Ten Rejected Wedding Dates, One New Husband

My family is traditional about these things. My mother insisted we needed the perfect day to get married. But we had consulted planners and family priests nine times, and Austin had rejected every single date.

On the tenth try, Austin shook his head again.

Looking at his handsome, indifferent face, I spoke up. "I think this date is perfect."

Austin was tapping away on his phone, scrolling through his group chat. He didn't even look up.

"This date won't work. Serena and the guys just said they want to go to Hawaii that week. Tell your mom to pass."

My fingers curled into a tight, aching fist.

His eyes remained glued to the screen, where the messages seemed to flow endlessly.

"Austin," I said softly.

He gave a distracted grunt.

"This is the tenth time," I continued, my voice barely above a whisper. "Ten is supposed to mean completion. I don't want to miss it. I am getting married on that day."

He finally spared me a glance, studying me for a few agonizing seconds before letting out a soft, dismissive chuckle. "I won't even be in the country that day, Gwen. Who exactly are you going to marry?"

"Look, stop being dramatic," he added, turning back to his screen. "Just have your mom pick another date. Honestly, her timing is always terrible."

I let out a quiet laugh.

Ten supposedly perfect days, and not a single one was good enough for him. I decided I wouldn't make things difficult for him anymore. I looked down and texted my mother back: The date is perfect. Let's book it.

...

"My mom spent months checking calendars, talking to family, and even praying at the cathedral to find these dates. I don't see anything wrong with them. The only problem is that you and Serena always have an excuse."

Austin had a private group chat with three of his closest friends, two guys and two girls. Every single time a wedding date was proposed, Austin would post it in their chat. And like clockwork, that exact day would suddenly be filled with other plans: a Broadway show, a friendship anniversary, or a spontaneous road trip.

That day was perfect for literally anything except a wedding.

For two years, through ten different dates, all I got was Austin's casual, "Let's pick another one. Next time."

Seeing me put my phone down, Austin stood up from the sofa. As he passed by, he patted my head like a pleased owner rewarding a well-behaved pet. "Good girl."

I suddenly felt a burning need to ask. "Is it really that impossible for you to say no to them? Are their plans so incredibly important that you can't carve out even a single day for us?"

Austin didn't care at first, so I asked again, twice.

"What is wrong with you today?" The lazy indifference vanished from his face, replaced by a sharp sneer, as if I had crossed a sacred boundary. "My friendship with Serena and the group isn't like those superficial social circles you keep. We actually get things done."

He let out a dry laugh. "Do you have any idea how many multi-million-dollar corporate partnerships we locked down during our last few trips? I am not stupid enough to throw away millions of dollars just to rush a wedding with you."

"My time is highly valuable. I am not going to sacrifice my career and my closest network for a single ceremony. Stop giving me grief."

"When have I ever given you grief?" My voice was so quiet it seemed to dissolve the moment the front door clicked open.

Serena walked right in, using her own fingerprint to unlock the door. Austin had registered her print on our smart lock without my consent. I had told him how uncomfortable it made me, especially since there were times she had walked in on us being intimate.

"Serena isn't an outsider," Austin had snapped back then. "Drop it."

Every time she came over, she acted like she owned the place.

"Austin! The self-cleaning function on my hot tub is acting up again. You need to come take a look." She gave me a brief nod, then grabbed Austin's arm to drag him out. "Sorry for stealing your man, but I really can't figure this out on my own."

There were so many things she "couldn't figure out." Working late and needing a ride, having insomnia and needing someone to talk to, facing minor inconveniences and needing immediate rescue. But Austin never considered her a burden.

One night, Austin fell asleep, but his phone kept lighting up. Five years of dating, and I had never touched his phone. But tonight, the temptation was overwhelming.

The group chat was mostly Serena talking, with the other three chiming in. Serena was sharing photos of clothes she wanted to bring to Hawaii.

Austin had replied, selecting several outfits for her: "I have meetings all day tomorrow, so I will only be online sporadically. Go try these on and send photos. If they look good, I will cover the bill."

My palm throbbed from gripping the cold metal of his phone.

When Austin was busy, I could go an entire day without receiving a single text from him.

On the ninth time we tried to set a date, he had actually replied instantly during work hours with a single word: "Sure." I had stared at that word, overjoyed. But right after I told my mother to book it, he changed his mind. "Never mind, that date doesn't work."

I was left completely baffled, asking him repeatedly why.

"Busy. Don't waste my time," he had muttered, hanging up after I called repeatedly.

