Margaret Clarke gently pulls her daughters wedding dress from the wardrobe, smoothing the crisp white fabric as tears pool in her eyes. Three months after the lavish ceremony, Emily returns home without a husband, without a smile, and with no faith in happiness.
Mom, can I live with you again? Emily asks, voice trembling, standing on the doorstep with two suitcases.
Margaret embraces her daughter without a word and helps carry the bags inside. The questions can wait; she feels something has shattered irreparably in her only childs life.
Now that Emily is back at work, Margaret cant escape the bitter memories. It all began so beautifully.
Emily meets James Turner at a New Years office party. A friend invites her so she wont spend the holiday alone. Emily hesitates, then finally agrees.
The tall darkhaired man with brown eyes wins her over at first glance. He courtesies her with flowers, arranges romantic outings, and showers her with attention. Overwhelmed, Emily cant resist. Six months later, James kneels at a restaurant, in front of the whole table, and slides a velvet box across.
Emily, will you be my wife? he asks, his voice soft.
Emily smiles shyly, surprised by the proposal but having allowed herself to dream about it. The room holds its breath, and she whispers, Yes.
The whirlwind wedding planning begins. James insists on a grand affair.
Darling, you only get married once. I want everything to be perfect, he insists passionately.
Emily would prefer something modest, but she yields to his wishes. He books an expensive Mayfair restaurant, invites a flood of his friends and colleaguesmost of whom Emily meets for the first time.
Margaret remembers the kitchen conversation.
Sweetheart, arent you rushing? You hardly know each other, she asks cautiously.
Dont worry, Mum. Im twentyeight. How long should I wait? James is so caring. I could never find a better husband, Emily replies, beaming.
Now she returns home with a hollow stare. What went wrong?
James moves into Emilys onebedroom flat immediately after the wedding. He claims he was renting elsewhere, but now theres no point spending money when his young wife already has a place.
My love, Im saving for our future home. Well endure the cramped quarters a bit longer, then buy something spacious, he says, kissing her on the temple.
Emily doesnt want to start married life discussing money, so she agrees. Soon she discovers James lost his job before the wedding.
Why didnt you tell me? Emily asks, stunned after hearing it from an acquaintance.
I didnt want to upset you before the wedding, he shrugs. Im actively looking for a new position, dont worry.
Weeks pass and James drags his feet. He sleeps late, spends most days at his laptop pretending to send out resumes, and meets friends in the evenings. Emily works in accounts, leaves early and returns late, and the bulk of household chores fall on her shoulders.
James, could you take a temporary job while you search for something permanent? she suggests gently.
You want me to be a delivery driver or a warehouse hand? he snaps. I have a degree and experience; I wont demean myself.
One evening Emily arrives home early. From the hallway she sees Jamess silhouette in the window. Going up the stairs she hears loud voices. She unlocks the door and freezes. A noisy crowd fills her tiny flatempty bottles, snacks on the table, blaring music.
Emily! We were just having a few drinks with the lads, James grins, reaching for her.
The smell of alcohol hangs heavy. Emily surveys the mess, the dirty dishes, and slips into the bathroom, closing the door and sobbing. What has become of her life?
The next morning, after the guests have gone and James is sound asleep, Emily finds her gold earringsher parents gift for her eighteenth birthdaymissing from the jewellery box. She wakes James.
Where are my earrings? she demands.
Earrings? he mumbles halfasleep.
The gold pair that were in the box.
James winces and sits up.
Oh, those I borrowed them to get a short loan from a jeweller I know. Id pay you back straight away.
You sold my earrings? Emily yells.
I didnt sell them, I pawned them! he retorts. We need the money. Ill get it back.
Wheres the cash? she presses.
We were at the pub with the guys, he says, turning away.
Emily sinks onto a chair. Her husband has spent family money and even risked her personal belongings to fund nights out, while she was saving for a new sofa.
The problems snowball. It emerges that James has undisclosed loans taken out before the wedding, which Emily now has to service. He offers endless excuses for his unemployment and even hints that she should work harder.
James, this cant go on, Emily says one night. We need to talk seriously.
What about? he replies irritably, eyes still on his phone.
Our life. I work from dawn till dusk, pay the rent, buy groceries, and you she stammers.
What? Speak up, his voice turns threatening.
