On My Wedding Day, His First Love Jumped

On my wedding day, my fiancé got a call from his old flame. If you don't come right now, I'll jump off this roof!
He replied coldly, Oh? Then go ahead and jump!
But I saw it clearly. As he said those words, his face went deathly pale, and his hands were shaking.
In the end, he still bolted out the door.
I lifted my veil. "Sorry, everyone. The wedding's canceled."
1
Wedding day. I clutched my bouquet tightly, my smile frozen as I watched my fiancé, Ethan Cole.
He was staring at his phone, brow furrowed.
The video call ringtone on the screen chimed over and over again.
But he didn't answer, nor did he hang up.
The initial laughter and cheers from the guests below had died down, replaced by whispers and murmurs.
Finally, I couldn't stand it anymore. I reached over and swiped the screen, answering the call for him.
When the video connected, the face that appeared was his ex-girlfriend of seven years, Jessica Bell.
In the video, Jessica wore a white, gauzy dress. She was standing on the rooftop terrace, looking like a flower about to wilt at any moment.
I recognized it as the rooftop of our wedding hotel. For a second, my mind spun. What was she trying to do?
"Ethan, congratulations on your wedding day. I know I shouldn't bother you, but before I leave this world, I wanted to see you one last time."
Ethan's hand holding the phone trembled slightly, but his face maintained a mask of indifference. "Jessica, you and I are over! Don't think this stunt will make me give in!"
On the other end of the video, Jessica's face was ghostly white. "Ethan, how can you be so cruel to me? If you don't come, I'll jump from here right now!"
Ethan was clearly panicked, his face drained of color, his eyes frantic, yet he forced himself to sound cold. "Oh? Then go ahead and jump!"
I stared at Ethan in shock. What the hell was he saying?!
Seeing Jessica about to take that step, I panicked!
Ignoring the shocked faces of the guests, I ripped off my veil and kicked him hard. "Get up there and talk her down! I don't want to be blamed for someone's death!"
As I spoke, I pulled out my own phone and dialed 911 and the fire department. "Hello? Someone's threatening to jump from the roof of the Grand Astoria Hotel! Please send help immediately!"

2
The police and firefighters arrived quickly. The crowds around the hotel were dispersed, and an inflatable air cushion was set up below.
Dragging the heavy skirt of my wedding dress, I followed the police up to the roof.
Ethan rushed ahead frantically, leaving me behind.
Firefighters were on the floor below, ready to climb up and grab Jessica.
Jessica sat on the edge of the rooftop, her thin figure looking like it could be blown away by the wind at any moment.
"Jessica, what trick are you playing now?"
"Ethan, you finally came to see me!" Hearing Ethan's voice, Jessica turned her head, her face lighting up with surprise.
"I knew it! You still care about me!"
Ethan glanced at me, then turned back to Jessica.
"Jessica, get down from there. We broke up. I don't love you anymore. Stop threatening me with your life!"
His tone was cold, but as he spoke, his hands, clenched into fists at his sides, were subtly trembling. The look in his eyes as he gazed at Jessica was filled with restrained, agonizing pity.
But that very look provoked Jessica.
"Liar! You obviously still love me!" Jessica became agitated, her eyes suddenly fixing on me standing nearby. "Is it you? Did you force him? Otherwise, how could he possibly ignore me!"
Watching her teetering on the edge, emotionally distraught, my heart leaped into my throat.
"Jessica, don't get upset! Please, come down first! We can talk about anything, just talk calmly."
I tried my best to soothe her, but Jessica, consumed by her breakdown, couldn't hear anything.
"You shut up! Let Ethan talk to me!"
"Ethan, you're married now. You must be happy, right?"
Ethan didn't speak, just stared intently at her.
"Ethan, I met you first. I've loved you for ten years."
"Back in school, you were the one who chased away the bullies. You asked me to be your desk partner. You were the one who asked me out."
"To keep up with you, I changed my college major choice to go to the same city as you."
"To be worthy of you, I accepted your mom's help and went to study abroad."
"You promised me we'd get married when I came back."
"So why did you get together with Vivian?"
"Is it just because Vivian is prettier than me? Her family is better off?"
Jessica looked at Ethan, her eyes blurry with tears. "Ethan, I'm asking you one last time, do you love me or not!"
I looked at Ethan beside me. His eyes were filled with panic and worry, but even so, he still hesitated, refusing to answer.
Jessica, having waited in vain for Ethan's response, was utterly disappointed.
She gave a bitter smile, her white dress whipping in the wind. "So, it was just me fooling myself all along! Ethan Cole, I want you to never forget me!"
With that, she fell downwards like a broken butterfly.
"No!"
Ethan's face changed drastically, and he scrambled forward!

