That was the moment something finished inside me.
Not the hug.
Not Nico.
The lie with eye contact.
I opened the laptop.
Turned it toward her.
Restaurant reservation.
Her face changed.
Only slightly.
Then she sighed.
Not guilt.
Annoyance.
“Seriously?”
“You told me you were at work.”
“I was going to explain.”
“When?”
“Matteo, Nico and I reconnected.”
“I can see that.”
“It isn’t what you think.”
“What do I think?”
“You think I’m cheating.”
“You booked an anniversary table.”
“The restaurant had that in the system from years ago.”
That explanation was so weak I almost admired the attempt.
“Then why did you lie?”
“Because you react badly to Nico.”
“You told me he was blocked.”
“That was years ago.”
“Why is he back?”
Lara crossed her arms.
“We’ve been talking.”
“How long?”
“A while.”
“How long?”
“Couple months.”
There it was.
While I worked overtime.
While we picked invitations.
While she upgraded flowers.
Months.
“Did anything physical happen?”
“No.”
I did not know whether I believed her.
It no longer mattered as much as she thought.
“You lied for months.”
“I knew you’d be insecure.”
“That is not an answer.”
“See?”
She raised her hands.
“This is exactly why I didn’t tell you.”
I stared.
“You lied because you knew I would be upset that you were secretly reconnecting with your ex.”
“Yes.”
“And somehow my reaction is the problem.”
“You’re twisting it.”
“No.”
She picked up her phone.
“I’m not doing this tonight.”
“Neither am I.”
She looked at the laptop.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I canceled the wedding.”
Silence.
For the first time since entering, Lara stopped performing.
“What?”
“Venue.”
“Catering.”
“Photographer.”
“Everything.”
She stared.
“You did what?”
“I’m not marrying you.”
“You canceled our wedding because I had dinner with someone?”
“I canceled because my fiancée lied about secretly rebuilding a relationship with her ex while I paid for a wedding.”
Her face flushed.
“You had no right.”
“It was my wedding too.”
“You cannot just make that decision alone.”
“You made several decisions alone.”
Lara laughed sharply.
“You are insane.”
“Maybe.”
“What about the deposits?”
That question arrived immediately.
Not:
Are we really done?
Not:
What happened to us?
Deposits.
“Some refundable.”
“Some not.”
“Oh my God.”
She walked in circles.
“My parents invited people.”
“So did mine.”
“We have relatives booking travel.”
“I know.”
“You’re humiliating me.”
I looked at her.
“I’m not announcing why.”
“People will ask.”