Chapter 3

I handed the box to Jessica. "Take this as well. May you two be chained together for life."

"Olivia, you..." Ryan's eyes flickered with surprise, guilt, and maybe even relief.

Jessica took the box, tears streaming down her face. "Thank you, Olivia. You're amazing. I'll do anything to repay you, even in my next life."

"No need," I said calmly. "Just don't let me see you again in this lifetime."

Ryan opened his mouth, like he wanted to say something, but in the end, he just sighed. "Olivia, thanks for understanding. I'll come back in three months and explain everything."

"No need," I said with a smile. "Have a nice life."

As they left, Jessica leaned weakly against Ryan, and he supported her with a tenderness he'd never shown me.

The moment the door closed, my smile vanished.

I walked to the window and watched them get into the car. Just as Ryan was opening the door for Jessica, she suddenly lifted her head from his arms and shot a look right at my window.

Even from five floors up, I could see the triumphant smile curling on her lips.

No tears, no weakness, just the gloating air of a winner.

Then, in a heartbeat, she slipped right back into her sickly facade, letting Ryan fuss over her as he helped her into the car.

My phone buzzed: a text popped up from an unknown number.

[Thanks for the ring, Olivia. I'll be sure to 'treasure' Ryan. Oh, and did you really buy the whole cancer story?]

I stared at the message and replied calmly. [Nice acting.]

She texted back almost instantly: [This is just the beginning. You'll see who Ryan ends up choosing.]

I didn't bother replying. I just blocked the number.

I turned to look at the room I'd decorated for our wedding. On the wall, Ryan was smiling in our wedding photo with that gentle smile. I used to think it belonged to me.

Now it was clear: no matter how much one gave to some people, it would never be seen as anything more than worthless.

Whatever.

She could take the ring, and the man too. They were hers now.

The day after Ryan left, the first thing I did was cancel the wedding.

The wedding planner, a woman in her forties, sounded genuinely sorry when I told her. "Ms. Lane, the deposit is non-refundable, and the hotel..."

"I know," I said calmly. "I'll cover all the losses. Just get it done as soon as possible."

"Can I ask what happened?" she asked gently. "Did something happen between you two?"

"His ex-girlfriend got cancer, so he went off to take care of her," I replied, my voice casual, like it was no big deal.

There was a pause, then a sigh on the other end. "Ms. Lane, don't mind me being blunt, but I've seen this kind of thing a lot.

"All that talk about cancer and last wishes? Most of the time, it's just for show. Men, they just can't let go of their past."

"Maybe," I said. "But it doesn't matter anymore."

After I hung up, I started packing up Ryan's stuff.

There wasn't much. He'd moved in with me for two years, but it always felt like he was just passing through. He only brought clothes for the current season, and the bookshelf was mostly filled with professional books, hardly any personal stuff.

I dug out an old box from the bottom of the closet. Inside were all Jessica's things: faded movie tickets, handmade birthday cards, and a stack of photos.

In those pictures, Ryan was smiling so brightly, with that spark in his eyes that I never saw when he was with me.

I closed the box and packed it up with his clothes.