3
In the nick of time, Ethan grabbed Jessica's arm. Simultaneously, a firefighter who had been waiting nearby leaped forward and caught Jessica as she fell.
Through their combined efforts, Jessica was pulled back to safety.
Ethan held Jessica tightly, his face etched with fear and heartache.
"How could you be so foolish? It's so high up, imagine how much it would hurt if you fell..."
And Jessica, in Ethan's arms, cried tears of joy mixed with relief. "I knew it, you still love me..."
They clung to each other, filled with the relief and affection of surviving a near-tragedy.
I couldn't even process the sight of them embracing so openly, ignoring everyone else.
The breath I had been holding rushed out, and I felt all strength leave my body, collapsing onto the ground...
Thank God, she was saved. If Jessica had died in front of me, I would have carried that guilt for the rest of my life!
My mind was filled only with relief that Jessica was safe. I didn't even notice the pitying looks the police officers and firefighters were giving me...

4
Amidst the chaos, Ethan took Jessica to the hospital.
I returned alone to the reception hall where our wedding was supposed to happen.
The guests hadn't left yet. They were clustered together, buzzing with gossip about what had just happened.
"Can this wedding even go on?"
"Probably not, right? His ex-girlfriend called threatening suicide..."
"What a disaster for a wedding. How could he just leave the bride here alone..."
The room was noisy, with my name and Ethan's popping up frequently.
I reapplied my makeup, took a deep breath, gathered my skirt, and walked onto the stage, picking up the microphone.
Amidst my parents' pained expressions and Ethan's parents' grim faces, I looked out at the friends and family below.
Composing myself, I said, "I sincerely apologize for taking up your valuable time. Due to an emergency involving the groom, this wedding is canceled. Any wedding gifts received will be returned shortly..."
After speaking, I felt drained, a dull, pulling ache starting in my chest. I fought hard to keep the tears from falling.
The Sterling family couldn't become a laughingstock. Vivian Sterling couldn't become a laughingstock.
My parents came up to the stage, looking heartbroken, and escorted me away. The wedding finally ended amidst sighs and whispers from the crowd.

5
After seeing off the guests, I took out the wedding ring and the engagement gifts Ethan had given me and handed them all back to his parents.
"Mr. and Mrs. Cole, it seems Ethan and I weren't meant to be. Please take these back. I hope Ethan finds a girl he truly loves in the future."
Once I calmed down, my main feeling was relief that things had been so hectic I hadn't gotten around to signing the marriage license. No property division issues to deal with.
Ethan's parents refused to take the items back. Mrs. Cole tried to apologize on his behalf.
"Vivian, dear, what Ethan did was wrong. But from another perspective, Ethan is innocent too. He had no idea that girl would threaten to jump!"
"I apologize to you on his behalf. Our family has wronged you. Can you please forgive him just this once?"
I shook my head.
Jessica had escalated to using her own life to threaten Ethan. If there was a first time, who could say there wouldn't be a second, a third...
As long as Ethan and I were together, Jessica would always be a ticking time bomb between us.
Ethan would just exhaust himself caught in this toxic dynamic.
I didn't want to play this twisted game of drama and heartache anymore.

