Chapter Eighteen
Harrison
The alarm clock buzzed at five in the morning, a harsh, grating sound that bounced off the sterile white walls of Harrison’s apartment.
It was a decent place—a clean, functional one-bedroom that was a definite step up from the dingy studio he’d rented right after discovering Emily's son wasn't his and moving out of their shared apartment.
But as he looked up at the generic, low ceiling, he couldn't help but feel suffocated.
It was a far cry from the sprawling, custom-designed architectural masterpiece he used to call home.
He groaned, rolling over on the stiff mattress to smack the snooze button.
He sat on the edge of the bed, rubbing a hand over his tired face. He dragged himself to the narrow kitchenette and turned on the tap to fill the coffee pot.
This was his life now. He had traded a brilliant wife, a beautiful home, and a thriving career for a cheap, destructive thrill.
He couldn't blame Emily; he was the one who had broken his vows.
He was the one who was too weak, too selfish, and too arrogant to appreciate the incredible woman he had married. He had chased a fantasy.
Harrison put the mug down. His stomach churned with a sickening mixture of regret and longing.
For more than a year, he had been torturing himself by following Sarah's life through business magazines and social media updates.
He watched her firm get hired by major developers for high-profile projects, watched her smile in photos at charity galas, and obsessively scrolled through the announcements of her engagement to a billionaire.
He had no business going anywhere near her today, but a morbid, self-destructive urge gripped his chest. He needed to witness the finality of what he had thrown away.
***
Hours later, the fluorescent lights of the cramped, open-plan office buzzed overhead as Harrison stared blankly at another endless spreadsheet.
The digital clock in the corner of his monitor read 3:45 PM.
As a junior data entry clerk, he was scheduled until six, but the wedding started at five.
His supervisor—a kid fresh out of business school who looked at least a decade younger than Harrison—barked orders about weekly quotas from his glass-walled office.
Harrison pushed his keyboard away, the internal debate finally ending. He shouldn't go. Going would only twist the knife. He had already lost her; showing up to stare from the shadows was pathetic.
But the pull was too strong. He couldn't let the day pass without seeing the culmination of her happiness.
He had only managed to land this job three months ago, yet he grabbed his cheap jacket from the back of his chair and logged out of his terminal anyway.
He told the young supervisor he was clocking out early, accepting the inevitable reprimand and docked pay without a word.
By five, Harrison stood across the street from the grand cathedral downtown.
The autumn wind bit through his thin jacket, but he barely felt the cold.
He watched the stream of luxury cars pulling up to the curb.
Valets rushed to open doors for men in tailored tuxedos and women in designer gowns.
The Pierce family had spared no expense.
Harrison crossed the street, blending into the background of curious onlookers. He slipped into the vestibule of the church just as the heavy wooden doors were closing. He stayed hidden in the shadows of a stone pillar at the very back, making sure no one on the guest list could spot him.
The interior of the church took his breath away.
Thousands of white roses adorned every pew, filling the air with a sweet, intoxicating perfume.
Ethereal music drifted from a string quartet near the altar.
Standing at the end of the aisle was Julian.
The man radiated an effortless, innate power.
Julian didn't look nervous; he looked like a man about to claim his greatest victory.
Then, the music swelled, transitioning into a triumphant march. The guests stood. Harrison pressed his back against the cold stone, his heart hammering against his ribs.
Sarah appeared at the entrance.
Harrison completely forgot how to breathe. She wore a stunning, elegant white gown that hugged her curves and flowed into a dramatic train. Her face glowed with pure, unvarnished happiness. She held a bouquet of lilies, but it was her smile that ruined him.
It was the smile of a woman who had found her true equal. As she walked down the aisle, her eyes were locked entirely on Julian. She didn't look left or right. She didn't look back. She moved toward her future with a grace and certainty that brought a sharp, stinging ache to Harrison's eyes.
He remembered a time when she used to look at him like that. Before the lies. Before the betrayal. Before he had made her feel invisible.
Julian stepped forward as she reached the altar, taking her hand. Even from the back of the church, Harrison could see the love passing between them.
The minister began to speak, but Harrison couldn't bear to hear the vows. He couldn't listen to another man promise to cherish the woman he had broken.
A single, hot tear tracked down his rough cheek, dropping onto his worn collar.
Harrison turned his back on the scene. He pushed the doors open and stepped out into the biting city wind, entirely alone.
He shoved his hands into his pockets and started walking blindly down the pavement, his vision blurred.
He didn't see the woman stepping out of a nearby bakery until he collided with her.
A cardboard carrier tipped over, sending a cascade of paper shopping bags spilling across the concrete.
"Oh, I'm so sorry," Harrison mumbled, dropping to his knees to gather the scattered boxes.
"It's my fault, I couldn't see over the stack," a soft voice replied. The woman knelt beside him. She had kind, tired eyes and a slightly frantic smile.
Harrison picked up the last bag, noticing how much she was struggling to carry everything. "Let me help you with these," he offered, his voice raspy. "Are you going far?"
"Just to the brick building on the next corner," she said, looking relieved. "If you don't mind."
Harrison took the bulk of the bags, walking beside her down the block. It was an insignificant gesture, but as he helped carry her burden up the steps of her building, he realized it was the first decent thing he had done for someone else in years.
She reached the top landing, turning to him with a warm smile. "Thank you so much," she said, shifting a box to extend her free hand. "I'm Melany, by the way."
Harrison looked at her hand, hesitating for a heartbeat before taking it. "Harrison," he replied, meeting her eyes. For the first time all day, the crushing ice in his chest thawed, just a little.