Beloved Bride: Captured by the Top Playboy

"Cheng Suxin, you're fired!"

"Why?" Suxin raised her head and looked at Miss Zhang's permanent alabaster ice-queen facade, hardly believing what she'd heard. Just an hour ago, she'd been happily trying on wedding dresses in the bridal shop, rushing back here immediately after receiving a call from her colleague Sister Jin. She hadn't expected to be confronted with such devastating news.

"Why?" Miss Zhang revealed a rare smile that was terrifying to behold. She then took out her phone, and a photo of Suxin in her wedding dress, which had just been posted to her Moments, appeared before Suxin's eyes, "As you know, the company is going through a difficult time. Yet some people only care about their personal affairs, taking leaves at will. The company needs employees with a sense of community, not self-interest. You, obviously, do not qualify." Miss Zhang's finger waved tauntingly in front of Suxin.

"I did take leave today to take my wedding photos, but I had requested it in advance," Suxin defended herself hopelessly.

"You don't need to explain anymore. Your things have been packed up, and you can leave now!" Miss Zhang gestured towards the cardboard box on her desk.

"I..." Suxin started to say something else but was too shocked to accept the news of her termination.

"Take your box and leave! Your salary for this month will be deposited into your account next month." Saying that, Miss Zhang folded her arms and watched Suxin, evidently waiting to see her leave.

Unemployed? Was she unemployed now?

Suxin's mind went blank. The news had come so abruptly that she was caught off guard. She'd always been diligent at work, and though she hadn't made any significant achievements, she hadn't made any mistakes, either. Had she unwittingly offended someone?

Looking at Miss Zhang's domineering demeanor, a sour sense of grievance welled up inside Suxin. Turning to look at her other colleagues, she realized that as soon as their eyes met, they immediately averted their gaze.

Holding the box in one hand and her bag in the other, Suxin walked step by step out of the office. Looking back longingly at the office, she felt her heart sink as she gazed at her desk, where she'd sat since graduating.

Holding back the tears welling up in her eyes, Suxin lifted her head defiantly and, with a calm expression, walked past office after office. Tears rolled in her eyes, but she couldn't let them fall.

Just a moment ago, she'd been happily feeling as if she were on cloud nine, wearing the pristine wedding dress like a princess, gloriously honored with her friends' full blessings, feeling life's splendid colors. The very next second, it was as though she had been cast into hell – she was unemployed!

No, at most, she had been cast back to earth because she still had Liu Haoran, who had treasured her wholeheartedly and regarded her as a precious gem. They had been in love for eight years, from university until now, and they were about to get married.

With that thought, Suxin's face broke into a smile once more. What's so great about losing a job? If it's gone, she could find another!

The melodious sound of her phone rang again. Taking it out, she saw "Liu Haoran" clearly flashing on the screen.

"Haoran, where are you? Why have I been unable to reach you? Have you forgotten that today's our wedding photo shoot?" As Suxin spoke, a sense of grievance surged over her.

There was silence on the other end, only the faint sound of breathing coming through, as if something was brewing.

"Haoran?" For some reason, Suxin felt very unsettled.

"Susu, let's break up," Liu Haoran finally spoke, his voice unnaturally calm.

With a "thud," the box in Suxin's hands fell to the ground.

"What? Haoran, what did you say?" Suxin doubted her own ears.

"I said let's break up."

"Why?"

"I've fallen for another woman!" Liu Haoran's voice didn't show a hint of hesitation.

"Another woman? Who?" Suxin couldn't quite believe it. Was that really Haoran on the other end of the phone, the one who always indulged her, who always put her first in everything? Could it really be Liu Haoran?

"It doesn't matter who she is, the point is I no longer love you. I won't marry you, that's that!" With that, Liu Haoran hung up the phone.

Beep— the prolonged tone buzzed in her ear, leaving Suxin's mind a complete blank.

Had she just been dumped? After eight years of love, had her boyfriend who adored her really left her?

No, she needed to ask for clarification.

Her hands trembling, she grabbed her phone, dialed Liu Haoran's number, and pressed call.

The phone rang over and over, but no one answered. Suxin, unwilling to give up, redialed again and again.

"Cheng Suxin, Haoran has already said he wants to break up with you, so why keep shamelessly clinging on?" At last, the call connected, but it was a woman who spoke.

"Who are you?"

"You tell me, who am I?" the woman on the other end laughed, "Cheng Suxin, keep some dignity for yourself. Men are not like women; when they say they don't love you, they truly mean it..."

"Put Liu Haoran on the phone for me!" She practically shouted this command.

"Haoran is busy, he doesn't have time to take your calls. Stop calling!"

Beep— the sound continued to ring in the phone, as Suxin's gaze turned blank, and her grip on the phone weakened, dropping down.

She walked forward step by step, the bag in her hand swinging uncertainly. Unbeknownst to herself, Suxin's blank gaze led her to the rooftop. Jobless, loveless, and marriageless—why did her life become so tragic in just one day?

A job loss could be overcome with a new search, but how could she retrieve eight years of lost affection?

Her eyes glanced at the bag in her hand; the flash of white hurt her eyes.

Heartbroken, she yanked the wedding dress out of the bag; its long train trailed on the ground.

Suxin squatted down, hugged the wedding dress to her chest, and tears finally began to fall—one drop, two drops, three drops... countless, like beads on a string.

Her fingers caressed the wedding dress, the texture of the real silk damask was very soft and gentle, and the pearls embedded on it were bright and white. This was her wedding dress, the one she was supposed to wear to marry Liu Haoran. But now, everything had become so ironic, as if mocking her naivety, mocking her foolishness.

She had once beautifully dreamt of being the happiest bride in the world, wearing this pure white dress and marrying the man who loved her most under the priest's blessing. They had eight years of affection, and they would have had eighty years of happy life together.

But all of this changed overnight, all dreams drifted far away from her, never to be touched again...

The stark white in her hands deeply pained her eyes, no, she didn't want this!

With a sudden motion from the ground, Suxin stood up, grabbed the wedding dress, and threw it off the rooftop...