6
News of the canceled wedding spread like wildfire. It blew up online.
#ColeIndustriesCEOWeddingDisruptedByExSuicideAttempt#
#VivianSterlingJilted#
#PowerOfTheOldFlame#
I looked at these trending hashtags, sighed deeply, and made calls to get them taken down.
It wasn't until evening, after dealing with everything, that I finally got a call from Ethan.
"Vivian, why did you cancel the wedding!"
I didn't answer. He knew the answer better than anyone.
Seeing my silence, Ethan softened his tone slightly. "Vivian, please don't be mad, okay? You saw the situation. Jessica was threatening to jump. Besides, you were the one who told me to go talk her down."
"It was a life at stake, after all. I just took her to the hospital. Why couldn't you wait for me? How could you just announce the wedding was canceled on your own?"
Ethan said this with such self-righteousness, as if canceling the wedding was entirely my fault.
"Vivian, since the wedding's canceled, I won't blame you. Let's reschedule, okay? I really do love you."
Ethan said he loved me?
But not once, all day long, had Ethan asked how I was doing!
I was the one who dealt with the trending topics online. My parents and I were the ones explaining things to all the relatives and friends.
This huge mess, and Cole Industries hadn't issued a single statement!
Suddenly, my mind filled with images of Ethan abandoning me for Jessica before.
Of Jessica in her white dress falling in front of me.
Of Ethan's face, trying so hard to hide his obvious concern and pain.
And the picture of the two of them clinging together in relief after she was saved.
A delayed, dull ache gripped my heart fiercely.
I hadn't done anything wrong.
Yet I had almost become the person responsible for Jessica's death.
"Stop talking."
My voice was cold. "Ethan, I'm sorry. We're not right for each other."
Ethan's breath hitched. His tone became stiff. "Vivian, you can't just sentence me like this. It's not fair to me."
I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath. "Ethan, I can't bear the weight of a human life."
On the other end of the line, Ethan fell silent. Only his faint breathing could be heard.
The air instantly grew quiet.
My heart, which had been in turmoil since the wedding started, slowly began to calm down.
After a long moment, Ethan's hoarse voice spoke again.
"Vivian, I didn't handle my relationship with her properly. Believe me, I will handle it this time. She will never bother us again!"
"I really love you. Please, please don't leave me, okay?"
"We were so close, just one step away, and you would have been my wife!"
By the end, his voice actually held a trace of a sob.
My heart jolted violently.
Memories of Ethan's kindness during our honeymoon phase flooded my mind.
And today, Ethan hadn't wanted to deal with Jessica.
It was me, afraid someone would die, who pushed him to go.
Had I made a mistake?
For a moment, my mind was a tangled mess.
But then, from the other end of the phone, a soft, feminine voice suddenly drifted through.
"Ethan, who are you talking to?"
"No... nobody... Jessie, are you feeling better?" Ethan sounded flustered, quickly hanging up the phone.
In an instant, all the bitterness, doubt, and sadness I had just felt turned into a cruel joke.

7
That night, I dreamed about the day Ethan proposed to me.
Ethan was in a sea of roses, holding a vibrant bouquet in one hand and a ring in the other, kneeling on one knee.
"Vivian, will you marry me?"
Ethan's eyes were brimming with love.
Around us, our friends were cheering.
"Say yes! Say yes!"
Shyly, I accepted the ring and his proposal.
We kissed amidst the flowers, surrounded by happiness...
But then the scene abruptly changed.
It became Jessica's face.
She was still so beautiful.
Wearing that white dress, she gave a tragic smile towards something behind me.
Then, before my horrified eyes, she resolutely jumped from the rooftop.
She fell like a broken butterfly, tumbling unsteadily to the ground.
Dark red blood spread out from her body, blooming like vivid roses...
"No!"
I desperately reached out, trying to grab her.
But my foot missed its step, and I fell into endless darkness.
The intense feeling of falling jolted me awake.
Sunlight streamed through the window, stinging my eyes.
Cold sweat had soaked through my clothes. It took a long while for my frantically beating heart to slowly calm down.

8
I stared blankly at the man who had somehow appeared in my room, my fingers slowly clenching into fists.
"Vivian, had a nightmare?"
Ethan came over to my side, gently wrapping an arm around my waist, pulling me into his embrace.
"It's my fault. I promise, Jessica Bell will never appear in our lives to bother us again!"
"Vivian, just forgive me one more time, okay?"
His voice was naturally deep, and when he was coaxing someone, it always carried a hint of pleading.
Back when we were deeply in love, whenever he coaxed me like this, it always worked.
But right now, I just felt so tired.
Slowly, deliberately, I pried his hand off my waist.
"Ethan, admit it. You can't let Jessica go. We're not suitable for each other."
"Vivian, this is between the two of us. You can't just condemn me at the drop of a hat. That's not fair to me!"
"Jessica and I are ancient history. The person I love now is you. The person I want to spend the rest of my life with is you..."
I took a soft breath.
"Ethan, I'm really scared."
"My nightmares are filled with Jessica falling from that rooftop right in front of me."
"I'm terrified that if I hadn't called 911 that day, if you hadn't caught her, she would have died right there."
"I would have lived with regret and guilt for the rest of my life."
"I really can't handle the weight of a human life."
"Ethan, this isn't the first time you've chosen her over me. It won't be the last, right?"
"You still care about her, your heart still aches for her, doesn't it?"
"Let me go, Ethan. You can't be so cruel to me. That's not fair to me either!"
As I spoke, tears streamed down my face uncontrollably, until I was sobbing.
Ethan's lips moved, but he said nothing, silently wiping away my tears.
I looked at him silently, not throwing a tantrum like I usually would have.
This quiet version of me seemed to make him even more unsure of what to do.
In the silence, his phone vibrated. It was a text from Jessica.
"Ethan, where are you? I woke up and didn't see you. I'm scared."
He glanced at it, then looked at me, his expression conflicted.
I closed my eyes and said fiercely, "Get lost, Ethan!"
"I'm sorry, Vivian. Wait for me to handle this!"
He grabbed his jacket from nearby and left in a hurry.
Clack. The door slowly shut...
I felt like my heart had shut just like that door.

