The Bride Who Chose the Nation

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The train of the wedding dress trailed along the hotel corridor's carpet like a heavy cloud, my fingers clutching the bouquet turning white.

The Master of ceremonies approached me for the third time, his voice low: Miss Trent, there is still no news from Mr. Johnson.

I nodded, my gaze passing over the crowd and settling on the banquet hall doorway.

Where Henry Johnson should have stoodmy fianc, the groom of the day.

But half an hour ago, he took a phone call and rushed away, leaving only the words, "Sydney is missing, I must go find her."

Sydney James, my cousin, and the "creditor" I've owed since childhood.

The guests began whispering among themselves.

My parents hurried over. I expected words of comfort but first heard Mom's reproach: "Sydney's mom died saving you. Have a heart! Now that she's missing, Henry going after her is only right. Don't show that expression here."

I was stunned; it turned out that in their eyes, I was not even entitled to feel sorrow.

Sydney's mom saved me from drowning by the river twenty years ago, but she herself never came back up.

Since that day, the words "You owe Sydney your life" have been branded into the lives of my family and me like an indelible mark.

I opened my mouth to explain that I had not shown any resentment, but Mom's hand was already raised; a sharp slap landed on my face, the pain making my ears ring.

"You still want to deny it?" Her voice trembled with tears, but not for me: "If anything happens to Sydney, you will never find peace in your lifetime!"

The murmurs around me grew louder; I covered my burning cheeks, watching my parents turn away to contact Henry, without even a single glance at me.

The bouquet slipped from my hands, rose petals scattering on the ground like shattered dreams.

I suddenly felt utterly exhausted, so much so that even standing was a struggle.

I seemed to finally understand that, in both my family's and Henry's hearts, I would always come after Sydney.

Returning to the empty bridal chamber, I took off the wedding dress and hung it inside the wardrobe.

My thoughts, like a kite with a broken string, drifted back to my childhood.

At that time, Sydney and I lived nearby and went to school together every day.

She liked my toys, and Mom said, "Susan, you should let Sydney have them; you owe her your life."

The doll I had saved for a long time to buy quickly ended up in Sydney's hands.

She wanted my watercolor pens, but I refused, so she sat on the ground and cried.

Mom came over and scolded me without hearing my side: "How can you be so unreasonable? Sydney just wanted a pen, and you won't give it to her?"

Biting my lip, I handed over the watercolor pens. Seeing Sydney's triumphant look, my heart felt as heavy as a stone.

Later, in high school, the school had a quota for direct admission to a key university. Sydney and I were both candidates.

My grades were better than hers; the teacher privately told me that the quota would most likely be mine.

But in the end, the quota was given to Sydney.

I went to ask the head teacher the reason. The head teacher sighed and said, "Your mother told the school that Sydney needs this opportunity more. You... you can take the exam and will surely get in."

I went home and asked Mom, but she said, "Susan, Sydney's mom has passed away, and her dad is raising her alone. Their life isn't easy. Your grades are good; you will surely do well on the college entrance exam."

I said nothing; I just hid in my room, crying all night.

At that time, Henry was my only light.

He was the class monitor of the class next door. Whenever he saw Sydney bullying me, he would step forward to defend me.

He said, "Susan, you are kind; you don't always have to yield to others."

I believed he would always stand by my side until we made our relationship official.

Once, Sydney deliberately spilled milk tea on the new dress I had bought, and I couldn't help but confront her.

Henry came over; I thought he would defend me, but he only said, "Susan, Sydney didn't mean it; don't hold it against her."

Since then, he has increasingly neglected me for Sydney.

On my birthday, he said he would have dinner with me, but when Sydney called, saying she was in a bad mood, he left.

I sat alone in the restaurant, holding the unfinished cake, watching the rain outside the window.

It turned out that everyone believed I owed Sydney, including Henry, whom I once thought understood me best.

I sat at the desk, staring at the project application form on the computer screen, the mouse hovering over the "Confirm Submission" button.

The Initiative, national confidential Optoelectronics Program, requires those selected to remain at the base for five years, with no contact with the outside world.

I once hoped that after marrying Henry, he would beg me to stay; now that hope is gone, and the project has become my only way forward.

The phone rang; it was Henry.

"Susan, I'm sorry." His voice was weary, "Sydney has been found. She was hiding after a quarrel with friends. Can we reschedule the wedding for later?"

I said nothing, my fingers tapping the table unconsciously.

"Susan, please don't be angry," he said again, "Your parents want you to come home for dinner so we can talk properly."

I wanted to refuse but felt this might be the last time to say goodbye to them.

