Chapter 1

The first time I went to Bhodan, it was the journey where Charles and I crossed paths for the first time.

The second time, it was the trip where our feelings blossomed and we fell in love.

The third time, it was the journey where we ended our marriage.

And now, this is my last journey, my final goodbye.

*****

The day I received my late-stage stomach cancer diagnosis, I stood in the airport terminal and called Charles.

"Charles, I agree to the divorce," I said.

"I don't want anything. My only condition is that you come with me to Bhodan one last time, and retrace the path we took when we fell in love."

*****

There was a long silence on the other end before Charles finally spoke, his voice wary.

"Emily, what are you up to now?" Charles asked, sounding annoyed.

My mind drifted for a moment, and bitterness welled up inside me.

It only took eight years for us to go from loving each other to not being able to stand one another.

"I'll be waiting for you at the security checkpoint in Terminal A. Bring the divorce papers," I said.

"The plane takes off in three hours. This is your only chance to get me to sign. If you miss it, that's it."

After hanging up, I crumpled up the diagnosis that had just handed me a death sentence and tossed it into the trash.

I grabbed my sunglasses from my purse and slipped them on, covering up my tear-stained eyes.

Late-stage stomach cancer.

Maybe this was God's way of getting back at me for being the "crazy woman" everyone said I was.

Ever since my cousin Sophia started working at Charles's company two years ago, he was staying late at the office more and more.

He once casually said, "Your cousin's pretty interesting."

After that, she started coming up in almost every conversation.

I argued, made a scene, and even cut ties with Aunt Grace's family.

But after all the drama, Sophia got promoted and became Charles's right-hand assistant.

And then Charles gave me the divorce papers.

I still remember three days ago, when I got the eighth set of divorce papers he sent me.

I completely lost it. I wrecked the place where we started our life together, sobbing and screaming at him.

"Charles, you were the one who swore you'd love me forever! Now you meet someone younger and prettier, and you think you can just toss me aside? In your dreams!" I shouted.

"I'm not letting some new girl take my place. I'm going to make sure you stick around and keep arguing with me till we're a hundred. You're stuck with me, for life!"

And then fate slapped me in the face. Turns out I only had a month left to live.

So I made my peace with it. If I can't have him for seventy more years, I'll settle for seven more days.

Charles arrived at the airport in no time, carrying a suitcase that was new to me.

It was probably something Sophia had thrown together for him in a rush.

When he saw me, he marched right over and immediately launched into a tirade.

"Emily, do you always have to act on a whim? Do you know how much hassle it was for me to cancel everything at work? When will you ever start thinking things through?" he snapped.

If it was such a hassle, why did he still show up, so determined to get that divorce?

My heart stung, but with my sunglasses hiding my face, I folded my arms and fired back.

"I've never been the reasonable type, haven't you figured that out? You used to love my blunt honesty.

"If you don't want to be here, then just leave. Or stick around and keep getting tangled up with me."

I wanted to have a real conversation with him, but after these past two years, we'd turned into full-blown resentful lovers, always at each other's throats.

Honestly, I couldn't even remember what it felt like to talk to him calmly anymore.

Charles pressed his lips together, looking at me like I was completely unreasonable.

He took a few deep breaths to calm himself down, then asked:

"So, can you give me a reason? Why do we have to go to Bhodan before the divorce?"

I looked away, staring out at the tarmac, trying to keep my voice steady.

"Eight years ago, you asked for my number on the Mountain Road, and told me I was more beautiful than the highland daisies.

"Seven years ago, we watched the sunrise turn the Nambar Peak golden, and you said you loved me and wanted to be with me.

"Five years ago, you took me to the Red Summit Palace, proposed to me in the square outside, and we made a wish before the Bhoda, promising we'd be together for life..."

"That's enough," Charles cut me off abruptly.

He stopped, frowning, towering over me, his eyes full of mixed emotions.