9
During the three years Ethan and I dated, we had sweet times too.
He used to cherish me, hold me in the palm of his hand.
He'd prepare little surprises for every special occasion.
He'd drop work to take care of me when I was sick.
He'd patiently soothe me when I threw tantrums.
He'd warm my cold hands and feet in the winter.
He'd even ditch his busy schedule to drive thirty miles across town just to buy those roasted chestnuts from that street vendor I loved.
After delivering the chestnuts, he'd sit beside me, peeling them one by one.
Peel one, pop it in my mouth.
My best friend once teased me, "Don't tell me you fell for the great Ethan Cole just because he peeled a few chestnuts for you!"
When someone grows up wealthy, never worrying about money, they can be surprisingly moved by small, everyday gestures.
Simply put: lots of people gave me jewelry, but only Ethan gave me jewelry and peeled chestnuts for me.
In his day-to-day attention to detail, I was captured by these small tokens of his affection.
We were like any other couple.
We hugged in crowded places.
We kissed under fireworks.
I fell into his overwhelming love, lost in the beautiful dream he wove for me.
Until Jessica Bell showed up.
At first, Ethan told me Jessica was just an old friend.
Then came the first time he ditched me for her. After he came back that night, I threw a massive fit.
It was Valentine's Day. We were having dinner when Ethan got a call from a bar saying Jessica was drinking alone and completely wasted.
Ignoring the stares of people around us, he left me alone in the restaurant and drove to the bar to pick Jessica up.
When Ethan got home, I immediately told him we were breaking up.
It was only after his endless apologies and promises that it would never happen again that I forgave him.
At the time, I thought, Jessica is the past. I'm his girlfriend now.
Why should I let her have Ethan?
So I forgave him.
But I never expected that a first time would lead to a second, a third...
That initial unwillingness to give up led me to endure endless hurt in the relationship that followed.
Ethan started ditching me for Jessica frequently.
Jessica was sick.
Jessica was upset.
Jessica was in danger.
Jessica's power went out and she was afraid of the dark.
In this twisted relationship, Jessica tested Ethan's feelings for her through his compromises, while Ethan, relying on my feelings for him, pushed me to compromise again and again.
Jessica kept pushing Ethan's boundaries, and Ethan kept pushing mine.
My final breaking point came during the New Year.
That day, Ethan and I were returning from a business trip together.
On the road, he got news that Jessica had been in a car accident.
Ethan immediately turned the car around, leaving me stranded alone on the highway overpass.
That day, I waited in the freezing snow until my best friend finally arrived to pick me up.
Meanwhile, on Jessica's social media, there was a picture of her and Ethan holding hands.
The caption read: "I knew you'd always be by my side, no matter what."
I hid out at my parents' house through the New Year. When I finally went back, I told Ethan we were done.
I grabbed a golf club and went berserk, smashing everything I could in his apartment.
My reflection in the shattered mirrors showed a distorted, furious face, completely unlike the bright, cheerful girl I used to be.
Ethan knelt before me, letting me hit him.
Until I was exhausted.
He begged me desperately for forgiveness, transferred 5% of Cole Industries stock to me on the spot, and quickly arranged for Jessica to be sent abroad.
Do you know about the sunk cost fallacy?
I had invested too much in my relationship with Ethan. I held onto my pride, refusing to give up easily.
I was like a desperate gambler, always thinking I could win it all back on the last hand.
So, I forgave Ethan once again.
In the following months, Jessica really didn't bother us anymore.
So when Ethan proposed, I said yes.
Ethan was overjoyed. He handled everything for the wedding.
From the big things like the hotel decor and my dress, down to the small details like the invitations and guest favors.
We decided to have the wedding ceremony on Valentine's Day, and then sign the marriage license on the anniversary of when we got together.
We planned our honeymoon trip to Finland – skiing, seeing the Northern Lights, enjoying snowy sunsets and starry skies just for us.
Right up until the wedding day, I was still dreaming that my gamble had paid off.
Until Jessica appeared, delivering a stunning blow, making me realize that gamblers are destined to lose in the end.

10
When I finally composed myself and left my room, my parents were waiting for me at the dining table. It was spread with all my favorite breakfast foods.
My father looked at my dejected face and spoke earnestly.
"Vivian, you are a Sterling. You never have to compromise yourself for any man. We will always be your strongest support."
My parents' aging faces were full of concern for me.
My mother didn't speak, just came forward and hugged me tightly, just like when I was little.
Feeling the warmth of my mother's embrace, a wave of warmth flowed through me.
"Mom, Dad, don't worry. I'm not planning on going back."

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