Chapter 1
CHAPTER ONE: THE WOMAN WHO WANTED TO BE LOVED
Episode One: A Friend's Warning
"Sometimes I wonder if you're marrying Noah because you love him... or because you're afraid of being alone."
Olivia's smile disappeared.
She stared at Vivian for a moment, trying to decide whether her best friend had actually said what she thought she heard.
"Excuse me?"
Vivian shifted uncomfortably in her seat.
"I didn't mean it that way."
"Then how did you mean it?"
"I mean..." Vivian sighed. "You've been so anxious about getting married lately. Every conversation we have somehow comes back to the wedding. The dress, the venue, the invitations, the guests..."
"Because I'm getting married."
"I know."
"So what's wrong with being excited?"
"Nothing."
"Then why do you keep saying things like this?"
Vivian looked at her friend carefully.
Olivia was glowing.
There was an excitement in her eyes that Vivian hadn't seen in a long time. She had spent years watching Olivia worry about her age, watching her become uncomfortable whenever someone mentioned marriage, watching her compare herself with friends who had already settled down.
Now, finally, Olivia had a ring on her finger.
Vivian wanted to be happy for her.
She truly did.
But something about Noah continued to bother her.
"I just want you to be careful," she said.
Olivia folded her arms.
"Careful of what?"
Vivian hesitated.
"Noah."
The name alone changed Olivia's expression.
"What about Noah?"
"I don't know."
"Then why are you bringing him into this?"
"Because I've noticed some things."
"What things?"
Vivian opened her mouth, then closed it again.
How could she explain something she wasn't even completely certain about?
"Noah is friendly with women," she finally said.
Olivia gave a short laugh.
"That's what this is about?"
"I'm not joking."
"And neither am I. Noah has always been friendly. You knew that before he proposed."
"There's a difference between being friendly and being overly familiar."
Olivia's face tightened.
"Are you saying he's cheating on me?"
"No."
"Then what exactly are you saying?"
"I'm saying I don't like the way he behaves sometimes."
"Sometimes?"
"Yes."
"Give me an example."
Vivian became quiet.
She had seen Noah's eyes linger on women.
She had noticed how easily he flirted.
She had noticed how he guarded his phone.
And there were moments when he looked at her in a way that made her uncomfortable.
But she couldn't tell Olivia that.
Not without making herself look like the jealous friend who was trying to destroy her happiness.
"I can't explain it," Vivian admitted.
Olivia shook her head.
"Exactly."
"What?"
"You can't explain it because there's nothing to explain."
Vivian's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Olivia..."
"I know Noah."
"Do you?"
The question came out more sharply than Vivian intended.
Silence fell between them.
Olivia stared at her.
Vivian immediately regretted it.
"I'm sorry."
"No. Say what you mean."
"I just think you're ignoring some things because you want this marriage so badly."
Olivia looked away.
There it was.
The thing she didn't want anyone to say aloud.
Her age.
Her fear.
The years she had spent watching people around her fall in love, get married and build families while she waited for her own story to begin.
She had convinced herself that Noah was the answer.
Maybe he wasn't perfect.
Maybe he flirted too much.
Maybe he sometimes disappeared.
But nobody was perfect.
And she couldn't spend the rest of her life searching for a man who didn't have flaws.
"I love him," Olivia said quietly.
Vivian softened.
"I know."
"And he loves me."
"I hope he does."
Olivia looked back at her.
"Hope?"
Vivian sighed.
"I'm trying to protect you."
"Sometimes it feels like you want me to remain single."
Vivian's eyes widened.
"How can you say that?"
"Because every time I tell you something good about Noah, you find a reason to question it."
"Because I'm your friend."
"And I'm tired of being treated like I don't know what I'm doing."
Vivian stood.
"I never said you were incapable of making your own decisions."
"But that's how you're making me feel."
Vivian was quiet.
She wanted to argue.
Instead, she simply said, "I don't want you to wake up one morning and realize you ignored every warning because you were afraid of starting over."
Olivia looked at her.
For a few seconds, neither spoke.
Then the sound of the front door opening interrupted them.
Noah entered carrying two shopping bags.
"Look who I found!"
Olivia's face immediately brightened.
"Noah!"
He smiled.
"I hope you ladies weren't fighting."
"We weren't," Olivia replied.
Vivian forced a smile.
"No."
Noah walked toward them.
"I brought something."
He placed the bags on the table.
Olivia immediately became excited.
"What is it?"
"Open it."
She reached inside and pulled out a small box.
When she opened it, her eyes widened.
It was a pair of elegant wedding shoes.
"Oh my goodness!"
Noah laughed.
"You like them?"
"I love them!"
Vivian smiled despite herself.
"They're beautiful."
"I saw them and thought of you."
Olivia hugged Noah.
"This is why I'm marrying you."
Noah laughed.
"Only because of shoes?"
"Among other things."
The tension from moments earlier seemed to disappear.
They began discussing the wedding again.
The venue had been confirmed.
The decorations had been chosen.
The invitations were almost ready.
Olivia excitedly told Vivian about the flowers she wanted.
