The Vow or The Victim

On our wedding day, en route to the hotel, my fiancé Bryan Croft, a crisis negotiator, slammed the limo's brakes for a woman about to jump off a bridge.
I grabbed his arm. It's our wedding day. You are not going.
He gave me a placating smile. A life is on the line. I can't just stand by.
He was out of the car before finishing. My face turned to ice. "If you save her, we are canceling the wedding."
He stared in disbelief. "Elara, you're the kindest person I know. How can you say something so cruel?"
My gaze drifted to the woman's slightly swollen belly. My voice was unwavering.
"Save her, or marry me. You can't have both."

1
The sudden stop of the lead limo caused a chain reaction, and the entire wedding procession ground to a halt behind us. Family and friends began to spill out of the cars, confused.
“What’s going on? Why have we stopped?”
Bryan’s expression darkened. “That woman on the railing… I think she’s going to jump.” He gestured vaguely toward the bridge. “I want to help, but Elara won’t let me. She’s threatening to call off the wedding.”
A collective gasp went through the small crowd. All eyes followed his gesture.
The woman on the railing had noticed the commotion. She turned, her eyes red-rimmed with tears, and her hand instinctively went to her stomach.
My maid of honor, Krista, tried to smooth things over. “Bryan, maybe you should just get back in the car with Elara. Someone else can help her.”
My best friend since childhood pulled out her phone, scowling. “Seriously, this isn't that complicated. You see something like this, you call 911.” She started dialing as she walked toward the bridge.
She’d only taken two steps when the woman in white scrambled to her feet, her voice a panicked shriek.
“Don’t call the police! And don’t come any closer! One more step and I’ll jump!”
The wind coming off the river was strong, whipping her dress around her legs. Standing, she looked fragile, her whole body trembling against the force of the gusts.
The sight seemed to flip a switch in Bryan. He shot me a look of pure exasperation and strode forward, grabbing Krista’s arm. His voice was sharp, professional. “Don’t go any further. You’ll agitate her.”
I lifted the heavy skirt of my wedding gown and stepped out of the limo, walking deliberately until I stood directly in his path.
“So you’ve made your choice, then? You’re going to save her.”
Bryan looked down at me, his patience clearly wearing thin. Still, he took my hand, his voice a low plea. “Elara, please, just try to understand. This is what I do. I’m a negotiator. How can I see this and just walk away? Is our wedding really more important than a human life?” He glanced back at the woman on the railing as he said it.
His words seemed to sway our guests.
“Elara, honey, he has a point. It won’t take long.”
“That’s right, dear. To save a life is a great blessing.”
“Just let him talk to the poor girl. Look, I think she’s pregnant. She must be in a terrible state.”
As they all murmured their support for him, my eyes never left his. When they fell silent, I spoke, my voice dangerously quiet. “Bryan. Answer my question.”
His jaw tightened. For a moment, he seemed to be wrestling with himself. Then, he let go of my hand and stepped past me. He stopped a few feet away, his expression softening as he turned his focus entirely to the woman on the bridge.
“We won’t come any closer,” he said, his voice calm and soothing. “Just take a breath. Don’t panic.”
The woman stared at him, her eyes wide. As his words washed over her, a fresh wave of tears broke free and streamed down her cheeks. “Stay away from me! All of you…”
It was the same demand, but her voice had lost its edge, cracking with a sorrow that sounded almost like a plea.
Bryan’s hands clenched into fists at his sides. He took a small, careful step forward. “Okay, we’ll stay back,” he cooed. “Just calm down… calm down…”
The woman’s frantic energy did seem to recede, but her tears fell faster.
Seeing this, I reached into my clutch and pulled out my phone.
“Hi, Mom. Are you at the hotel yet? Good. I need you to tell the guests the wedding is off.”

