Hanley's wedding day
"Is there really any point in pushing through this storm just to get here? No matter how many times I say it, you won't listen, will you?" Lala grumbled as she carefully navigated the puddles, her feet slipping slightly. Bella handed the rickshaw fare to the driver with a quick smile, silently following her inside.
The Oasis Hotel—the kind of place where luxury dripped from every corner, where a downpour outside felt insignificant.
"Are you really sure about this, Bella?" Lala's voice softened, laced with concern. "We've come this far, but we can still turn back."
Bella turned to her. Her expression was unreadable, but the quiet resolve was there, plain on her face. It was as if the very air had changed around her, a tension Bella had long buried but Lala could sense all too well.
"Bella, you don't have to do this," Lala pressed, her words tender with worry. "You're walking into a storm."
Bella's fingers clenched into fists, her nails digging into her palm as she forced down the swirling emotions that threatened to overwhelm her. "I have to do this," she said, her voice steadier than she felt. "I need him to see that I've moved on, that my life is better without him."
Lala studied her, her face tightening with concern. "You're not fooling anyone, Bella. Least of all him."
"I have to show him," Bella repeated, more fiercely this time, though the words felt like a lie as soon as they left her lips.
Lala exhaled sharply, knowing this wasn't a fight she could win, but still unwilling to give up on her friend. She reached out, pulling Bella close. "You don't have to prove anything to him. You don't owe him your pain."
But Bella just shook her head. "I owe it to myself," she whispered. "I need to see that I'm enough... without him."
Lala's lips tightened, and she let Bella walk ahead, the words of caution hanging heavy between them.
When Bella's eyes fell on the hotel's welcome board, the world seemed to stand still. The words blurred as her heart slammed against her chest, the weight of them suffocating her.
Hanley Samuel Matthews
Weds
Reetha Jasmine
The picture was a punch to her gut—Hanley, radiant, smiling with Reetha. The life they'd promised, the dreams they shared, felt like they belonged to someone else. Bella's voice broke through the haze, shaking with disbelief. "Lala… look. Did I really mean nothing to him?"
Lala, her own heart aching for her friend, could only watch as Bella's facade cracked.
"Let's go," Lala urged, voice low but insistent. "This isn't you, Bella. You deserve better than this."
But Bella, too far gone in her hurt, ignored her, storming into the hotel.
The wedding hall stretched out before them, an extravagant display befitting Oasis Hotel's reputation. The walls and ceilings were adorned with opulent floral arrangements, and the theme for today's wedding was unmistakable—red rose flowers, symbolizing love, trust, and courage.
Bella's heart tightened as she realized that it was Hanley who had chosen these flowers. Hadn't he once said that he would never let go of me?
The thought nearly brought a bitter laugh to her lips, but she choked it down. The irony was too much to bear. A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth, but it was cold, bitter, hollow.
Lala, noticing her growing agitation, leaned in and whispered, "we shouldn't have come dressed like this. Look at everyone around us—so prim and proper. We're just looking like cleaners, you know?"
Bella only half-heard her. Her eyes swept across the room, noticing the well-dressed guests, their polished appearance starkly contrasting with her own plain attire.
It doesn't matter, she thought, her chest tightening. Why should I care?
"Whatever. As long as we get some food, I'm good," Lala muttered, clearly trying to lighten the mood.
"Shh. Come with me, and don't say another word." Bella's tone was sharp as she took Lala's hand and guided her deeper into the hall. But the moment they reached the stage, her feet froze.
There, standing together—Hanley and his bride, Reetha—smiling as though their happiness was the only thing that mattered in the world.
Bella felt as if the earth had vanished beneath her feet. For a long moment, she stood there, motionless, her heart pounding wildly in her chest.
Is this really happening? she wondered, her mind struggling to accept what her eyes were seeing. Hanley, the man who had once promised her the world, was standing here, beside someone else.
Just half an year ago, he had loved her. He had told her that he had never loved anyone the way he loved her. They had talked about a future together, a life built on shared dreams, hands forever intertwined. And now, he was holding another woman's hand.
Bella's anger surged, and without thinking, she pushed forward, intent on confronting him. Lala tried to stop her, but she didn't care. She couldn't stay silent any longer. She marched toward the stage, her steps determined, her emotions raw and unrestrained.