Vivian listened, occasionally smiling.
For the first time that afternoon, she allowed herself to believe that perhaps she had been worrying too much.
Perhaps Noah really did love Olivia.
Perhaps everything would be fine.
But when Noah turned away to answer a call, Vivian noticed something.
His eyes met hers.
And for a brief moment, the warmth disappeared from his face.
It was replaced by something she couldn't identify.
A warning?
Fear?
Guilt?
Vivian couldn't tell.
She looked away immediately.
She wasn't going to accuse him.
Not without knowing.
Not when Olivia was so happy.
---
Later That Evening
Olivia sat across from her therapist, her engagement ring catching the soft light from the lamp beside them.
Dr. Miriam had been listening quietly for several minutes.
"So," the therapist said, "what exactly is confusing you?"
Olivia looked down at her hands.
"Vivian."
"What did she say?"
"She thinks I'm ignoring things about Noah."
"And do you think you are?"
Olivia hesitated.
"I don't know."
"That's an honest answer."
Olivia gave a nervous smile.
"I hate that I don't know."
"Why?"
"Because I should know."
"Should?"
Olivia looked up.
"He's my fiancé."
"That doesn't mean you can always know what another person is thinking."
Olivia became quiet.
Dr. Miriam leaned forward slightly.
"What signs have you noticed?"
Olivia swallowed.
"There are things."
"Such as?"
"He flirts."
"With other women?"
"Sometimes."
"And how does that make you feel?"
"Uncomfortable."
"Have you told him?"
"Yes."
"What did he say?"
"That I'm being too sensitive."
Dr. Miriam nodded slowly.
"What else?"
"Sometimes he doesn't answer his phone."
"How often?"
"I don't know. Maybe I'm exaggerating."
"Olivia."
She looked up.
"You're doing it again."
"Doing what?"
"Making excuses for the things you're telling me."
Olivia looked away.
"I don't want to become suspicious of everyone."
"There's a difference between being suspicious and paying attention."
Olivia sighed.
"What if Vivian is right?"
"What would that mean?"
"That maybe I'm forcing myself to believe something isn't wrong because I don't want to lose him."
"And what are you afraid will happen if you lose him?"
Olivia's eyes became glassy.
"I'll be alone again."
Dr. Miriam didn't interrupt.
Olivia continued.
"I'm getting older. Everyone keeps pretending age doesn't matter, but it does. I see people younger than me getting married, having children... building their lives."
She rubbed her thumb over the engagement ring.
"I don't want to start again."
"Do you love Noah?"
"Yes."
"Do you trust him?"
Olivia opened her mouth.
Nothing came out.
Dr. Miriam waited.
Finally Olivia whispered, "I want to."
The room became silent.
Dr. Miriam leaned back.
"That's different from trusting someone."
Olivia's eyes filled with tears.
"I don't know what to do."
"You don't have to decide everything today."
"But the wedding is in two weeks."
"Then don't make a decision because you're afraid of disappointing people. Make it because you know what you want."
Olivia nodded slowly.
"I want to get married."
"To Noah?"
Olivia hesitated.
Then she smiled faintly.
"Yes."
Dr. Miriam watched her carefully.
"Then before you walk down that aisle, make sure you're not walking toward a dream you've created because you're afraid of losing the chance to have one."
Olivia looked down at her ring again.
For the first time, the diamond didn't look quite as beautiful as it had that morning.
---
Two days later, Olivia and Vivian were back at Olivia's house.
This time, there was no tension.
They were surrounded by wedding catalogues, invitation samples and fabric swatches.
Vivian held up two pieces of material.
"This one."
Olivia shook her head.
"Too dull."
"The other one?"
"Too loud."
Vivian laughed.
"You are impossible."
"You'll thank me when you see the wedding pictures."
"I already know I'll be thanking you for letting me survive this wedding planning."
They both laughed.
Noah walked into the room.
"What's so funny?"
"Your bride is being difficult," Vivian said.
Noah smiled.
"She's always difficult."
Olivia threw a cushion at him.
"Excuse me?"
He caught it.
"I said you're beautiful."
"You said difficult."
"I meant beautifully difficult."
Vivian laughed.
For a moment, everything felt normal.
Perfect, even.
Noah sat beside Olivia and pulled her closer.
"Two weeks," he whispered.
Olivia smiled.
"Two weeks."
She leaned her head against his shoulder.
The future suddenly seemed so close.
Until Noah's phone vibrated.
He glanced at the screen.
His smile disappeared.
He stood.
"I'll be right back."
He walked away.
Olivia watched him disappear down the hallway.
Then she noticed something on the table.
A second phone.
She frowned.
Noah had never mentioned having another phone.
Before she could touch it, the screen lit up.
A new message had arrived.
Olivia picked it up.
The sender's name was unfamiliar.
She opened the message.
Her eyes moved slowly across the screen.
Then stopped.
Her face went pale.
She read it again.
And again.
It wasn't a love message.
It wasn't a confession.
It was something far more unexpected.
Someone was asking Noah to cancel the wedding.