You never make an effort to improve our situation, she finishes quietly.
James leaps up, phone clutched in his hand.
Are you accusing me of stealing a loaf of bread? he shouts. Do you expect me to work for pennies, to be humiliated? Im your husband!
After that, the tension thickens. Emily stays later at work to spend less time at home. She regrets agreeing to a rushed marriage.
James becomes snappier, shouting at the slightest mistake. One night he erupts because she forgets his favourite orange juice.
You dont care about me at all! I only asked for juice. Is that too much to remember? he roars, pacing the room.
Im exhausted, Im sorry, Emily whispers, feeling a cold shiver down her spine. She has never seen him so angry.
Everyone ignores my requests! he bangs his fist on the table, startling her.
A call from his friend defuses the outburst; he smiles, steps onto the balcony, and pretends everything is fine.
Each day gets worse. Money disappears faster. One morning she checks her account and sees a large sum withdrawn at a nightclub on the night James claimed to be at a mates house.
Why are you looking at my statements? he snaps when she confronts him. Cant I relax?
What money are you using to relax? Emily asks softly.
Does it matter? Were a family, everything is shared! he retorts.
Something finally cracks inside Emily. She realises the James she fell for was a façade, a polished image he crafted during courtship. The real James is lazy, irresponsible, perhaps dishonest.
The final straw is her mothers heirloom ring. Margaret had given Emily a rubyset family ring, passed down through the women of the Clarke line, kept in a small jewellery box. While preparing for her aunts birthday, Emily opens the box to find it empty.
Her heart stops. She rushes to James.
Did you see Mums ring? she asks.
He averts his gaze, mutters, I needed cash urgently. A friend got into trouble, I couldnt say no. Ill repay, I promise.
Emily sinks onto a chair, the truth plain. There was no friend, no job searchjust James exploiting her, living off her money, selling her possessions.
I want a divorce, she says quietly.
Jamess face twists.
You cant do this to me! Im your husband! We swore to stay together in sorrow and joy!
Sorrow was plenty, Emily replies bitterly. Joy never came.
Youll regret this! he threatens.
Fear spikes. That night, while James is out with his mates, Emily packs the essentials and drives to her parents house. There, in her childhood home, she finally breaks down, spilling the whole story to her mother.
Mum, I was wrong! Why didnt I listen when you warned me not to rush? she sobs.
Margaret smoothes Emilys hair and whispers, Itll be alright, love. Youll find happiness again, I promise.
A week later, when Emily gathers the courage to return for the remaining belongings, she finds the flat turned upside down. Appliances, jewellery, even some clothes are gone. James has taken everything he could sell and vanished.
Emily collapses onto the floor amidst the wreckage and, surprisingly, laughsa bitter, raw laugh. Her marriage has crumbled to ruins, just like the apartment.
A month passes. Emily files for divorce. James never appears in court; rumors say he fled to another city. Emily must now repay the loans James forged in her name, forged signatures and all.
Margaret carefully folds the wedding dress back into the wardrobe. Perhaps someday Emily will don a white dress again, meeting a worthy man. For now, it stays as a reminder of a mistake not to repeat.
That evening, after Emily comes home from work, Margaret brews tea and says, You know, love, a wedding is just one day. Happiness has to be built over years, with someone who deserves it.
Emily manages a faint smile. I understand now, Mum. Its better to be alone than with someone who makes you miserable.
Each day Emily takes small steps toward a new life. She picks up extra shifts to clear the debts, enrolls in a professional course, and spends weekends strolling in the park and meeting friends she abandoned during the marriage.
One afternoon she flips through old photos and finds the wedding pictures. In one, she stands smiling in her white dress, bouquet in hand, James grinning beside hera moment when she still believed in a fairytale. She stares at it, then tears the photograph in two.
The act is symbolic. She shreds not only the image but also the illusion that happiness can be handed to you on a wedding cake. True joy must be built brick by brick, day by day, starting with yourself.
That night, for the first time in a long while, Emily falls asleep with a light heart. She doesnt know what the future holds, but she decides firmly: she will never live by others expectations or make hasty choices again. She still hopes for a real, strong, happy family someday.
For now, she learns to be content on her own. Happiness isnt a passport stamp or a white dress; its a state of mind that doesnt depend on marital status. And Emily intends to reach that state with steady, confident steps.
