Heartbreak in Public

“The whispers began before Regina could even wipe away her tears.”

The whispers started before Regina could even stepped fully inside the courthouse.

At first, those people whispering to each other ears their voice was very low she doesn’t notice them .

But as she walked through the crowded hallway, her wedding dress suddenly feeling heavier than it had few minutes ago, the murmurs grew louder.

People started staring at her, Some looked sympathetic others looked curious.

Some people didn’t even bother hiding their gossip from her their voices was very loud.

“Isn’t that the bride?”

“I heard the groom left.”

“How embarrassing.

”Poor thing.”

Every word felt like a sharp knife sliding deeper into an already broken heart, Every word she is hearing is adding more to her pain.

Regina kept her head high, refusing to let anyone see how close she was to completely falling apart.

She kept it to herself. She doesn't want anyone to see the pain But inside she was very hurt. She was drowning.

Just about thirty minutes ago, she had arrived believing she was about to start a new chapter of her life.

Believing her name was going to change to Mrs Clinton but everything changed suddenly.

Now she wasn’t even sure what tomorrow looked like. Her chest hurt painfully.

She hurried toward an empty corner of the courthouse. The moment she was alone, the tears she had been fighting finally escaped. She couldn’t hold back the tears anymore.

One after the another, Hot, Relentless, Cruel. A sob broke from her lips. She quickly covered her mouth.

“No,” she murmured.

“Not here.”

”Not in front of strangers.”

“ Not in front of everyone.”

Am not disgracing myself, Am not embarrassing myself publicly.

But heartbreak didn’t care about dignity. It didn’t care about timing. It simply broke you wherever it found you.

“Regina!”

She looked up.

Tessa was rushing toward her direction, The concern shown all over her friend's face instantly made her cry harder.

“Oh my God.”

Tessa pulled her into a tight hug.

“What happened?”She asked.

Regina cover her face with her hands For several seconds she couldn’t even speak or say anything It was just tears dropping down from her cheeks.

The humiliation was too overwhelming,The pain was too much for her. Finally she forced the words out.

“He left me.”

Tessa froze.

“What?”

“He left me.”

The sentence sounded unreal even now, like something that happened in a movie, not real, life Not her life.

Everything happening looks like a dream. Tessa pulled back, Her eyes widened.

“You are joking right,”she said.

Regina shook her head.

“No.”Regina replied.

“What happened?”

“Where is Collins?”

The anger in Tessa's voice show immediately.

“Outside.”She replied.

“What do you mean outside?”

“He came with her.”

Tessa blinked.

“Her?”

“Who?”

“The woman he had been cheating on me with.”

”Silence.”

“Then.”

“HE WHAT?”

Several people turned toward them, and they started staring at them.

Tessa didn’t care, Regina didn’t either Not anymore. Nothing could be more humiliating than what had already happened, Tessa face turned red with fury.

“I am going to kill him today .”

Regina actually laughed, A weak, broken laugh

“You can’t.”

“Watch me.”

“Tessa.”

“No.”

Her friend crossed her arms.

“Absolutely not.”

“Four years.”

“He lied to you.”

“ Men are wicked.”She shouted in a very loud voice.

Her voice cracked.

“Four years, Regina.”

Tears filled Tessa’s eyes too.

“You loved him.”

You care for him,You do anything he wants for him. The simple statement shattered Regina completely.

She almost fainted because everything is true. She had loved him Completely, Faithfully, Unconditionally.

She has sacrificed a lot of things for him And apparently she had been the only one.

The realization hurt more than anything else. Not cheating. Not the humiliation. Not even being abandoned.

The worst part was discovering that the love she had treasured wasn’t real. At least not for him.

“I’m such an idiot.”She said.

“Don’t say that.”Tessa replied.

“I should have noticed.”

“You trusted him.”

Regina looked away, Trust Was a dangerous thing One person could spend years building it.

And one moment destroying it Before she could respond, another voice interrupted.

“Miss Regina?”

They turned. Her aunt was approaching. Behind her stood several relatives and family friends Everybody looked uncomfortable.

The sight alone made Regina want to disappear, Her aunt forced a smile.

“People are asking questions.”She said.

Of course they were, The guests had traveled from different cities.

Some had spent money they couldn’t afford just to attend and now everyone was wondering why there was no wedding.Regina swallowed hard.