When she reached Hanley, she grabbed his arm, spinning him around to face her.
His eyes widened in shock, and for a split second, he froze. His gaze shifted between Bella and Reetha, his expression a mixture of confusion and something else—regret? Guilt? She couldn't tell.
"You invited me here, Hanley!" Bella's voice shook with fury. "You wanted me to see this? You wanted me to watch you marry someone else? You promised me, Hanley, you promised me that you would never let go. And now, here you are, giving everything you once gave me to her. Was it all a lie?"
Her words hung in the air, thick with pain. Hanley opened his mouth, but no words came out. He stood there, frozen, unable to respond.
In the silence that followed, the sound of a balloon popping somewhere in the hall startled her. Bella turned, only to see a child in the distance, crying.
"What happened?" Bella muttered under her breath, asking lala.
Lala, now standing beside her, touched her arm, her voice low and comforting. "Bella.. "You've been staring at them for so long. If you're done, let's go grab something to eat."
Lala's words only made Bella realize that what she had witnessed was nothing more than a fleeting daydream.
In truth, Bella found herself unable to take even a single step forward. She realized she wasn't as strong as she had thought. Her whole body began to tremble, and her heart raced wildly, pounding faster with every passing second. Once again, an overwhelming, unbearable pain surged through her chest.
Once, the very eyes that had looked at her with so much love were now gazing at another woman with that same joy, that same affection. That same love. How could it be that a person could transfer that intensity of feeling, without it fading even a little, to someone else?
"Bella, control yourself. Let him do whatever he wants," Lala reminded her, irritated.
"Lala, how can I let him go? He is my love. If letting go were that easy, would love even exist in this world? The memories, the feelings, my love—they were never lies. For me, this was never a falsehood."
Lala wished, just like Bella, that he must also be suffering. It wasn't that he had abandoned her—sometimes, people simply can't see other paths. But deep down, Lala knew that this wasn't true. He had already let her go, without even pausing to think about it. Sometimes, believing in a lie is far easier than facing the painful truth.
"Let's go, Bella. I can't bear to see you like this. Let him have what's his. Look at yourself," Lala said, biting her lip in frustration.
Lala was indeed a true friend to her. she had never abandoned Bella in any situation. Both of them were talkative by nature, and perhaps it was their similar personalities that drew them closer.
Seeing Bella in this state, Lala was furious. If she had the chance, she would have stormed up to the stage and slapped Hanley hard on the nose with all her might. But she knew Bella would never allow that. As she had said before... Hanley was always Bella's love. Even if he abandoned her, her feelings for him would remain unshaken. Once Bella decided to give someone a place in her heart, no one could ever change that. Not even her. Lala always called it a kind of madness.
Bella still couldn't come to terms with Hanley's actions. It was Lala who had to drag her out of there.
"Hey, stop... I want to see the perfect girl he's chosen as my replacement. I need to ask him how he forgot my love in an instant. Didn't he know I was falling apart here?" Bella spoke with a smile, but her eyes were filled with sorrow. The depth of pain in her eyes and the bitterness in her words was quickly understood by Lala.
"Don't you realize he's already moved on? He's forgotten you. Look around, Bella. You're the only one in this entire hall suffering. Just you. That's why, Bella, it's time for us to leave." Lala spoke firmly, gripping her hand tightly as she pulled her out of the hall.
Bella cried the entire way without knowing why or for whom. Luckily, not a single person in that huge hall even seemed to notice the two girls.
Outside the grand hotel, a small, beautifully designed garden had been created. It was a tiny space filled with flowers in a variety of colors. Bella sat on a bench in the middle of it, a few wilted red roses hanging from her feet. Her gaze shifted to them, the once-vibrant color now faded. Her mind was silent, as if free from thoughts, calm despite everything. All she could focus on was the vivid image of those hanging roses.
"Come on, have some water," Lala said, bringing a bottle of mineral water and holding it out to Bella. That simple action seemed to break the stillness.
"Just water?" Bella asked, looking at the bottle with a hint of suspicion.
"What else do you want?" Lala shook the water bottle, gesturing for her to take it.
"Well, after a breakup, people usually drink beer," Bella replied with seriousness. But Lala laughed and quickly sat next to her.
"Is that what you meant?" Bella nodded without hesitation.
