Torn Veils Of Deceit Novel – I pursued Kevin for ten years, and I finally felt it was utterly pointless. I gave up on him and got together with James, who liked me. James set off fireworks across the entire city for a night and bought an island to propose to me. But on the eve of our wedding, he disappeared. When I found him, I overheard him sneering to someone: “I only pursued Emily to spite Kevin.” “After winning her over, I lost interest.” “But I’m not satisfied, so isn’t it fun to run away from the wedding and embarrass her?” So I ran away from the wedding first, making him the laughingstock of the entire city. Later, I heard that the strong-willed James searched the entire city but couldn’t find his missing bride. A month before the wedding, James disappeared, and I searched the entire city but couldn’t find him. On the seventh day of his disappearance, I received news that he had appeared in Emilycy. I flew there overnight. On a steamboat, I finally saw him.
As I was about to knock and enter, I heard his sneering voice: “I only pursued Emily to spite Kevin.” “After winning her over, I lost interest.” I stopped in my tracks. He didn’t seem drunk; instead, he was very clear-headed. So, some terrible words came out of his mouth: “And after tasting her, I found it quite boring.” The people around him burst into laughter, with some suggestive hints mixed in. “That’s James for you, conquering the one on a pedestal.” James seemed to enjoy this flattery and continued: “You’d think she was desperate when chasing Kevin before, but she’s incredibly pure. In bed, she’s like a docile little kitten… But honestly, her body is quite nice… Smooth, delicate skin, curvy figure… It’s quite memorable.
Every time I went deep, I could feel the warmth and wetness… It’s a pity…” “What’s a pity?” James slowly exhaled a puff of smoke: “It’s a pity that although I’m her first man, I’m not the first man she liked.” “That innocent and clumsy look was only for Kevin… She liked Kevin for ten years, who knows if her heart is truly clean?” “If Kevin and I weren’t sworn enemies, and I wasn’t thinking about pursuing Emily to irritate him, I wouldn’t have had to play the role of the deeply devoted man who silently protects her.” Someone joked: “You’ve been with her for three years now, why are you lamenting about it now?” James looked irritated and said coldly: “It’s because I pursued her for so long that I feel unsatisfied.” Someone in the crowd continued: “I heard she’s been looking everywhere for you, she’s almost gone crazy. You’ve been missing for so many days, are you alright?” James took a drag of his smoke, exhaled a cloud of smoke, and sneered: “Isn’t it fun to run away from the wedding and embarrass her?” I couldn’t see a trace of guilt, pity, or love in his expression. Instead, it was the look of someone who had achieved their revenge. As if he had been waiting for this day.
My fingernails dug into my palms, and my heart felt like it was being stabbed with needles, the pain was suffocating. I stood there, my heart twisting in unbearable pain. The “one on a pedestal” and “first man” they spoke of were clearly about me and him… But coming from their mouths, it all sounded so filthy and full of mockery. And he so casually spoke about our intimate moments… I always thought James would be my salvation and my final destination. I made sure my feelings for him were genuine love, not just gratitude, before I agreed to be with him. That day, he was so happy he set off fireworks across the entire city. After three years together, he bought an island in my name to propose, filling the sky with lanterns. I thought this was love, was romance. I never imagined it was all an act for his revenge against Kevin. So, was that decade of deep affection and support all just an act? In a daze, I recalled some memories from the past.
I was twelve when I was brought back home from Maplewood, feeling awkward, insecure, and timid. Back then, Kevin merely shielded me from bullying, and I fell hopelessly in love with him. I chased after him until everyone knew about it. But he despised me to the core. Eventually, I found it all pointless and gave up on him. That’s when I noticed James, who had been quietly protecting me all along. One night, it was pouring rain, and I was walking alone on a dimly lit street. Suddenly, a hand gently rested on my shoulder. I turned around to see James standing there silently, holding a large black umbrella. Raindrops fell from the umbrella’s edge, reflecting a mesmerizing and ambiguous light in his deep, soulful eyes. He pulled me into his embrace, his broad, warm arms wrapping tightly around my waist. “Come with me,” he said. We walked together through the rainy night. James’s tall figure completely shielded me from the downpour, leaving only a safe and comfortable haven for me to lean on. His breath brushed against my ear, his deep, magnetic voice sounding like the sweetest of love songs: “Emily… let me be the one to protect you from now on. I don’t ask that you see me as a person, I only hope that you can be free to be yourself again…” As he spoke, James lowered his head, drawing closer to my lips.
