“I didn’t agree.
I said I’d think about it.”
Several people visibly winced.
Dylan gave a small nod, almost to himself.
“Exactly.”
Tessa stared at him.
For the first time, genuine fear moved across her face.
“You’re not seriously doing this.”
Dylan touched the ring on his own hand, a simple band he had apparently begun wearing after the engagement.
“I can’t marry someone I have to beg to be kind when there’s an audience.”
Tessa’s mother inhaled sharply.
My mother finally looked up.
Tessa’s face went blank.
“What?”
Dylan didn’t repeat himself immediately.
That made it worse.
Tessa crossed the space between them and lowered her voice.
“You’re ending our engagement because of her?”
She pointed at me.
Every eye followed her finger.
I felt the old instinct rise in me immediately: apologize, shrink, make it easier for everyone.
Dylan stopped it before I could.
“No.”
His voice was firm now.
“I’m ending it because of you.”
Tessa stared at him.
“You were cruel to her.
You planned it.
I asked you not to do it.
You promised yourself everyone would laugh, so you thought it wouldn’t count.”
He glanced around the table.
“And they did laugh.”
Several relatives lowered their eyes.
My mother flinched.
Dylan continued.
“But whether they laughed doesn’t change what you chose to do.”
Tessa’s father stepped closer.
“Dylan, decisions like this shouldn’t be made in anger.”
“I’m not angry.”
That was the frightening part.
He wasn’t.
His voice was exhausted.
“I think I’ve been avoiding this decision for a while.”
Tessa’s anger cracked.
“You told me you loved me this morning.”
“I do love you.”
She looked almost relieved.
Then he finished.
“But love doesn’t make this acceptable.”
Her expression collapsed again.
I finally stood.
Every instinct told me to escape before somehow this became my responsibility too.
“Tessa,” I said quietly, “I didn’t ask him to do this.”
She turned toward me so fast the movement startled me.
“Of course you didn’t.
You just sat there looking pathetic until he decided to rescue you.”
