Youre a traitortherell be no wedding.
My darling, what nonsense are you throwing at me? David spoke with barely a glance at the photographs. I love only you. I dont need anyone else. Its certainly a fake, some Photoshop job.
Is it? Whod go to all that trouble, then? Alice felt wounded by how casual David was, brushing it aside, his excuses delivered with laziness.
The beauty salon her grandmother left her didnt really interest Alice all that much.
She preferred teaching painting to children at the local art school. Naturally, she didnt refuse her inheritance.
The salon brought in a decent income and was managed impeccably by a trustworthy lady.
Thus, Alice could devote herself to what she loved and never wanted for anythingexcept for a family.
After her grandmother died, 27-year-old Alice felt achingly lonely, until, a year later, she met David at an exhibition.
He was rather handsome, with a slightly bashful smile, charming her with his courtesy, warmth, and care.
Two months into their budding romance, David invited her to his place to meet his stepfather, Mr. James Whitaker.
My real dad passed when I was only four, David confided. Mum remarried a decade later. Never called James Dad, but we get along.
When his mother died two years ago, hed continued living with Mr. Whitaker.
Alice immediately liked him: slim, lively-eyed, articulatehe hardly looked his 56 years.
It was apparent he liked her too.
Our rascals a lucky chap, Mr. Whitaker declared gallantly, kissing her hand.
Why rascal, James? David feigned offence.
A true bloke isnt a hobby shop manager, his stepfather quipped cheerfully. No matterwhat counts is lucking out with the fiancée!
Alice blushed at first, but before long, she was laughing so freely at his jokes her fiancé couldnt help feeling a bit jealous.
Six months on, David proposed. Alice was so in love, so swept up in her dreams of married life, that, at first, the photos arriving on her phone barely registered.
When she finally realised what she was looking at, her breath caught in shock.
In the pictures, David was embracing and kissing some girl, grinning with that familiar, bashful smile.
The date on the snapshots said theyd been taken just weeks earlier.
My darling, whats this rubbish? David barely looked at the photos. I love only you. It must be doctored.
Oh? And who, pray, would do this? Alice could hardly stand how dismissive he was. Even his excuses were barely mustered.
No idea, he replied, supremely unfazed. Plenty of lunatics out there.
Alice snapped. Any other man, she thought, would be desperate to clear his name, pledge his love, swear to see the guilty party punished. Not only had David betrayed her, he didnt even seem sorry.
Youre a traitor! Therell be no wedding! Alice fled his flat in tears, past her stunned fiancé.
She cried at home for three days, then spent a week indoors on sick leave. David, meanwhile, never so much as called. Eventually, she pulled herself together.
But what if the images were fake? In todays world, anyone could create anything with the right tech. Could she really have given up so easily?
To her surprise, the mystery woman from the photos was real. Alice tracked her down online within the week; her name was Sophie, and she readily agreed to meet.
Oh, those pictures are old news, Sophie gave a little laugh when Alice explained and showed her the images. Theyre over a year out of date.
How do you mean? Alice faltered. Theres the date, right there.
Anyone could fake the date, Sophie replied, pity in her gaze. Dead easy if you want to.
You sent them?
Why would I? she responded. David and I broke up ages agoand it never lasted long. We didnt have chemistry. Besides, Im engaged myself.
Funny, I dont see a fiancé anywhere on your page, Alice eyed her warily.
Happiness likes the quiet life, Sophie said with a small smile. Wouldnt want to jinx it. Ill share wedding snaps, youll see.
So it seemed David had been wrongly accused, and Alice had believed every bit of it. She had to set things straight.
Her texts and calls went unanswered. After a couple of days, Alice decided to visit Davids place herself.
She arrived in the evening, certain hed be home, and, to her dismay, spotted him stepping out of the car belonging to her old friend, Emma.
Theyd grown up on the same street, but Alice always struggled with Emmashe was too bold, too insistent, her looks too striking. Over time, they drifted; their last real conversation had been after Alices grandmother passed.
Emma had called several times, insisting Alice sell the salon. She thought massage suites would be perfect there; after all, she owned two already, and the location was ideal.
Alice knew all too well what happened in Emmas places. Besides, Alice needed the salon herself.
She refused each lucrative offer. Had Emma decided to get her revengeby stealing her fiancé?
As these thoughts flashed through Alices mind, she watched Emma and David say a warm goodbye, Emma driving off.
You see? I told you, Davids a rascal, came a low voice behind her.
She jumped. Hello, Mr. Whitaker.
Hello, Alice. David wont pine. Youd be better off marrying me, he said with a chuckle, but his eyes were serious.
Im sorry, I really must go, Alice stammered, fleeing towards home.
Finding Emma wasnt hard. Arriving back in her street, Alice caught her just as shed parked.
So, trying to steal my fiancé? Alice looked her square in the eye. But you botched the photos. Ive figured it out.
What photos? Emma asked, genuinely mystified. What on earth are you on about?
Dont tell me it wasnt you who sent those snaps of David with another girl? Couldnt pin it on yourself?
Alice, are you feeling alright? I never sent you anything. Davids only started seeing me the past week. I thought you two had split?
Alice studied Emmas faceshe didnt seem to be lying. She needed time, and space, to process all this.
I thought youd finally decide to sell the salon! Emma called, but Alice didnt look back.
Back in her flat, Alice, still breathless, dialled Davids number once more. To her surprise, he answered.
Come over, if you like, he replied listlessly after her request. Im not feeling great. Might be coming down with something.
She needed no invitation.
David, I made a mistake. Please, forgive me. I just love you so much. Everything looked so real Im sorry.
It happens, he shrugged, emotionless.
Youre wonderful! Alice flung her arms around him. I love you so much!
David gently eased her off.
Lets just be friends.
What? Butwe were going to get married
He winced. AliceIm marrying Emma.
What? You swore you loved meyou promised
No drama, please. In fact, its precisely your volatility that put me off. Why cope with all these ups and downs? Besides, Emmas got a better business. Bigger profits. I need to think of my future.
She felt numb, literally speechlesswhat could she say?
David had simply used her, now easily moving on to someone else.
She fled his flat, hurried down the terraced steps, and, once outside, her knees gave way. She collapsed onto a bench.
Five minutes on, Mr. Whitaker sat gently beside her.
My poor dear, he said softly, stroking her head. At least its all out now
I just cant understandwho started it all? Alice burst into tears.
I did Mr. Whitaker admitted quietly.
You? Why? Her tears stopped, stunned.
I fell for you the very first night you visited. Decided I had to marry you, but you only had eyes for David.
Youre old enough to be my fatherand anyway, I loved David or used to
I just wanted to compromise you in his sight. But then I overheard him boasting hed bagged himself a wealthy bride. I realised he wasnt letting you go. So I tried a different approach. I had the means but thats not important.
Dont you seeyouve ruined my life?
No, Ive saved it. Youd have suffered much more later on. Marry me, will you, Alice?
Youre mad! She stood abruptly and stormed away to her flat.
She left the city, but Mr. Whitaker found her and kept asking, gently, kindly. In time, they started conversingjust as friends.
A year later, Mr. Whitaker died, leaving everything he owned to Alice, though she felt no joy. Shed grown used to the man she once thought of as only her exs stepfather.
As for David, he was furious to lose his flat, but she no longer cared about him at all.