I could clearly feel the tingling, electric sensation as his hot breath and soft, moist touch grazed my skin… “Tell me…” he murmured, “Do you still want to pretend you don’t see it? Must you wait until you’ve lost everything to understand what to cherish?” James’s large hand began to wander restlessly, kneading my back and bottom; the other slowly explored beneath my clothes, caressing sensitive areas… On this hazy, seductive rainy night, I saw the one who had been quietly protecting me all along. I cleared my heart, welcoming James’s arrival. As I fell deeper and deeper into his tenderness. As I began to fantasize about a sweet future with him. Little did I know, I was giving him the opportunity to slowly torture my heart. One cut at a time. Bleeding profusely. Reality, however, was cruel and cold. All James gave me was endless pain and torment… A lump formed in my throat, and my eyes filled with uncontrollable pain. A tear fell, which I quickly wiped away.
The voices inside continued, all giving him advice: “To get revenge on a woman, isn’t it more interesting to let her fall into the abyss when she’s at her happiest?” “Right, so you should go back. You should go back and help her choose a wedding dress, accompany her to send out wedding invites, act like nothing’s wrong, and then on the wedding day, leave her there alone and humiliated. I bet Emily will go crazy.” All followed by sickening laughter. I held back my nausea, waiting for James’s response. How I wished to hear from his lips, “Stop joking, I love Emily.” Or even, “That’s going too far for a girl.” But after a long silence. I heard James agree in a deep voice: “Hmm, that’s not a bad idea. Let’s do it.” Boundless anger nearly suffocated me. I forced a bitter smile, but tears still fell shamelessly. James, you want to play, is that it? Fine, I’ll act along with you. I’m also curious to see what expression you’ll have on our wedding day when you discover my wedding escape. I erased all traces of my trip to Emilycy and returned to the marital home I shared with James. I took out all the gifts he had given me over the years and cut them up one by one. I gently caressed each gift he had given me, every item carrying our shared memories. This custom wedding dress was meant to be worn at our promised wedding.
I could still recall the warm sensation of his hands as he embraced me from behind while taking my measurements, his fingers lightly grazing my skin… As my fingers glided over the smooth, delicate fabric, my heart ached as if pierced by needles. All these beautiful moments had now become mere illusions. I destroyed each gift, as if demolishing the dreams of love I once held. How strange. Even though I wasn’t thinking of anything in particular, why were so many tears still falling? I once heard a saying. Heartbreak is like falling ill; during the day, everything seems fine and clear. But at night, the dampness seeps into your bones, and the pain is excruciating. Tears flowed uncontrollably from my eyes. Remembering our intimate moments in bed made my heart race and my cheeks flush. He was so gentle, considerate, and passionate then… How ironic it all seems now! Once a crack appears in a relationship, it can never return to its original state… Perhaps this is just my withdrawal symptoms. I stood up and laid out the custom-made wedding dress on the floor.
Expressionless, I slashed a tear into it with scissors. I took a deep breath to calm myself, then spread the wedding dress on the floor and viciously cut a gash into it with the scissors, venting my resentment and grief. I needed to remind myself. Relationships are the same way; once a rift appears, no matter how you try to mend it, it can never return to what it once was. After tidying everything up, I put these items in the study, a room James rarely entered. Lying in bed, unable to sleep, I was scrolling through short videos when I came across a suggested account that seemed familiar. The username was “I Love James.” As if possessed, I clicked on it. It was a record of a girl’s secret crush on a guy. The latest post was geotagged at Emilycy. The caption read: “The man I’ve liked for ten years is getting married next month.
I want to gather the courage to confess. Wish me luck.” In her photo, I saw a familiar hand. With a wedding band on the ring finger. It was James’s. Seeing that hand wearing the wedding band, my heart clenched tightly. How could I ever forget? That was unmistakably James’s hand! That hand had brought me countless moments of joy and memories. James would hold me tightly from behind, smooching my neck and earlobe, while his hand slipped under my nightgown, caressing and kneading my sensitive spots. That same hand once held mine as he said, “We’ll never be apart.” But now that hand was holding another woman. How ridiculous.