I looked at Zhou Yi’an.
For seven years, I had known every expression on his face.
The way his eyebrows moved when he was angry.
The way his lips curved when he was trying to comfort me.
The way he avoided eye contact when he was hiding something.
And now…
He wasn’t looking at me.
He was looking at the closed door behind him.
The door that contained my wedding dress.
My jewelry.
My memories.
And the woman who had somehow become more important than the bride herself.
—Why did you tell them I was nervous?
My voice was calm.
Too calm.
Zhou Yi’an finally looked at me.
—Because today is your wedding day. Everyone knows brides get emotional.
I laughed softly.
—Emotional?
I pointed at the locked door.
—My wedding dress is inside.
—My parents are waiting downstairs.
—The guests are watching the livestream.
—And the ceremony starts in twenty minutes.
I stared at him.
—But the person you are protecting is sleeping peacefully in my room.
His expression darkened.
—Nhuoc Dao, don’t make this worse.
There it was.
Again.
The same sentence.
Every time I questioned something.
Every time I felt hurt.
Every time I asked him to choose me.
I was always the one making things difficult.
Seven years ago, when we first met, Zhou Yi’an was not like this.
He was the person who waited outside my classroom in the rain.
The person who saved the last piece of cake for me.
The person who promised:
“One day, I will give you the biggest wedding in the world.”
Back then, I believed him.
I believed that love meant someone would always stand beside you.
I never imagined that one day, on my wedding day…
I would have to beg that same person to let me enter my own room.
The hotel manager looked uncomfortable.
—Mr. Zhou, perhaps we can call Ms. Tong?
Everyone became silent.
Zhou Yi’an immediately refused.
—No.
The answer was too fast.
Almost instinctive.
My father narrowed his eyes.
—Why?
Zhou Yi’an hesitated.
Only for a second.
But everyone saw it.
—Because she just fell asleep.
My mother looked at him.
—A girl who can sleep through a wedding morning…
She paused.
—But the bride standing outside cannot enter her own room?
Zhou Yi’an’s face changed.
—Auntie, you misunderstood.
—Misunderstood what?
My mother’s voice trembled.
—That my daughter should sacrifice everything today because another woman is uncomfortable?
At that moment, the door suddenly opened.
Everyone froze.
The person standing inside was not a sleepy woman.
It was Tong Nghien.
She was wearing my silk robe.
The one my mother had custom-made for me.
Her hair was messy.
Her face looked innocent.
As if she had no idea why everyone was staring.
—Yi’an?
She rubbed her eyes.
—What’s happening?
Zhou Yi’an immediately walked toward her.
—Why are you awake?
I almost laughed.
That was his first question.
Not:
“Are you okay?”
Not:
“Why are you wearing her robe?”
But:
“Why are you awake?”
Tong Nghien looked at me.
Then at the wedding dress hanging inside.
A small smile appeared.
—Oh…
—This is Nhuo Dao’s dress?
No one answered.
She gently touched the fabric.
—It’s beautiful.
My fingers slowly tightened.
Because I knew that dress.
My mother spent three months choosing the design.
My grandmother’s embroidery was sewn into the inside.
It was supposed to be the most important dress of my life.
And another woman had been sleeping beside it.
Zhou Yi’an finally realized something was wrong.
—Nghien, why are you wearing this?
She looked down.
Then immediately panicked.
—I thought it was just a robe…
—I was cold.
She looked at me.
—I’m sorry, Nhuo Dao.
Her apology sounded perfect.
Too perfect.
Like she had practiced it.
I stared at her.
Then I looked at Zhou Yi’an.
And suddenly everything became clear.
The locked door.
The changed permissions.
The excuse about heart problems.
The fact that he cared more about waking her than ruining my wedding.
This was not an accident.
It was a choice.
The wedding coordinator rushed over.
—Miss Wen, we really have to decide now.
—The guests are waiting.
—The ceremony cannot be delayed any longer.
Everyone looked at me.
Waiting.
Expecting me to continue.
To smile.
To put on the dress.
To pretend nothing happened.
Because after seven years…
Surely I wouldn’t destroy everything over one room.
Right?
I slowly walked toward my father.
I took the wedding speech from his pocket.
The speech he had practiced all night.
Then I folded it carefully.
My father looked at me.
—Nhuo Dao?
I smiled.
But my eyes were cold.
—Dad.
—The wedding cannot continue.
The entire hallway froze.
Zhou Yi’an’s expression changed immediately.
—What are you saying?
I turned toward him.
For the first time that morning…
I wasn’t asking him to choose me.
I was informing him of my choice.
—I’m saying that I won’t marry a man who makes me fight another woman for a place on my own wedding day.
Tong Nghien’s face turned pale.
—Nhuo Dao, don’t misunderstand…
I raised my hand.
—Enough.
My voice wasn’t loud.
But everyone stopped.
—Today was supposed to be the day I became your wife.
I looked at Zhou Yi’an.
—But before I even entered the ceremony hall, you already taught me something.
His face tightened.
—What?
I smiled.
—That in your heart, I was never the bride.
Silence.
Then I removed the engagement ring from my finger.
The diamond reflected the hallway lights.
Seven years.
Seven years of waiting.
Seven years of believing.
I placed it into his hand.
—Keep it.
Zhou Yi’an stared at the ring.
His voice finally changed.
Not anger.
Fear.
—Nhuo Dao…
—Are you really ending this?
I looked at him.
And answered:
—No.
—You ended it the moment you chose to lock me outside.
I turned around.
My father took my hand.
My mother held back tears.
And together…
we walked away from the wedding hall.
Behind me, I heard Zhou Yi’an call my name.
But this time…
I didn’t stop.
Because twenty-eight minutes before my wedding began…
I finally discovered the truth.
The person who should have opened the door for me…
was the same person who had locked me out.