2
A collective gasp rippled through the onlookers.
Until that moment, they had probably all thought my threat was just an empty, emotional outburst from a stressed-out bride. My actually making the call proved them wrong.
Bryan, who had been laser-focused on the woman, froze. He whipped his head around to look at me. “Elara?”
I held the phone in one hand and the hem of my dress in the other, my face an unreadable mask. “What is it?”
His Adam’s apple bobbed. “Do you have to be so unreasonable?”
I took a step back. “If this is unreasonable to you, then so be it. But it’s done. I’ve already told my parents to cancel.”
I offered him a thin, humorless smile. “You’re free now, Bryan. You can go be the hero.”
Just then, the woman on the railing wiped her eyes. Her face was ashen, her voice a raw, broken whisper. “I’m sorry… It’s all my fault that you’re fighting.”
She looked at me, her eyes begging. “Please, miss, don’t fight with your husband. You should go. Go get married. They say you should never come between a man and his wife… If I ruined your wedding, I… I couldn’t live with myself…”
Her voice broke, and the tears started anew, like pearls spilling from a broken string. She looked down, gently stroking her swollen belly. “My life is worthless anyway. No one’s ever cared about me.”
At that, Bryan’s brow furrowed in concern. He edged another cautious step closer. “Don’t say that,” he said, his voice softening into the gentle, persuasive tone of his profession. “Someone in this world loves you. You can’t give up on yourself.” His voice grew even more tender. “You can’t be this pessimistic. You can’t just throw your life away.”
Bystanders who had gathered began to chime in. “Yeah, kid, you’re too young for this. Don’t do anything you’ll regret.”
Meanwhile, our family and friends were whispering amongst themselves.
“I don’t know who’s right or wrong here.”
“A wedding is once in a lifetime, but I think Bryan’s doing the right thing.”
“I agree. Elara is being a little too selfish right now.”
Bryan let out a heavy sigh. “Everyone, please, just be quiet for a minute.” He looked at me again. “Elara, this isn’t you. What is going on today? This woman is clearly at the end of her rope. Are we really just going to watch her jump?”
I stared back at him, my gaze unwavering. “Bryan, don’t you know exactly why I’m acting this way?”
Before he could answer, his best man, Leo, stepped forward. “Elara, maybe the rest of us don’t know what’s going on, but I was in the front seat. I saw the whole thing. You’ve been making a scene from the very beginning. All Bryan wants to do is help someone. What’s so wrong with that?”
I glanced at the now-silent Bryan and let out a cold laugh. “You’re right. He’s a saint. A good Samaritan. And I’m a petty, vicious shrew. We’re clearly not meant to be.”
“So I’m calling it off. Now he can go be the hero without any distractions. What’s the problem?” I shifted my gaze to the crying woman on the railing. “Besides, if she really wanted to die, she wouldn’t have been sitting there for so long. Don’t you think she’s being a little dramatic?”
My words hit her like a physical blow. The last bit of color drained from her face. She bit her lip, her sobs turning into ragged gasps.
“Fine! Fine… I’ll die. I’ll just die…”
She gave Bryan one last, long, meaningful look, then turned without another moment’s hesitation. She clenched her fists and prepared to leap into the churning water below.
“Don’t!”

3
The word was torn from Bryan’s throat, a raw, desperate shout.
He lunged toward the railing, his hand outstretched, but he was too late. The woman’s body plummeted into the river, where she began to thrash in the cold, dark water.
Without a second thought, Bryan shrugged off his tuxedo jacket and dove in after her.
I remained on the bridge, watching the scene unfold with an unnerving calm, as if the man who had just risked his life wasn't the man I was supposed to marry.
If anyone had been on my side before, my last comment had obliterated that support. I was now the villain of the story. The crowd of onlookers turned on me, their whispers turning into outright accusations. Someone shoved a phone in my face, the camera recording. Another person had started a live stream.
“You won’t believe the ice queen I’m seeing right now!” the streamer narrated excitedly. “This woman is beautiful, but she’s pure evil. Her husband wanted to save a suicidal woman, and she forbid him! Then she taunted the poor girl until she jumped! She’s basically a murderer!”
A chorus of agreement rose from the crowd.
“That’s right! She’s a killer!”
“Threatening to cancel the wedding… a good man like that doesn’t deserve a monster like her!”
“He’d be miserable if he married that witch!”
I ignored them all.
The river was frigid, but Bryan was a strong swimmer. He reached the woman quickly and pulled her back to the bank. They were both soaked and shivering, a pathetic sight. Her white dress was now transparent, and Bryan, ever the gentleman, immediately draped his jacket over her shoulders.
“Here, I’ll take you to the hospital.”
He didn't even look at me. He put his arm around the woman and started to lead her toward the wedding limo.
It was only then that I moved, stepping in front of them. “Wait.”
Bryan, who had been struggling to control his temper, finally snapped. His face was dark with rage. “Elara, you already pushed her to this. What more do you want?” The last few words were practically a roar. In the year and a half we’d been together, I had never seen him lose control like this.
I glanced at the woman huddled under his arm. “Relax. I’m not here to stop your heroic rescue. You can take her to the hospital. But first, you’re coming to the hotel with me.”
Bryan’s jaw was a hard line. “Elara, you’ve gone too far.”
The crowd’s jeers grew louder. “I’ve never seen anything like it. Was she raised by wolves?”
I turned to the most vocal of the hecklers and pointed to the wedding videographer standing behind me. “Just so you know, my camera crew is recording every word you say. If you want to get sued for slander, please, keep talking.”
That shut them up.
I turned back to Bryan. “The wedding is off. You will come with me to the hotel and we will finalize the dissolution of this arrangement, right now.”
This time, even my best friend looked at me with confusion. “Elara, are you sure…?”
“Don’t try to talk me out of it. This is not up for discussion.”
In the end, he came with me.
When we arrived at the hotel, it was clear my parents hadn't had a chance to make the announcement. The grand ballroom was still filled with hundreds of guests.
I walked straight to the stage, my dress trailing behind me, and took the microphone.
“Since everyone is here,” I announced, my voice ringing through the silent room, “I won’t waste any time. The wedding between Bryan Croft and myself is officially canceled.”
“And since you are all here as our witnesses, we will handle the logistics of our separation right now. We will be returning all gifts, dowries, and family offerings on the spot.”
A stunned silence fell over the massive room.
Our parents rushed toward the stage. “Elara, what on earth is going on?”
A few relatives who had been at the bridge began to whisper a heavily embellished version of the story, and a new wave of condemnation washed over me. I even noticed the live-streamers from the bridge had followed us, their phones still held high.
“She threatened me,” one of them said smugly to her phone’s camera. “But I’m not scared. I’m going to make sure this woman is the most hated person in the country by tonight.”
I ignored her and pulled out a pen and paper from my clutch, beginning to list all the financial and material items exchanged between our families.
“Bryan, come and look at this. If there are no objections, sign it, and we can start the exchange.”
The woman in white was still clinging to Bryan’s arm, her sobs a constant, pitiful backdrop. “I’m sorry… It’s all my fault…”
Bryan’s mother, who had been pleading with me to calm down, heard the woman’s voice and her head snapped around. The moment she saw her, Mrs. Croft’s breath hitched. She stormed over to Bryan and slapped him, hard, across the face.
“You… you ungrateful son! What is this madness on your wedding day?” She then turned back to me, her hands outstretched. “Elara, please…”
I silently held out the list to Bryan. “Hurry up.”
It was only then that he seemed to realize I was completely serious. This was not a negotiation.
He looked up at me. “Elara…”
Seeing him hesitate, I unlocked my phone, opened a popular social media app, and held a particular post up for him to see.
“My patience is wearing thin, Bryan. And I am not a fool. Either you explain everything to our families, or I will.”
His face went white as he read the screen, his lips beginning to tremble.

