A letter to the post man

The day Catharine had been waiting for was finally here—her wedding day.

She was about to become a bride, marrying the most perfect man in the world.

The man I wished would spare a glance for me, just like he used to before he fell for Catharine.

My dress arrived shortly after.

It was a black sequined, off-shoulder gown paired with a matching gold necklace.

I slipped it on, and it fit perfectly.

I knew Catharine had picked it—she remembered that black was my favorite color.

I straightened my hair and applied bold makeup, painting my lips red.

I wasn't sure what was happening to me, but I felt an overwhelming urge to look stunning—maybe even to catch Nath's attention.

Was I losing my mind?

I didn't know, but for once, I was thinking only of myself.

The dress accentuated my curves, and I adjusted it to make it even more seductive.

Two hours later, a car arrived to pick me up.

The driver could hardly keep his eyes on the road, confirming what I already felt—I looked insanely attractive.

When we arrived at the venue, I was stunned.

The place was breathtakingly beautiful, adorned with shimmering decorations.

The sky above read Nath Weds Catharine, and their pictures were displayed everywhere.

Diamonds sparkled under the light of grand chandeliers.

I caught a glimpse of my reflection in the fountain's water and tears filled my eyes.

Who had I become?

Why was I trying to seduce my best friend's husband—on their wedding day, no less?

I couldn't stand myself.

Without a second thought, I hailed a taxi and rushed back to my apartment.

There, I changed into a pink velvet dress, wiped off my bold makeup, and returned to the wedding.

By the time I arrived, the venue was filled with guests and the media.

I quietly found a seat as Catharine walked down the aisle.

She looked like an angel in her white, flowing gown, her hair twirled elegantly, with diamonds glimmering around her.

I couldn't help but smile as I saw her.

Nath gently held her hand, and for a moment, time seemed to slow down.

They exchanged vows and rings, sealing their love.

Catharine was now Mrs. Nath Anderson.

As they shared their first dance, Nath's eyes never left Catharine.

He didn't even glance at me—and that was okay.

I told myself it was okay.

A friend of Nath's approached me, asking for a dance.

I accepted, and we danced gracefully.

He attempted to make conversation, but my thoughts were consumed by Nath.

"So, Reina, right?" he asked.

I didn't respond at first.

He repeated himself.

"Oh, sorry… yes, I'm Nath," I blurted out, flustered.

"Huh? You're Nath?" he asked, confused.

"No, I'm Reina. Sorry," I corrected quickly, embarrassed.

I excused myself and returned to my seat, feeling more out of place than ever.

I excused myself and returned to my seat.

The bride danced joyfully with Mr. Anderson, her father-in-law.

I couldn't help but laugh softly as I watched them together.

"Pretty funny, huh?" a voice said.

I turned around—it was Nath.

"May I have the last dance?" he asked.

"Sure," I replied, surprised he had finally noticed me.

As we made our way to the dance floor, the spotlight followed us.

Nath gently placed his hands around my waist, and I rested mine on his shoulders.

We moved slowly, the music soft and melodic.

He twirled me around with such care, but deep down, I knew agreeing to this dance had been a bad idea.

My heart felt unbearably heavy.

"So, you're going back?" Nath asked, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"Yes," I replied.

"We're going to miss you. You should always call Catharine or me if you need anything—or anyone," he said sincerely.

"I will," I replied with a forced smile. "I can't thank you both enough for everything you've done for me since I arrived in this land."

"You're very important to my wife," he said, "so of course, I had to help."

At his mention of his wife, something inside me broke.

"I can't dance anymore," I said abruptly. "I need a drink."

I walked to the counter and ordered wine—for the first time in my life.

The alcohol hit me harder than I expected, and I quickly began to feel tipsy.

Catharine approached me, her eyes warm and full of affection.

She hugged me tightly and said, "You mean so much to me."

I didn't know what came over me, but I suddenly shouted at her.

"Will you just stop touching me!" I snapped.

Her shocked expression haunted me as I turned and left the hall.

I quickly hailed a taxi and returned to my apartment.

Once there, uneasiness washed over me.

The wine I had drunk churned in my stomach, and I rushed to the bathroom to vomit.

Afterward, I collapsed onto my bed and fell into a restless sleep.

The morning sunlight streamed through my window, waking me.

I saw ten missed calls from Catharine and Alex on my phone.

I called Catharine back and apologized for my behavior, blaming the wine I'd had.

She laughed it off and hung up after a brief conversation.

But my mind was made up.

I booked a flight without telling Catharine or Nath.

I left the northern lands quietly, without saying goodbye.

My plane landed in the southern lands—my hometown, the place I once called home.

I called Alex to pick me up from the airport. He arrived shortly and drove me to our house—the place I had longed to see.

As we drove, Alex asked me about the southern lands. Nath was the first thing that came to mind.

I had returned home to forget him, yet here I was, thinking of him again, back in my homeland.

I told Alex about the modeling agency and my friendship with Catherine but didn't mention Nath or the wedding.

Alex suggested I rest, and we could continue our conversation later.

