There were a few clear signs of what had happened scattered on the floor. I couldn’t help but comment: “Great pic. Guess we’ve got the theme for tomorrow’s wedding.” Then I grabbed a suitcase and started shoving all her stuff into it.

The reason Sophie felt bold enough to post that photo was that she believed my unwavering devotion meant I wouldn’t dare to call off the wedding. She thought I would forgive her without hesitation because of how deeply I loved her—so much so that I had lost all sense of dignity. But she seemed to forget that she once told me, “Kyle, even if I mess around with others, it will never be real. My first time will always be yours.” Yet in that photo, there were obvious signs of what had happened between her and Ethan. It seemed she had long since lost count of how many “first times” she’d had.

Suddenly, clarity struck me. If she and Ethan were so in love, then so be it. There was no longer any need for this wedding.

At 10 a.m., I switched my phone back on. Dozens of missed calls flooded in, along with a barrage of messages from Sophie. As soon as my phone booted up, she called.

“Kyle, what’s going on?! It’s 10 o’clock and you’re still not here for the wedding rehearsal! Do you know how embarrassing this is for me? You better prepare double the gift money; my bridesmaids are going to be furious! Do you even want to marry me anymore?”

I put it on speakerphone. In the past, I would have responded gently and complied with her demands. But now, I didn’t care anymore. “And you need to apologize to me first,” I said, my voice dripping with a sarcasm I didn’t know I possessed. “Sophie, are those marks on your neck going to disappear by today? You spent last night with Ethan. How much concealer will you need to cover those up? Today’s wedding is canceled.”

She laughed coldly. “Oh, so you saw my Instagram. Is this your way of getting back at me on our wedding day? You’ve been watching too much TV, Kyle,” she said sharply. “If my parents weren’t forcing me to marry you, do you think I would? The one I love is Ethan. You may have my body, but never my heart. Don’t think you can use last night against me. I’m giving you one last chance. Get here by 11, or forget about this wedding.”

With that, she hung up. Just then, my phone buzzed with a new message. It was a picture of Sophie sleeping in Ethan’s arms. Although she was covered by a blanket, the marks on her neck and her blissful expression made it clear what had happened. Ethan had texted: “She’s marrying you today, but last night was truly her wedding night.”

I took a screenshot of Sophie’s Instagram post, along with Ethan’s photo, and shared them both on my own Instagram with the caption: “Wedding canceled. Clearly, childhood sweethearts are more suited for each other.”

My phone immediately exploded with calls. Canceling at this point was no small matter. Sophie’s parents also called, asking anxiously what was going on. I couldn’t bring myself to say anything rude to my elders, but deep down, I no longer wanted to be entangled with Sophie.

“Professor,” I said softly, “I’m not throwing a tantrum. It’s just that Sophie has always loved Ethan, not me. You can see it for yourself on her Instagram.”

Sophie’s father was my university professor, and it was through him that I met her. He had always treated me very well, which was one reason I tolerated Sophie’s behavior for so long. He and his wife didn’t like Ethan. In college, Ethan had pursued Sophie relentlessly, but it was all just so he could establish himself in the city. He instigated Sophie to fight with her parents, asking them to help him get a spot to stay on campus so he could marry her. Ethan’s grades were terrible, and there was no way he could stay. I, on the other hand, had gone from Master’s to PhD under the professor’s guidance, winning national scholarships and publishing countless articles. The school decided to give that year’s spot to me. Ethan and Sophie claimed it was because of my interference that he couldn’t stay.

In the new house, I finished sorting through all of Sophie’s things, packing them into several suitcases. I was just about to call the moving company when Sophie came rushing out of the elevator, still in her wedding dress.

“Are you done with your tantrum? If so, come with me to the hotel. All our guests are waiting.”

Looking at her anxious face, I smiled. “Sophie, wasn’t last night your wedding night with Ethan already?”

She froze, and I sneered. “I’ve already informed our friends and family that the wedding is canceled. I wish you and Ethan a happy life together.”

Sophie exclaimed, “Kyle, have you thought about my parents? They’re your professors! Do you have no conscience? Can’t you see how embarrassed they’ll be?”

I took a deep breath. “Oh, when you were shamelessly doing those things, did you ever think about how embarrassed your parents would be? You even posted intimate photos with Ethan online.”

She glared at me fiercely. “Fine. I’ll promise to have less contact with Ethan in the future. Is that good enough for you? Don’t be so unreasonable. Who doesn’t have exes before getting married? I was just going to say goodbye to my past love. You’re making a big deal out of nothing.”

Looking at her disdainful face, I truly regretted the past few years. I showed her the photo Ethan had sent. “I’m not so in love with you that I’d let you walk all over me. I’m not going to marry you with a smile while you cheat on me. I packed your things. You might as well take them with you. Otherwise, I’ll have the cleaning staff throw them out.” With that, I pushed the suitcases out and slammed the door in her face.

The next day, I saw a message from Sophie’s father, urging me to come over. Thinking of how kindly he and his wife had treated me over the years, I felt a pang of guilt and decided to visit. As soon as I walked in, I found Sophie sitting on the couch, her expression defiant. “Kyle, didn’t you say you weren’t getting married? What’s the point of convincing my parents to pressure me now?”

Professor Smith stood up. “Enough, Sophie! Is this how I’ve raised you? You’re disappointing me greatly.”

Sophie shot back, “I’m my own person! I’ve only ever loved Ethan! Kyle is the one who doesn’t want to marry me now, not me!”

Tears filled her mother’s eyes. “Sophie, look at what you’ve done! How can you expect Kyle to handle this?”

