The Day He Knelt, I Married a Don Novel

---- Chapter 3 Chloe stared at her for a moment, slightly taken aback. Although Tessa had always appeared indifferent, she had never been so blunt before. "Pm sorry, Tessa. I didn't realize you cared so much about this wedding dress..." Chloe put on a hurt expression. How could she not know that Tessa cared? The dress was something Tessa had designed herself, from choosing the fabric to the details of the embellishments-every step was her personal touch. From the proposal to now, Tessa had placed so much importance on this bond. Ryan glanced at Chloe, then immediately turned to Tessa.

"Tt's not a big deal, babe. Don't be upset. It's Chloe's first time wearing a wedding dress. Just let her have this moment." Tessa turned her gaze to him, her eyes cold and empty. There was no anger, only an overwhelming sense of numbness. He knew her so well, so he must have realized that she hated wearing clothes that had been worn by someone else -even if it was her own dress. ---- For the first time, Tessa felt like the man before her was a stranger. He was no longer the Ryan who had once relentlessly pursued her. She lifted her gaze to Chloe, not wanting to argue.

Her lashes fluttered slightly as her voice became light. "Tt's yours." With that, Tessa turned and left the bridal shop without another word. Ryan quickly followed, rushing to catch up and grabbing her wrist. "Babe, what's going on? Are you upset?" "We're here to try on wedding dresses, remember?" "Don't be angry, P-" Tessa interrupted him, feeling overwhelmed by the noise. "No, I'm just tired. I'm going home now. You can pick whichever dress you want." Ryan immediately smiled. "I knew you'd be so understanding." ---- She left him standing in the bridal shop and made her way home alone.

Before she left, she saw them laughing and joking in the shop, and a ripple of emotion stirred in her chest. She turned away, her face showing no emotion. The wedding dress was meant to be worn for someone meaningful, and Ryan no longer deserved to see her in the dress she had designed herself. This marriage had always been a lie from the start.

Chloe posted a photo of herself in the wedding dress on Instagram, with the caption: "This beautiful wedding dress was practically made for me, and the best part is that the photographer really put his heart into it." It was obvious from the photos that Ryan had taken them for her. Tessa tossed her phone aside, too tired to argue, and just felt exhausted. When she opened her eyes again, she realized it was already midnight. At that moment, Ryan was in the bathroom, getting ready for bed. ---- The sound of a notification caught her attention. Her eyes moved to Ryan's phone.

Perhaps Ryan thought she was asleep, unaware that she had noticed. The screen displayed a social media account-his secret account. Tessa wasn't the type to check his phone. Ryan knew well enough that even if she did, he would have countless ways to deceive her. Amessage popped up on the screen. Tessa clicked it open and saw several pictures sent by someone marked with a "C." The woman in the photos was wearing stockings, dressed in a sexy and playful outfit. Tessa instantly recognized Chloe.

"Ryan, come find me." "Same place." Tessa's hand trembled as she held the phone, feeling as though it might slip from her grip at any moment. ---- Her breath became shallow. She hadn't expected them to have already reached this point behind her back. Even though their mating ceremony was only a few days away. Seeing these messages, even though she had already suspected something, still caused her heart to break. When the sound of running water stopped, Tessa put the phone down, turned away, and closed her eyes, lying there in silence.