the shoulder excitedly. "Great! You snagged Jane. You're a lucky guy!" My colleagues joined in with good-natured teasing. Looking at the man in the black suit beside me, I felt my happiness overflow. It was only after meeting Marcus that I understood what unconditional love felt like. The ceremony began. I walked down the aisle with my father, towards Marcus. My father placed my hand in Marcus's. "I entrust my daughter to you." Marcus promised my father, "Rest assured, I will cherish her for the rest of my life." Then came the vows, the exchange of rings, and the kiss. Thunderous applause and ch
She Was Never the Real Reason Chapter 25
Dominic weakly curled his lips. "Worth it." "It must have hurt you just as much when you saved me." Seeing how difficult it was for him to speak, I urged him to rest and stop talking. He shook his head, speaking slowly but firmly. "I didn't intentionally follow you. After you said those things yesterday, I thought a lot, and I understood." "I'm sorry for how I treated you. I carelessly wasted your feelings for me. I just want to tell you that I regret it. I've been hesitant about how to say it, and then I saw the robber pull out a knife. My only thought was to prevent you from getting hurt." I never expected to hear those words from Dominic. Years ago, I would have been moved by his change. But now, everything had changed. I was no longer the woman deeply in love with Dominic. I only felt gratitude towards him, nothing more. Seeing my silence, Dominic understood my current feelings. But he still wanted to make one last attempt. "If Beverly hadn't been involved,
She Was Never the Real Reason Chapter 24
The expected pain didn't come. I turned around quickly, only to see Dominic standing behind me, one hand clutching his abdomen, his face ashen. Blood continued to well up from the wound. Seeing him about to collapse, I caught him, immediately dialing 911 with my other hand. Dominic's consciousness was already fading, intense pain consuming his mind. He struggled to open his eyes, seeing my anxious expression, and managed a weak smile. The pain from his ripped abdomen was excruciating. My focus was on stopping the bleeding; I pressed down on the wound. Seeing his eyelids droop, I shouted, "Hold on, Dominic! Don't sleep! The paramedics are coming. You have to hold on!" Just before he lost consciousness, he heard the sirens. The paramedics rushed him onto the stretcher, applying pressure to the wound while notifying the hospital to prepare for emergency surgery. Dominic looked at me, my face full of panic, before finally losing consciousness. After three h
She Was Never the Real Reason Chapter 23
Dominic didn’t understand why I’d asked that question. I pressed on. "If you liked me, why did you never buy me birthday presents? Why didn't you want to travel with me? Why did you let another woman get pregnant, and even take wedding photos with her?" "My heart feels things too; I can be hurt," I said. "If this is your idea of liking someone, I'm not interested." With each sentence, Dominic's face grew paler. Past memories flooded his mind. He wanted to refute me, but he found that every memory confirmed my words. Each incident, each action, was something he'd done, leaving him speechless. Finally, he could only stammer about Beverly. "I was only kind to Beverly because I mistook her for you. If I'd known it was you, I wouldn't have..." "Enough!" I interrupted. Did he think the biggest problem between us stemmed from Beverly? Apparently, after two years, he still hadn't understood the real issue. "Even without Beverly, there would have been someone else," I said
She Was Never the Real Reason Chapter 22
Before I could answer, his expression turned agitated. "I can explain. I thought Beverly was my savior; I never had any feelings for her, and nothing happened between us." "Only after you left... after you left, I realized..." Dominic choked back sobs, tears welling in his eyes. After a long moment, he composed himself. "That the person who saved me on New Year's Eve six years ago was you. I had the wrong person." Dominic looked at me, his eyes red with regret, guilt, and frustration, but also a hint of hidden expectation. He hoped that knowing the truth would make me forgive him and reconcile with him. Unfortunately, he miscalculated. Hearing that the savior he referred to was from New Year's Eve six years ago, I was indeed surprised. When Dominic first introduced Beverly to me, he hadn't specified when she'd saved him. And after I woke up in the hospital that year, I avoided mentioning that night in front of Dominic. That was the source of the misunderstanding. Even now,
She Was Never the Real Reason Chapter 21
My parents sat beside me, looking equally troubled. When I'd canceled the wedding two years ago, I hadn't told them the real reason, only that I wanted to focus on my research. Therefore, in their eyes, the responsibility for the canceled wedding lay primarily with our family. Even though they always felt Dominic's feelings for me weren't very deep, they still felt guilty towards him. Over the past two years, although I hadn't returned home, Dominic would periodically appear downstairs in our apartment building. He never came upstairs, but my parents sensed he was looking for me. In the last six months, it was almost every other day. My parents had tried to persuade him to stop coming. After all, my decision to cancel the wedding had been firm. Furthermore, I was in the lab and hadn't come home, so his vigil was pointless. But they'd witnessed his persistence over the two years, softening their previously negative impression of him. They'd even privately disc
She Was Never the Real Reason Chapter 20
I was utterly exasperated by his statement. Was I supposed to hire an actor to deceive him? I didn't care what he thought. But I was also puzzled. He'd always been aloof, no matter how much I did for him. I almost thought his heart was made of stone; it was impossible to warm him. Only Beverly's appearance revealed his capacity for tenderness. Two years ago, I chose to withdraw, to let them be. But now he acted as if he still deeply loved me? Even if Beverly had passed away from cancer, his attitude shouldn't be this way. "Excuse me, Marcus is my legitimate fiancé," I said. "Our wedding is on the 18th of this month—ten days from now." My words were like thunder in Dominic's ears. His eyes instantly reddened. He couldn't accept it, couldn't accept his beloved marrying another man! But I had lost interest in engaging with him. I didn't want an irrelevant person to ruin my welcome party. I gestured for everyone to move to another location. As we passed
She Was Never the Real Reason Chapter 19
Before Dominic reached the private room, he even went to the restroom to adjust his clothes in the mirror. He initially just planned to have dinner, not expecting to see Jane. But after learning of her presence, he couldn't wait for another encounter. He quickly tidied himself up and went to the door of the private room. Before opening the door, he'd imagined Jane's possible reactions: she might still be angry and unforgiving, or she might have moved on, treating him as a mere acquaintance. He believed he could accept either outcome. As long as he saw Jane again, he was confident he could rekindle her feelings. He never considered, however, that she would have a boyfriend, and be on the verge of marriage. The word "fiancé" was like a bucket of ice water, chilling him to the bone. His heart felt like it was being squeezed, making it hard to breathe. He desperately hoped Jane would say it was a joke, that Marcus was just her junior colleague. But she didn't. He
She Was Never the Real Reason Chapter 18
Two years later, Concordia Airport. I pushed my luggage, occasionally glancing around at the changes. The lab's first experiment took two years, unexpectedly. But the results were perfect, and my professor gave us a two-month break. I was finally back in Concordia. For a moment, I felt a pang of emotion; it had been two years since I left this city. But things were different… My gaze softened as I saw Marcus's excited figure beside me. Two years ago, I left alone. Now, we were returning together. And this time, we had an important task to accomplish. Marcus checked his watch, grabbed my wrist, and started jogging. "Jane, we're going to be late!" When Alexa learned I was returning to Concordia, she immediately insisted on throwing a welcome party. Two years apart, we needed to catch up. I missed my old friends, so I agreed. The party was scheduled for the day we landed. We arrived at the restaurant just as the appointed time arrived. Marcus pulled me hurriedly inside.