Sophie gritted her teeth and glared at me. “Even if I agree to marry you, my heart doesn’t belong to you. My body and soul have always been Ethan’s.”

Feeling hopeless, I stepped in front of her parents, looking directly at Sophie. “When I pursued you, did I ever force you? This relationship has always been based on your consent. Why now claim that it’s me or your parents who are pressuring you?”

The professor’s hands trembled with anger. “You keep saying you love Ethan. Do you even know what kind of person he is?”

“You’re the ones with no conscience!” Sophie scoffed. “Do we really need to go over this? You took Ethan’s spot at school and gave it to Kyle! Don’t pretend, everyone knows your spot was earned by sucking up to my dad!”

The professor clutched his chest, gasping for breath. “What did you say? I’ve lived my life honestly, and now my own daughter accuses me of using underhanded tactics.”

Sophie stood up dramatically. “Isn’t that true? If it weren’t for being your daughter, I would have reported you long ago!”

The professor turned pale and pointed at her. “Good! I raised a wonderful daughter! Go ahead and report me now! Get out! Get out!”

“You’ll regret this,” Sophie shot back as she stormed out. “Just watch. I’ll make sure Ethan gets what he deserves.” As the sound of the door slamming echoed, the professor collapsed.

After the professor collapsed, the room descended into chaos. I stood there, frozen, as Sophie’s mother rushed to help him. Sophie turned towards me, her face full of fury. “This is your fault!” she screamed.

I wanted to argue back, to tell her she was the one who had caused all of this, but I kept my mouth shut. I walked out of the house, leaving the weight of my decision hanging heavily in the air. That was the final end between Sophie and me, or so I thought.

In the days that followed, Sophie began a campaign on social media to defame me. She posted about how I had manipulated her and stolen Ethan’s future. Worst of all, she used her parents’ devastation to garner sympathy, claiming I was the reason for her father’s health crisis.

Then, things escalated. I was called into a meeting at work. Sophie had sent a letter to the university, alleging that I had plagiarized parts of my academic work and earned my scholarship unfairly through favoritism from her father. The university had to investigate, and I was suspended. Losing my academic position was a devastating blow, but I wasn’t about to let her destroy everything I had built. I gathered evidence—emails, papers, correspondences—that showed my academic trajectory had been earned fairly. But the damage was done.

As I fought to clear my name, Sophie struck in the most cruel way possible. She showed up at my apartment one rainy morning, a cold smile on her face. “I’ve thought about it,” she said. “I’m going to raise this child. Ethan and I have decided. But everyone’s going to know you’re the biological father.”

I was completely stunned. “How could you be pregnant with my child? We haven’t been together in months.”

Then the truth hit me. It was another one of her manipulations. She planned to drag me into a legal and financial hell. I consulted a lawyer. He was blunt: it would be her word against mine, and we’d need to request a paternity test. Until then, my reputation would remain in jeopardy.

While the drama unfolded, I began investigating Sophie and Ethan’s past. I discovered that Ethan had been using Sophie the entire time. He wasn’t interested in a family; he was after her family’s money and academic connections. He saw Sophie as a tool to be used and discarded.

I decided I wasn’t going to let them get away with this. I filed a defamation lawsuit against Sophie and Ethan. The paternity test was conducted, and as I already knew, I wasn’t the father. In court, Sophie and Ethan were exposed for the liars and manipulators they were. The judge not only dismissed the paternity claim but also ordered Sophie to pay me damages for the emotional and financial harm she had caused.

In the end, Sophie lost everything. Her reputation was in ruins. Her parents sided with me after realizing the extent of her behavior, and Ethan disappeared once the money ran out. She ended up alone, while I slowly rebuilt my life. The most infuriating moment came when Sophie, with nothing left, tried to contact me again. “Kyle,” she said, “I made a mistake. Can we start over? I’ve always really loved you.” The only response I could give was to shut the door in her face.

After the trial, I moved on with my life. Returning to work after the suspension was tough, but with the support of colleagues and the truth about Sophie’s lies coming to light, I regained my academic position and slowly rebuilt my reputation. About two years after all that chaos, I met Camilla. She was unlike anyone I had ever met—smart, kind, and above all, respectful. With her by my side, not only did I improve at work, but I also began to embrace new opportunities. We were able to buy a house together, and eventually, we got married. Our relationship was everything Sophie and I could never have had, based on mutual respect, trust, and true partnership.

I thought my story with Sophie was completely over, but about four years later, I was blindsided by another legal notification. Sophie was attempting to sue me for “emotional compensation.” It was ridiculous, but knowing Sophie, I wasn’t entirely surprised. This time, I was prepared. My lawyer laughed when she saw the notification, and we quickly put together our defense. The case was dismissed swiftly, and Sophie didn’t get a single penny.

That was the last time I heard from her. Later, I learned through mutual acquaintances that Sophie was living a completely different life. With no support from her parents, she was living in a friend’s apartment and barely scraping by with odd jobs. Her once-influential family had distanced themselves completely. It was sad, in a way, but I knew these were the consequences of her own actions.

Meanwhile, my life was heading in the opposite direction. With Camilla by my side, my career flourished. I became a respected name in my academic field. We traveled the world for my speaking engagements. One evening, while we were having dinner, Camilla looked into my eyes and said, “I’m so proud of the man you are and everything we’ve built together. I’m sure the best is yet to come.”

Her words touched me deeply. Looking back now, I realize that everything that happened, as painful as it was, brought me to where I am today. Sophie was a dark chapter, but finding someone like Camilla showed me what true love and respect look like. Today, I live the life I’ve always wanted, free from the ghosts of the past, surrounded by love and prosperity.