"Well, that's not the right way. Not everyone does that. Some people use a breakup as an excuse to drink beer. That's all," Lala explained, handing her the water bottle, signaling for her to drink.
Bella had never wanted to drink beer after a breakup. So, for now, she took the bottle and first washed her face, then drank some water. With a deep sigh, she looked at the grand hotel.
"It's here that I first saw him…" she said, and without realizing it, a smile formed on her lips.
"Then we can end it right there. That's a relief," Lala replied joyfully.
"I'm afraid I can't do that. I can't let go of him so easily," Bella said, still smiling softly.
"He did all this just to escape from you?" Lala asked, her voice tinged with anger.
"Even though he shattered my heart into a thousand pieces," Bella answered honestly.
"You know you're being crazy, right?" Lala was genuinely shocked at her behavior.
"Maybe that's why he left me. Don't you think so?" As she asked, her eyes began to fill with tears again.
"Definitely." Lala nodded in agreement, then sighed deeply. As she felt tears rising in her eyes, Bella quickly pressed her hands over her mouth to stop herself from crying.
Lala gently held Bella's head and brought it close to her chest. Bella lifted her head for a moment and looked at her.
"It's all over now. If you want, you can let it all out," Lala said, patting her head and pulling her into a tight hug. Only then did Bella start crying, like a little child.
The rain started falling again. Bella always loved the rain. Whenever she was upset, the rain felt like a relief. It was as though everything inside her that needed to be let out was washing away with the rain. Once the storm passed, there was hope that her mind would clear as well. A cool smile spread across her face, and she looked up at the sky as the rain poured down. Slowly, her dignity was restored, and so was her spirit.
"Are you hungry?" Bella suddenly asked Lala.Lala, amazed, lifted Bella's face to look at her. Bella was smiling.
"Yes… I am definitely hungry," Lala replied, making Bella laugh as she got up.
"Let's go, then."
They walked back into the hotel. By now, most of the guests had left, and the hall was empty. There was no longer a crowd, so getting into the food hall was easy. Since it was a buffet, they could pick whatever they liked. They both piled their plates high with food—biryani, fried rice, porotta, pathiri, and everything in between. Desserts were also devoured without hesitation. They finished every last bite, thoroughly satisfied.
"If we hadn't eaten this, it would have been the biggest mistake of your life," Lala said, rubbing her stomach. Bella smiled and nodded.
In the main hall, the bride and groom, along with everyone else, had left. Bella felt a sense of relief. She gently led Lala to a chair and sat down, looking toward the stage. What she had seen there just moments ago felt like a dream, and she tried to teach herself to forget it.
"Why are we still sitting here? Let's go," Lala's question brought her back to reality.
"Look, it was here that I first saw him." Bella pointed to a chair on the opposite side of the room, where she had first spotted him.
"Hey, you're saying the same thing again. How many times have you said this? When I first saw him, he was wearing a blue shirt. After that, you started liking the color blue. You didn't like the way he wore his hair close to his shoulders," Lala began impatiently. But Bella wasn't affected by it at all.
"No matter how many times you say it, those are still my favorite memories," Bella said, smiling joyfully.
"Then, after throwing all those memories away, didn't he move on with his life, huh?" Lala said, and although what she said was true, Bella stopped her from saying more.
"Let's sit here for a little while longer. Like you said, everything that started here should end here too. Then, we can go."
Lala didn't try to argue further. She remained silent, sitting beside Bella. The memories of the fifteen-year-old girl, with her carefree nature, staring at the figure of a young man, flashed in Bella's eyes.
In present, Hanley was still standing, waiting for an answer from her.
"Tell me, did you attend my wedding?" He asked again.
"So, what if I did?" Bella asked sharply, glaring at him with a heavy tone.
"Did you ever regret it, Hanley? When you stood on that stage with another girl, did you ever regret it?" Bella's question left Hanley stunned.
He quickly released her hand, speechless. He didn't have an answer to her question. The truth was, at that time, he never regretted anything. He had intentionally forgotten Bella.
In the next moment, with a soft sound, the lift doors opened. Bella quickly walked past Hanley, and after a brief moment of hesitation, she turned around without looking at him and said, "Stay away from me." The next moment, Bella stepped out, and the lift doors closed again. Through the gap in the doors, Bella clearly saw Hanley's face, his silent expression losing all of its previous strength.