Part 2The Voice Message Went Unheard

"I have a meeting with Tessa about a new deal."

He turned his back on me, leaving me with the dirty dishes and an empty, pushed-back chair.

In that instant, all the oppressive weight in the room seemed to press down on my chest.

I felt like I was suffocating, as if my mouth and nose were sealed shut with plastic wrap.

The study door was ajar. They were already on a voice call.

"William, the polo open at White Sail Bay is next week. Interested? I've been looking forward to this for half a year."

"I knew you'd want to go. I already got the VIP tickets. I'll take you tomorrow."

"You always know me best!"

"I happened to hear some investors mention it today, so I pulled some strings to get the tickets right away. Wanted to surprise you."

Every word out of William's mouth was like a blow, landing one after another.

For Tessa, he always had time. He was always thoughtful and considerate.

For me, all I ever got was: "She's a friend. You're my fiancée. Can you even compare the two?"

William, did you know? If being your wife means enduring this kind of pain, I'd rather go back to being strangers.

With a bang, I kicked the study door open.

William spun around, fumbling to cover his microphone.

His brow furrowed, his eyes flashing with a mix of confusion and annoyance at being interrupted.

"Tomorrow is our appointment to try on wedding dresses. Did you forget?"

My voice was sharp, a clear accusation.

He finally sensed something was wrong, a conflicted look crossing his face.

"I already promised to go to the polo match with Tessa tomorrow. I even have the tickets."

"Why don't you go try on the dress by yourself? It's not like the man does anything but sit around anyway. Or you could ask Mia to go with you."

In a split second, he had expertly produced an alternative plan and an excuse.

Accompanying his fiancée to a dress fitting was a trivial matter. Accompanying his childhood friend to a polo match was the top priority.

"No."

I refused without the slightest hesitation, my words slow and deliberate.

William glanced at his screen; Tessa's voice was still urging him to reply through his headset. He was getting anxious.

"Charlotte, can't I have my own life, my own plans?"

"Just because we're engaged, does that mean I have to be attached to you twenty-four-seven?"

His words were so self-righteous, I almost laughed out loud.

In the last seven years, when had he ever revolved his life around me?

During the day, not so much as a text from his office on Wall Street. At night, he'd hole up in his study the moment he got home.

He hadn't lifted a finger to help plan our engagement. I even picked out the engagement ring by myself...

His life was packed to the brim, just not with me.

I stared into his eyes, a profound wave of disappointment washing over me. "William, is getting married something I'm doing all by myself?"

My voice was heavy with exhaustion. Here I was, the most respected mafia Principessa of the underworld, begging for my fiancé's attention.

"You're being ridiculous."

William spat the words out coldly and put his noise-canceling headphones back on, clearly unwilling to spare me another word.

"Women can be so irrational."

He complained into the microphone, his tone lightening.

"Tessa, you'd better never be this unreasonable."

His casual taunt was met with Tessa's light laughter from the other end of the line.

Another day passed.

Let him go to the polo match with whomever he wanted. Soon, I wouldn't need him to accompany me to anything ever again.

William and I met in college.

Back then, William's pursuit of me was the stuff of legends. The possessiveness in his eyes whenever he looked at me was impossible to miss.

When we first got together, he would do almost anything I wanted to do: go for walks, see plays, even sit with me from morning to night while I did crafts and other girly things.

I always knew he wasn't one for texting, but whenever we met in person, his passion and tenderness were undeniable.

"I don't like texting. Typing is a hassle, and listening to voice messages is a hassle."

"I'm like this with everyone."

I believed him at the time and accepted his way of doing things.

I kept telling myself, this is just who he is.

He was a little rough around the edges, with not much patience, but I really loved him.

Later, when our relationship stabilized, he introduced me to Tessa. We would occasionally go to the country club to play tennis.

I didn't have the talent for it, nor the interest, so I quit after a while, thinking it was good that someone was there to help him relax.

I should never have seen the endless chat history between him and Tessa, a thread you could scroll through forever.