"Good." I said softly.

When I returned home, the table was already laid with dishes.

Sydney was also there, sitting beside Henry, wearing the new dress Henry had bought for her, looking very happy.

"Susan is back, please have a seat." Mom said with a smile, then served Sydney a piece of ribs.

I sat down, and Henry placed some crab on my plate. "Susan, your favoriteeat more."

I looked at the crab on the plate and said, "I'm allergic to crab."

I pushed the plate slightly aside.

"What is there to fear about allergies? Just eat a little less; it's nothing to worry about." Mom pushed the crab back toward me. "Sydney wanted to eat it, but I didn't give her anyI saved it just for you."

Sydney continued, "Susan, the crab is very delicious. Just have a little."

I looked at them and said, "I won't eat it."

"Susan, what's wrong with you?" Dad put down his chopsticks, his face darkening.

"I'm allergic to crab. Eating it would send me to the hospital." I looked at him and said, "Do you actually want something to happen to me?"

"How can you speak like that, Susan!" Mom raised her voice. "Henry?dotes?on you he even picked crab for you! Don't act so ungrateful."

"Dotes on me?"?I laughed, tears threatening to fall.?"If he truly cared, he wouldn't have left me at the altar. If any of you actually gave a da*n, you wouldn't force food on me that you know could kill me."

I stood up, the chair scraping harshly against the floor.

"You can have the meal yourselves."

I turned toward the door. Henry tried to grab me, but I slipped away.

"Susan!" he called my name, his voice trembling with panic.

I did not look back, nor did I pause in my steps.

Stepping out of the house, the evening breeze blew, and suddenly my heart felt much lighter.

This place, where I once desperately sought approval, has finally become a place I never wish to return to.

I returned to the rented apartment, and as soon as I opened the door, I heard a phone ringing in the living room.

It was Henry's phone; he had left it here yesterday.

I walked over to hand it to him, but Sydney's Twitter message popped up on the screen: "Henry, when will you tell Susan about us? The baby in my womb is almost two months old."

My finger froze in midair.

Baby? Sydney is pregnant?

I opened Henry's Twitter and scrolled upwards.

It turned out that Henry had undergone a vasectomy a year ago because he intended to treat Sydney's "child" as his only child.

My hand holding the phone trembled, and a wave of nausea washed over my stomach.

The doorbell rang.

I opened the door, and Sydney stood there with a triumphant smile on her face.

"Susan, I'm here to get Henry's phone."

She walked straight in and glanced at the phone in my hand: "You've already seen it?"

I looked at her: "You're not pregnant, are you?"

Sydney sat on the sofa, took a bite of the apple, and said, "Yes, I'm not pregnant. But Henry believed it, and so did your parents."

"Why did you do this?" My voice was hoarse.

"Why?" Sydney laughed, "I hate you! Why is it that you have loving parents and Henry likes you? Mom died saving you, so you should serve me for life!"

"And do you really think your mother cared about you?" Sydney leaned close to me, lowering her voice, "Twenty years ago, it wasn't an accident that you fell into the river; your mother pushed you on purpose!"

I suddenly stepped back. "You're talking nonsense!"

"I'm not talking nonsense." Sydney took out her phone and played the recording. "This is from my mom's phone. Your mother thinks you brought about the death of your twin brotherthat you are a curse, so she pushed you into the river."

No wonder Mom never liked me since I was a child, always making me yield to Sydney, even striking me at the wedding.

So it turns out she never truly wanted me.

"The last time I fell down the school stairs, that was deliberate as well." Sydney continued, "I just want Henry and your parents to blame you, so that you will never be happy."

Just then, Dad, Mom, and Henry arrived.

Sydney immediately assumed a wronged expression and cried, "Mr. Trent, Mrs. Trent, Henry, as soon as Susan found out I was pregnant, she pushed me away and even pressured me to abort the child."

Mom immediately rushed over, pointed her finger at me, and scolded, "Susan! You wretch! How could you push Sydney when she's pregnant?"

"I did not push her!" I tried to explain.

"How dare you deny it!" Dad growled angrily. "Sydney is so fragile; how could she lie to us? It must be your jealousy!"

Henry looked at me, eyes filled with disappointment: "Susan, I never thought you were that kind of person."

Everyone sided with Sydney; no one believed me.

I returned to the bedroom, took out my phone, and called the professor: "Professor, I confirm my participation in the project. When can I depart for the base?"

The professor's voice came through the line: "At any time. Tomorrow, I'll arrange for someone to pick you up."

I hung up the phone and faced the three people before me: "I'm leaving. From now on, let us never see each other again."