Chapter 4
I brushed the ash from my clothes as I got to my feet. The flames cast dancing shadows. across my face, but my voice was Arctic cold.
“It’s fine. I opened the album and found some water damage and mold inside. Had to get rid of it before it spread to anything else.”
Seeing my composed demeanor, Nathan finally realized how extreme his reaction had been. Taking a deep breath, his tone softened.
“Are you okay? I’m sorry I shouldn’t have blown up like that. We spent ten years building that collection. Weren’t we going to show it at our wedding? Why didn’t you tell me it was damaged?”
“If there was a problem with it, you could’ve waited for me to come back, or at least texted me. I would’ve taken care of it,” he added.
I didn’t bother looking at him. The man standing before me was no longer the passionate entrepreneur who’d once promised to protect me forever.
“You’ve been working endless hours at the office forever. I didn’t want to bother you with something so trivial.”
He stood beside me, staring dejectedly at the ashes. The scene couldn’t have been more ironic – he was the one who’d thrown away our decade–long relationship for another woman, yet here he was, acting like he still cared.
I turned to head back inside, but he mistook my indifference for sulking and pulled me into his arms. The overpowering scent of his cologne filled my nose, making me sneeze repeatedly, but he didn’t let go, seemingly overwhelmed with remorse.
“Are you coming down with something?” he asked, his voice gentle. “I know I’ve been distracted lately with work. Once things settle down, let’s recreate those photos, okay? We’ll make new memories
twice as many!”
Before, words like these might have melted my resolve. But after an ER visit and realizing he’d forgotten my severe dairy allergy in favor of another woman, I couldn’t keep
Chapter 4
pretending. I wanted nothing more to do with him.
When he finally released me, I pulled away decisively and said. “No set in manga you really want to make it up to me, maybe you could throw the proper sliday party *
Because of my dairy allergy, I’d always been excluded from my own cateraints for thre I’d be leaving soon, I wanted to experience at least one birthday with him progely aga
side.
Surprisingly, he seemed rattled by my simple request. He nodded, but hedder the conte respond further, his phone lit up with an incoming call. Glancing at the same quind explained, “It’s an urgent call about a client. Don’t wait up tonight–II make by you
up a
promise.”
As he spoke, he was already backing away. By the time he finished, he was halfeay acosoc the courtyard, practically running.
In reality, I recognized the custom ringtone he’d set for Sophia, but I didn’t call humour a
the lie.
The next morning, people arrived to set up the party, and among them was Soghia berset She claimed she was there to oversee the arrangements since she’d designed the setup Br by the end of the day, I noticed that the decorations were just a scaled down version of her
own birthday party.
When the workers left, she sauntered over, a smug smile playing on her lips
“Everyone’s been working so hard all day. What do you think? Does it match your ta
As I looked at her, my eyes caught the silver pendant around her neck–the one d reported missing months ago. I narrowed my eyes as I replied coolly, “A hand–me–dowm party for a hand–me–down girlfriend. Seems fitting
Hearing my words, Sophia’s face darkened, and without another word, the glanced to the side, picked up a crystal glass, and smashed it to the floor. A shard cut her foot, and she began to cry pitifully.
Before I could react, Nathan stormed over and slapped me across the face.
“Enough with the drama! Sophia took a day off to help with your party, and this is how you
Chapter 4
thank her?” he growled.
“If you don’t like it, you can plan your own damn party!”
Without waiting for an explanation, he scooped Sophia into his arms and rushed her out. I sat alone in the now silent room, surrounded by decorations that suddenly seemed meaningless.
The next morning, no one showed up for the party. Well, it wasn’t surprising – Nathan had
een my entire social circle for these ten years.
When the cake arrived, I opened the box, cut myself a tiny slice, and stuck a single candle in it. Closing my eyes, I made a simple wish: “May our paths never cross again.”
I couldn’t even eat the cake because of my allergy. When my phone buzzed, signaling the end of my countdown, I grabbed my suitcase and walked out without looking back.
On the ride to the airport, I sent Nathan one final message.
“It’s over. Don’t try to contact me.”
Not even a proper breakup. Just a period at the end of a decade–long sentence.
As I switched my phone to airplane mode before boarding, he was already blowing up my phone like a man possessed.