4
A few of the closer relatives with sharp eyes saw the screen and their expressions shifted instantly.
Bryan looked like he couldn’t breathe. He finally met my gaze. “Elara, do you have to do this? We’ve been good together, haven’t we?”
I clutched my phone, my heart a frozen lump in my chest. “Yes. I have to do this. After what happened today, you can’t possibly think there’s any coming back from this, can you?”
He looked away, his hand slowly reaching out to take the list from me. He stared down at it, but he didn't speak.
Meanwhile, the live-streamers were still providing their running commentary.
“Look at her! The evil bride is forcing the groom to annul the marriage right here, right now!”
“I’m telling you, after today, no one will ever marry this woman!”
“I agree! The whole country will know what a monster she is. Who would want her?”
My mother stood behind me, tugging at my sleeve. “Sweetheart, you haven’t told me why you’re doing this. You know your father and I will support any decision you make, but you have to give us a reason.”
I patted her hand. “Don’t worry, Mom. Just wait. You’ll understand in a minute.”
As I was speaking to my mother, Mrs. Croft had finally lost her composure. She marched forward, yanked the woman in white away from her son, and began slapping her, again and again, before starting to kick and shove her. “Stella Reed, you little viper! Why can’t you just leave us alone? Is our family indebted to you and your mother from a past life? Are you two determined to haunt us until we’re all miserable?!”
The woman, Stella, staggered under the blows, but she didn’t say a word, only covering her face and crying softly.
At this point, even the slowest person in the room knew something was deeply wrong. The judgmental whispers died down. Even the live-streamers paused, bewildered. “Whoa… what is happening?” one of them muttered. “This is big. This is really big.” She moved closer with her phone.
Bryan rushed to Stella’s defense, shielding her with his body. “Mom! Calm down!”
Mrs. Croft’s face was flush with rage. “Calm down? You’re telling me to calm down? I told you, I made you promise you would break it off with this little tramp for good! You promised me! And what did you do? You brought her here, to your wedding! Are you trying to kill me?”
Bryan’s face was grim. “Mom, it’s not what you think!” He took a deep, shuddering breath. “I…” He opened his mouth, but no explanation came.
I couldn't help but laugh. “Don’t bother, Bryan. You can’t think of a good lie. I don’t want to get involved in your family’s drama. All I want is to get this over with while our family and friends are here to witness it. Then we can go our separate ways.”
Mrs. Croft tried one last time. “Elara, please, give him another chance. You’re the only daughter-in-law I will ever accept…”
I looked at her with a flicker of pity. “Mrs. Croft, you are a good woman. But your son and I were not meant to be.”
Our cryptic exchange only fueled the speculation in the room.
“What is going on? It looks like Bryan has known this woman for a long time.”
“Is she an ex-girlfriend the family doesn’t approve of?”
“I think it’s more complicated than that.”
Seeing Bryan still standing there in silence, I held up my phone again.
“Since everyone is so curious, why don’t I clear things up?”

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