“I know.”She replied.

“What should we tell them?”

The question hung heavily in the air.

“What should she tell them?”

“That the man she loved preferred someone else?”

“The man she loved doesn’t love her?”

That she had spent years planning a future with someone who was secretly building one with another woman.

Someone who didn’t have her in his future plan, Someone who kept teasing her that she love her Meanwhile he doesn’t love her.

That she wasn’t enough, Her throat burned but she refused to cry again, Not in front of them, Not now.

“Tell them the truth.”

The room fell silent, Her aunt was very surprised.

“The truth?”

“Truth about what.?”She asked.

Regina nodded.

“He cheated.”

“He already has someone else.” She replied.

Gasps echoed around her, She continued before anyone could stop her.

“He cheated and left me.”

Her voice trembled.

“But I’m not going to lie for him.”

No one spoke, No one knows what to say,Because there was nothing to say.

The truth was ugly, painful, embarrassing but it was still the truth, After a moment, her aunt held her hand.

“You are stronger than you think.”She said to her.

Regina wanted to believe that because right now she felt anything but strong.

A few minutes later, family members began leaving. Some offered hugs others offered sympathy, A few offered her advice.

Each conversation drained a little more energy from her, Eventually the courthouse began to empty.

The crowd disappeared, The whispers faded.The attention moved elsewhere.Yet Regina remained exactly where she was Broken, Lost, Alone,Hurt.

She was sitting down on a bench near the courthouse windows.The wedding bouquet rested on her lap, The same bouquet she had carried so proudly earlier Now it felt meaningless to her.

Her phone vibrated .

She stared at the phone screen.

“It was a message notification.”

“Collins.”

A text message, Regina stared at it for several seconds before opening it.

I’m sorry. I never wanted things to happen this way.

A bitter smile appeared on her face, he never wanted things to happen this way.

Then what exactly had he expected, She deleted the message without replying, Then blocked his number.

One simple action Yet it felt strangely powerful, The first step toward letting go, The first step toward surviving, A shadow suddenly appeared beside her.

“Good.”

Regina looked up.

The stranger was standing nearby, The same man she has noticed outside, The one who had looked almost as miserable as she felt.

His expensive suit was slightly wrinkled now, His tie hung loose,His expression was tired But there was something oddly familiar about the sadness in his eyes.

He nodded toward her phone.

“Blocking him was the right decision.”

Regina blinked.

“You were watching?”

“Not intentionally.”

He sat down on the opposite end of the bench, For a moment neither spoke. Then he sighed.

“Looks like your wedding fell apart too.”

The word too caught her attention, Regina studied him carefully.

“Yours?” A humorless laugh escaped him.

“My fiancée left me this morning,”he replied.

Her eyes widened.

“What?” “Apparently she decided she doesn’t want to marry me.”

For the first time all day, Regina forgot about her own pain then she realized she is not the only one in this.

“Seriously?”

“Seriously.”

The stranger moved backwards a little bit.So congratulations.

She frowned.

“What?”

“We may be the two most miserable people in this courthouse.”

Despite herself, Regina laughed, a small laugh, genuine one, For the first time since Collins shattered her heart. The stranger smiled faintly.

“There it is.”

“What?”

“Proof you’re still alive.”

Her smile faded.

“So what now?”

He looked at her thoughtfully. For several seconds, he didn’t answer. Instead, he seemed to be considering something.

Something serious,Something dangerous. Finally he stood up. Then he turned toward her His expression was suddenly unreadable.

“My name is Alex Kingston.”

Regina froze.

The name sounded familiar, very familiar, One of the wealthiest billionaire heirs in the country.

Everyone knew the Kingston family But why was he talking to her, Before she could ask, Alex reached into his jacket pocket then pulled out something that made her heart stop.

A wedding ring. His eyes were directly on her and the next words that left his mouth changed everything.

“Regina.”

He took a deep breath.

“What would you say if I asked you to marry me instead?”

”Will you marry me?”

Regina's eyes widened in shock.The courthouse suddenly felt silent, The ring gleamed between them.

And for one impossible moment, she wondered if heartbreak had finally driven her insane.

Because a billionaire stranger has just proposed to her.

Had he?

Alex held out the ring.

“Will you marry me?”

Regina forgot how to breathe.