When we reached home, I went to my room—a small, cozy, cottage-core space.

I had missed my old life. It was so simple, without the glamour and chaos.

I took a shower and decided to get rid of my old SIM card. Flushing it down the toilet, I resolved to focus on myself and fix things here.

I had  to earn money through the modeling agency, and Alex had some savings in his account. Together, we had to take our sister away from our father.

I wrote down my plans and eventually drifted off to sleep.

The next morning, I felt much better.

I came downstairs to make breakfast and greeted Alex.

"Hey, how was your sleep?" I asked.

"It wasn't bad. How about yours?" he replied.

"It was fine, I guess. I've been missing home for so long," I said.

He stepped closer, tapped my shoulder, and gave me a reassuring smile.

"Alex, I think it's time I go visit Archie at the Sylvester Mansion," I told him.

"I think you're right. I'll drop you off and be there if you need me," he said.

I went upstairs and changed into a dress I had bought in the northern lands. It looked elegant and fancy.

I wanted to look my best—a beautiful young woman I had grown into. At twenty, I was no longer a child. I was ready to face Diana and Geynie.

I got into the car, and Alex drove us to the Lockwood mansion—the house I grew up in.

Memories came flooding back: running around the yard, playing carefree. The playground was still intact.

Taking a deep breath, I rang the doorbell.

A butler appeared shortly, opening the door with a polite smile.

"Welcome, Miss Reina," he greeted.

"Please call Mr Sylvester and be kind enough and call for Archie for me "

I said calmly 

Moments later, my sister came running toward me. I couldn't help but embrace her tightly. Tears streamed down my face.

"Oh, Reina, I've missed you so much! Sister Geynie told me you would never return to me," Archie sobbed.

"Don't you listen to Sister Geynie. See? I'm here, and I'm not going anywhere without you," I reassured her.

Mr. Sylvester entered the room shortly after. As I stood to greet him, his gaze lingered on me.

"You look just like Ray," he said, his voice cracking.

"Oh, my daughter, you are the spitting image of Ray."

Hearing those words made my blood boil. I hated this man with every fiber of my being. The thought of him being my father filled me with rage.

"Mr. Sylvester, I'm here for my sister and nothing else. I don't need anything from you, and I don't think Archie needs you anymore, either," I said curtly.

Taking Archie's hand, I headed toward the door.

"Where do you think you're taking my daughter?" a voice called out.

I turned around—it was Diana.

"Oh, so Archie is your daughter now? Since when? You call yourself a mother, yet all you've ever taught your children is how to take what doesn't belong to them. But I don't blame you—that's just who you are," I said sharply.

Continuing with fury in my voice, I added, "I'm taking Archie with me, and there's nothing you or this man can do about it."

As I walked out, I noticed Geynie approaching with Carl. Ignoring them, I helped Archie into the car where Alex was waiting.

Carl's eyes lingered on me, but I looked right past him. I knew he regretted what he had done to me, but I felt nothing for him anymore. In fact, I was grateful he cheated—it had made me the strong woman I was now.

Once we arrived home, I showed Archie the things I had brought for her. I refused to take anything from the Lockwood house. She shared my room with me that night.

Archie was nine years old now, and though she resembled Sylvester, I didn't care. All that mattered to me was fulfilling my mother's wishes.

A week passed quickly. I enrolled Archie in a much better school, one she deserved.

One day, Alex suggested I apply to university. He thought I should study Beauty and Aesthetics.

I laughed at the idea. "Alex, I'm already in the modeling industry. Why would I need to study this?" I teased.

But I applied anyway, and to my surprise, I was accepted. The course only lasted a year, which allowed me to balance work at my mom's restaurant.

One afternoon, Alex came running toward me, shouting excitedly.

"Rei! You won't believe what just happened!" he exclaimed.

"What? Tell me!" I asked eagerly.

"I've been accepted into one of the best architectural companies in the world!" he said, practically jumping with joy.

"Oh my God, Alex, that's amazing!" I said, hugging him tightly.

"So, what company is it?" I asked.

"The Great Anderson," he said, a proud smile on his face.

Hearing that name sent a chill down my spine. Nath. I hadn't heard about him in a long time.

Alex continued, "Reina, you don't know how much I struggled before getting this. After meeting the manager, I found out the CEO personally approved my application when he saw my name was Alex."

"Don't you find that strange?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Girl, you're talking about strange, but I just landed my dream job. Let me have this moment!" he said, laughing.

I smiled. I didn't want to dampen his excitement, so I congratulated him.

"So, will you be moving to the northern lands?" I asked, feeling curious.

"No," he said firmly. "The CEO built a branch here, so I'll be working locally. That's what makes it even better!"

I was relieved. Alex hated the northern lands, and I didn't want him to leave.

It wasn't long before Alex started working for the Andersons. Life turned around for us—he was now taking care of me and Archie. Those were some of the happiest moments of our lives.

Time flew, and a year later, I graduated.

At twenty-one, I had a degree, a profession, and a new outlook on life. My background in modeling and beauty made school relatively easy for me.