Ashes of a Bloomed Heart

I try seducing my fiance, Vernon Floyd, 999 times. But even when I'm shirtless, his only concern is whether I'm cold.

I assume that Vernon is a traditional guy, who wants to do it until we're married. But on the day of our anniversary, I discover that he has secretly booked a hotel famous for couples' getaways in the city.

That night, I arrive at the VIP suite full of hope. In the end, all I see is Vernon and his childhood sweetheart passionately kissing each other as the crowd cheers.

I wait outside the VIP suite for a long time. Finally, I understand that he doesn't love me.

After leaving the hotel, I call my family. "Dad, I don't want to marry Vernon anymore. I want to marry Dylan instead!"

Dad spits out his coffee and says, "Avril, Mr. Walker got into a car accident a few years ago. I heard that he's impotent. If you marry him, you won't have any children!"

By then, I am already disheartened. "It doesn't matter whether I have children or not."

As soon as Mom heard what I said, she quickly snatched the phone from Dad and asked, "Avril, you've always loved kids. What happened today?"

Mom knew I always donated books and toys to the orphanage every year. It was obvious that I adored children.

Then, Mom said to me in a low voice, "That Mr. Walker is known to be injured from the waist down. He might be impotent.

"All these years, not a single young woman was willing to marry him! Besides, Mr. Walker did propose to you several times. You kept refusing him, didn't you?"

After hearing what Mom said, I looked at a photo in my phone gallery. Dylan Walker was a handsome young man with broad shoulders and long legs.

I already thought about it. Despite Dylan's good looks, he was most likely impotent. However, marrying him was much better than spending the rest of my life with Vernon Floyd, who still had feelings for his childhood sweetheart.

A knife seemed to pierce through my heart as I recalled everything I heard for half the night.

Dad realized my tone sounded off and asked cautiously, "When will you break up with that prude boyfriend of yours? Once that is done, then we'll set up a meeting with Mr. Walker."

"Let's meet in three days. Once I've handled things on my side, I'll return immediately for my engagement to Mr. Walker."

After leaving the hotel, I returned to the apartment I had shared with Vernon for the past six years.

I recalled how I met Vernon's gaze across the crowd before. Although he seemed a little surprised to see me there, he merely frowned before leading the young woman to their seats.

There were roses, champagne, a piano melody from a love song, and a romantic candlelit dinner for two. Over the past six years of being with Vernon, I never once had dinner with him at