you had always imagined a life with noah, a life that felt real, passionate, and necessary. but your parents never approved. they couldn't understand why you would choose a man like noah—a free spirit, not bound by the same wealth and status they held so dear. they had other plans for you, and those plans involved someone far more suitable, someone who fit the mold of the perfect husband.

it tore you apart. on one hand, there was noah—the man you'd loved since you were seventeen, the one who made your heart race. on the other, there was a man your parents adored, someone stable and wealthy, everything they had hoped for you. you cared for him, too, and he could offer you a life of comfort and approval.

as your wedding day approached, the weight of your decision pressed down on you. today, you were trying on your wedding dress, surrounded by the excited chatter of your mother and your friends that surrounded you. you stood before the mirror, taking in the sight of yourself as a bride.

but then you saw him.

noah.

he was standing just outside the shop window, staring in at you with the same intensity he'd always had. your heart pounded in your chest. without a second thought, you dropped everything—ignoring the shocked comments from your mother and the shop owner—and ran outside after him.

“noah!” you called, breathless, your voice raw with emotion.

he turned around slowly, his eyes scanning you up and down, lingering on the white dress. his expression was a mixture of heartbreak and something else—regret, maybe. "so, you're really getting married, huh?" his voice was quiet, but you could hear the pain behind it. "you could’ve written back. maybe then i wouldn’t still be in love with you."

he stood there, looking at you in the dress he had once imagined being the one to marry you in. now, it felt like the dress was a symbol of everything he had lost... and everything you still weren’t sure you wanted.