Chapter 4

It wasn't until I caught a fever from getting drenched in the rain because of him, and kept vigil by his bedside at the hospital all night, that he finally seemed touched and agreed to give us a chance.

I thought I'd finally managed to warm his heart.

But looking back now, maybe he was never truly warm to me.

He just got used to having me around, got used to how good I was to him, and figured I was just a good fit.

But Lily? She was always the one he made an exception for, the one he treated special, and the one he always put above everything else.

Right before the wedding, Lily "accidentally" twisted her ankle, and Michael left me at the bridal shop to spend the whole afternoon at the hospital with her.

I called to ask when he'd be back, and he sounded totally annoyed. "Lily's in a lot of pain, I can't leave her. Just pick whatever you want, it doesn't matter to me."

Was he serious? That was our wedding.

I stayed silent on the phone, and he seemed to realize something, his tone softening a bit. "Claire, don't make a fuss. Lily's really suffering, and she's all alone here."

There it was again. "She's all alone", like that was the only thing that ever mattered.

So what about me?

Who was I to him, really?

Was I always second to Lily, the one who has to be "understanding," "generous," and "never make a fuss", a background prop in his life?

I thought getting married would change things.

I thought that marriage certificate would finally give me some security, maybe make him focus on us for once.

Turned out I was just being naive.

Our honeymoon, and he just had to drag his childhood sweetheart along for the ride.

Can you believe he even managed to "accidentally" book my ticket to Northgate, while he and his precious Lily get to jet off together to the sunny beaches of Cyvera?

Wasn't that the biggest joke? The irony was almost too much.

Lily's cringe-worthy act, all that sobbing and sniffling, and that smug, taunting glint in her eyes, barely hidden behind the tears.

And Michael? He showed blatant favoritism, giving me that look like I was the one who should be more generous.

My chest twisted with another sharp, stabbing pain.

I pressed a hand to my chest and took a deep breath, the cold air filling my lungs, making me feel numb and strangely clear-headed.

It was just not worth it.

Seriously, I didn't deserve any of this.

Pouring out all my love and losing my self-respect for a guy who was so blind and clueless? That was just sad.

The plane hit some turbulence as it flew through the clouds, giving a little bump.

The lady next to me, still fast asleep, muttered something in her sleep.

I wiped the tears from my face and stared out at the endless darkness beyond the window.

Maybe it was for the best.

Northgate.

The place I always pictured going with someone I loved, checking out the ice sculptures, hitting the slopes, and digging into crispy sweet and sour pork together.

Now, it was just me. Alone.

For more than three hours in the air, I barely got any sleep.

My mind was a mess, jumping from one thought to another. First, I pictured Michael and Lily standing side by side. Then, the cold glint of my wedding ring lying in the trash flashed before my eyes.

After that, I imagined how my parents would react if they ever found out, and finally, my mother-in-law's perpetually critical and dissatisfied expression.

It wasn't until the flight attendant's gentle announcement that we were about to land at Northgate International Airport that I snapped back to reality.

Outside the window, the sky was just starting to lighten.

A vast, snow-covered landscape stretched out below, completely different from the blue skies and crystal-clear waters I'd imagined in Cyvera.