Yet, the busiest man in the world had all the time to curate Serena's wardrobe.

In the chat, Serena was celebrating. "Austin, I need to capture this exact aesthetic in Hawaii! You better practice your camera angles. If the photos turn out bad, you are dead to me."

Austin replied with easy warmth: "Yes, ma'am."

And on his home screen, my contact was set to Muted.

Serena, Wyatt, Brooke, and Austin lived in the same apartment building, occupying adjacent floors. Serena had once casually remarked to me, "The four of us grew up together. We made a pact when we were kids that we would always live next to each other, meet up constantly, and travel together at least twice a year."

The refrigerator was covered in photos of the four of them in Aspen, Paris, and Rome. I had asked Austin if I could join them once.

He had pinched my cheek. "Couples need their own space, Gwen. This is a trip just for the core childhood friends. If I bring a partner, it changes the whole dynamic."

Later, pointing to the snow in Aspen and the beaches in Amalfi: "Austin, I want to experience these places with you too."

He always said "next time" or "sometime." When I pushed, he would get annoyed. "Gwen, stop nagging me about this. I am exhausted and don't have the time. Besides, I have already been to those places. Going back is boring."

When I finally begged him into a trip, we took barely any photos. The ones he took of me were blurry or poorly framed.

"Austin, can you put a little effort into this? They say a man who loves you will always capture your best angles."

Austin laughed. "Stop reading those ridiculous internet articles. I am just bad at taking photos. You are asking for too much. If you want a good picture, just ask a stranger."

But in the group chat, Wyatt and Brooke were teasing him.

"Wait, aren't all of Serena's gorgeous travel photos taken by Austin?"

"Our boy Austin never lets anyone else hold the camera for her."

"He spends at least thirty minutes per shot, changing angles eight times to get it perfect."

Serena had replied with a smug emoji.

Austin claimed to be working overtime for several days and hadn't come home. During lunch, a client treated my entire department to a meal. Coincidentally, Austin, Serena, Wyatt, and Brooke were sitting in the adjacent booth. At the head of their table sat an elderly woman they called Aunt Evelyn.

Austin was sitting next to Serena, instructing the waiter to swap her iced drink for warm tea. "You are on your period. Why are you drinking cold things?"

Aunt Evelyn beamed at them. "Look at you two. You have been together for so long, and the spark is still there. Back when you were dating, you two were the perfect couple."

My steps faltered.

Wyatt chimed in, "You have no idea, Aunt Evelyn. I still have so much to learn from Austin. Brooke is always complaining that I am not as attentive or romantic as he is. But then again, only Austin has the patience to handle Serena's temper."

Serena shook Austin's arm playfully, and Austin smiled gently. "Who said that? Serena has a wonderful personality."

Aunt Evelyn placed Serena's hand over Austin's, patting them. "Promise me you two will hold onto each other. It would make me so happy to see you happy."

Austin nodded, his voice sincere and steady. "Don't worry, Aunt Evelyn. We will."

The table erupted in cheers and playful teasing.

Whenever I dined with them, the seat next to Austin was always silently reserved for Serena. "We have been doing this for years, Gwen. Don't take it personally."

They talked about inside jokes I didn't understand, leaving me smiling awkwardly on the sidelines. If Serena said, "I want fish, but I hate picking out the bones," the other two would immediately say, "Let Austin do it for you."

If Austin went to the kitchen and I offered to help, Wyatt and Brooke would pull me back onto the couch. "No need to tire yourself out, Gwen. Serena's got it covered."

I had asked Austin once, "Do your friends dislike me? It feels like they are constantly trying to show me that you and Serena are closer, pushing the two of you together while I sit there like a third wheel."

Austin dismissed it, kissing me to shut me up. "You are overthinking. You are still relatively new to them, so it is normal if they occasionally leave you out. Don't be so petty."

He never told me that Serena was his ex-girlfriend. He never told me he was still playing the part of her boyfriend.

As my team stood in the hallway, the waiter politely asked us to move. Austin's group turned their heads, and our eyes locked.

This time, I was the first to look away. "Let's go," I told my colleagues.

As I walked out under the curious gazes of the onlookers, a sudden laugh escaped my lips. I was laughing at myself.

"Aunt Evelyn practically raised us before she moved back to her hometown," Austin said casually later. "She is moving to the US with her daughter soon, and we didn't want to break her heart by telling her that Serena and I broke up a long time ago. I just wanted her to leave with a smile on her face."

