Chapter 1
The night before the engagement, our friends were all hyped up, egging us on to play a question-and-answer game.
Someone asked Edward, "If Charlotte and Lily both fell into the water, who would you save first?"
He grinned and said, "Charlotte can swim, and Lily's a scaredy-cat. Of course, I'd save Lily first."
Everyone at the table burst out laughing.
Lily blushed and nudged him. "Don't say that. Charlotte will get jealous."
Edward glanced at me, sounding sure of himself. "She won't. She's super understanding."
Later, it was Lily's turn to ask him, "So, what is it about Charlotte that makes your heart skip a beat?"
Edward fell silent for a long time.
In the end, he said, "She's the kind of woman you build a life with."
The whole table went quiet.
I looked down at the ring I'd worn for eight years, and suddenly, I felt so tired.
So after eight years of love, all he sees in me is someone to settle down with.
But this time, I'm done settling for that. I didn't want to spend my life with him anymore.
*****
The air in the private room suddenly felt stifling and murky.
The sharp mix of smoke and alcohol hit me straight in the lungs.
Everyone sensed the tension, exchanging uneasy glances.
The friends who had been egging us on moments ago awkwardly raised their glasses, trying to smooth things over.
Lily hesitantly tugged at Edward's sleeve, her eyes wet and full of innocence, as if she might burst into tears.
She spoke in a soft, trembling voice, "Edward, is Charlotte mad at me?
"It's all my fault. I knew it was the day before your engagement, but I still insisted on playing that question game.
"I'll go apologize to Charlotte."
As she spoke, she made to stand up.
Edward pressed her back into her seat with a firm hand on her shoulder.
His eyes flashed with impatience. "Why apologize? It was a joke.
"She's always been boring. It's not like you met her."
He looked straight at me from across the table, his stare cold and heavy.
There was no guilt in his eyes, only a warning.
It was like he was telling me, "Don't mess up his mood in front of everyone."
It felt like someone hit my heart with a hammer; the pain washed over me.
Eight years ago, on that rainy night.
He stood outside my dorm, soaked to the bone, clutching a bouquet of roses that were falling apart from the rain.
His eyes were so bright, like they held a thousand stars.
Back then, he made a solemn promise. "Charlotte, I swear I'll never let you suffer, not for a second. You'll always be my number one."
Those promises were still fresh in my mind.
But now, all anyone saw in me was the kind of girl you marry for a quiet, stable life, not the one you love with all your heart.
The party dragged on until the early hours of the morning.
When it was time to pay, Edward stood off to the side, like he always did.
He didn't bother to reach for his wallet.
For the past eight years, whether it was a dinner with his friends or a team-building t at the law firm, I was always the one quietly paying the bill.
He always said I was the detail-oriented one, the one who took care of all the little things.
But tonight, I walked right past the cashier and headed straight for the door.
The night air carried the crisp chill of early autumn.
Edward came after me, his brows furrowed in irritation.
"What the hell are you doing? Everyone's waiting for you to pay. Why are you running off?" he snapped.
He didn't hesitate; criticizing me came as naturally as breathing.
I looked at his face. So familiar, yet so strange now.
I replied calmly, my voice steady, "Since they're your friends, you should be the one picking up the tab."
Edward froze, clearly not expecting me to talk back.
Then, Lily let out a couple of soft, fragile coughs.
Edward's attention immediately shifted to her, and he hurriedly took off his suit jacket, draping it over her shoulders.
He didn't spare me another glance.
"Grab a cab home. Lily's scared of the dark, so I'm taking her," Edward said. He didn't wait for my reply, already shielding Lily into the Maybach.
The car sped off, kicking up mud and water as it went.
Some of it splattered right onto my white dress.
Staring at the glaring stain, I slipped my hands into my pockets.
There was no sadness, a weariness that comes when everything finally settles.
When I got home, I pushed open the door to the dark house.
By the entrance, there was a pair of brand-new high heels; they were supposed to be for tomorrow's engagement party.
I walked over, picked them up, and tossed them straight into the trash.
Then I slipped the diamond ring off my finger and set it gently on the table.
Morning sunlight slipped through the cracks in the curtains.
It stung my eyes, making them ache and water.
Today was supposed to be my engagement party with Edward.
The hotel had been booked a month ago, and everyone, friends and family, had already been invited.
My phone screen lit up; it was Edward calling.
His voice was hoarse from pulling an all-nighter, and he sounded openly irritated. "Let's cancel the engagement party. We'll do it another day."
He wasn't asking; he was telling me.
My grip on the phone tightened. "Why?"
On the other end, I could hear Lily's stifled sobs.
Edward's voice instantly softened, murmuring something to calm her down.
But when he spoke to me again, he was back to that icy, matter-of-fact attitude. "Lily's dog got sick in the middle of the night. They're still trying to save it at the animal hospital.
"She's about to lose it. I can't leave her side.
"We're going through the motions anyway. What does it matter if it's today or tomorrow? Tell the relatives, that's all."
The only thing left was the busy tone on the line.
He didn't waste a single extra word on me.
Staring at myself in the mirror, still in my pajamas, I couldn't help but laugh at how ridiculous it all was.
Eight years, and a dog meant more to him than I ever did.
I didn't make a scene. I grabbed my phone and opened my contact list.
I called up every guest one by one.
I repeated the same apology every time.
When friends and family pressed me for answers, my voice was strangely calm.
It felt like I was talking about someone else's business.
By the time I finished, it was already noon.
I headed to the pet hospital downtown.
Looking through the glass door, I spotted Edward.
He was sitting on a bench in the waiting area, cradling Lily, who was crying her eyes out. His hand gently patted her back, his gaze filled with concern and affection.
For a moment, it felt like the past and present collided, like history was repeating itself right in front of me.
Three years ago, I was hit with acute appendicitis. The pain was so intense that I was rolling around in bed, barely able to breathe.