I nodded. "Understood. Anything else?"

Austin stopped, a relieved laugh escaping him. "No. You are actually being very mature today. I was worried you were going to throw a tantrum and cause a scene back there. Since you are being so good, is there anything you want? I will buy it for you."

I gripped the edges of the sink, staring at my exhausted reflection in the mirror. "I want to get married."

"I want to get married on the date my mother picked."

Austin's smile vanished instantly, his lips pressing into a hard line. "Are we seriously doing this again?"

"I never said we wouldn't get married. We just need to pick a different date. Is it really that difficult?"

"My grandmother is very sick," I said quietly. "She might not make it to whatever 'next time' you have in mind. She wants to see me settle down before she passes."

Austin fell silent for a moment. "Tell your mom to pick a closer date. I promise I will agree this time."

I splashed cold water on my face, the chill cutting through my exhaustion. "Pick another date? Just so Serena can magically have another emergency? Or so Wyatt and Brooke can try to play matchmaker for you two again?"

Austin exhaled a heavy, irritated breath. "After all this, you are still hung up on that? Why bother using your grandmother as an excuse if this is just about your jealousy? If you are so filial, go spend time at her bedside instead of taking your petty frustrations out on me."

His patience evaporated, his handsome features hardening into a cold mask. "If you want a wedding so badly, go ahead and plan it."

I pushed past him. "I will. I am already looking at venues and packages."

Austin grabbed my arm roughly, spinning me back to face him before shoving me away. I stumbled, barely catching my balance.

"Fine!" he sneered. "Let us see who exactly you are going to marry."

"Gwen, you are twenty-eight, not eighteen. You are being completely irrational. Do you honestly think you can find anyone better than me?"

"If you think you can threaten me with this nonsense to force my hand, you have another thing coming."

Within two days, I packed my things and moved out of our apartment.

Austin leaned against the doorframe, a mocking smirk on his lips. "Where to?"

I lifted my suitcase calmly. "Taking your advice. Going home to be with my family. And preparing for the wedding."

Austins eyes darkened, studying me as if trying to call my bluff. Finally, he let out a dry chuckle. "Fine. Just make sure to send me an invitation."

As I walked out of the place I had called home for years, I couldn't stop myself from turning back.

"Austin, what did I actually mean to you? Did you ever truly love me?"

I used to believe he did. I remembered a time we were sitting together, and he had suddenly murmured, "Gwen, say my name."

The moment the first syllable left my lips, he had leaned in and kissed me before I could even blink.

"You puckered your lips when you said it," he had teased, his eyes bright with laughter. "I am going to assume that whenever you call my name from now on, you are asking for a kiss."

I had blushed and glared at him, but seeing the pure joy on his face, I couldn't help but laugh along with him.

I waited for his answer now, standing in the doorway. But even as I walked away, the silence remained unbroken.

The venue was beautifully decorated, buzzing with the chatter of guests. My friend Becca was recording me with her phone, then with her camera, her eyes welling with tears. "Gwen, you look absolutely breathtaking today."

In the video, I was smiling, my eyes curved like crescent moons.

The groom stepped forward, holding out his hand. I placed my hand in his, and he wrapped his fingers around mine, locking them together.

The video cut off there.

Austin sat in the airport terminal, feeling a strange, persistent restlessness gnawing at his chest. He scrolled aimlessly through his phone.

Then, he saw the video Becca had posted.

His throat went dry. His finger tapped the screen before his brain could even process what he was doing.

In the background, people were cheering and wishing the couple a happy marriage. The camera slowly panned up to reveal the bride's face.

Austin sat bolt upright. He exited the app, opened it again, and replayed the video ten times, fifteen times.

The face didn't change. It was me, smiling warmly as I gazed into the eyes of another man, our hands tightly clasped.

His hand shook, nearly dropping the phone.

"The number you are trying to reach is currently unavailable..."

He called again and again.

Panicked confusion rapidly curdled into a sudden, inexplicable fury. He opened our chat and typed furiously.

Gwen, who the hell is that?

What is wrong with you? Did you actually hire an actor just to get back at me?

He hit send. The loading circle spun for a moment, and then a red exclamation mark popped up.

I had blocked him.

The airport intercom began announcing the final boarding call for his flight.

The panic and fury frozen on his face formed a twisted, almost comical expression.

"Austin!" Serena's voice cried out behind him in alarm.

But Austin didn't hear her. He turned and sprinted out of the terminal like a madman.