Chapter 3
It seemed Felix's attachment to Agnes wasn't as deep as it used to be.
The next day, after another spat with Shawn, Agnes came to Felix to vent.
Feeling low, she whispered to him, "Felix, I want to eat the Molten Cheese Bread from that cake shop in Sormont."
Felix absently tapped on his phone, not even looking up.
He responded casually, "Sure, I'll see if I can get someone to pick one up for you."
Agnes threw a little tantrum.
She said, "I want to have it as soon as I wake up tomorrow."
Back then, he would have moved heaven and earth to make Agnes happy.
But today, he wasn't in the mood.
He told Agnes, "Come on, don't make a fuss. I'll get it for you, promise."
Agnes wasn't going to wait around for anyone.
She sat off to the side, cheeks puffed out, sulking.
Felix had no choice but to step up and coax her gently, "Sormont is 1200 miles away.
"And honestly, I don't even know that cake shop you mentioned.
"How about I ask a friend to grab one for you and mail it over tomorrow?
"I'll send a bunch, so you can have Molten Cheese Bread every day for a while."
Agnes let out a sigh.
Then, as if a thought suddenly struck her, she said, "Why not ask Muriel?
"She's from Sormont, so she definitely knows that shop.
"Isn't she always at your beck and call?
"She was willing to cross four countries and spend twenty hours flying to see you last time.
"Getting you a cake? That's a piece of cake for her."
Agnes had often gotten him to ask Muriel for favors before.
He never thought it was a big deal.
But this time, for some reason, he suddenly found Agnes's behavior off-putting.
Agnes caught the conflicted look on his face.
She teased, "Felix, are you seriously crushing on Muriel?"
Her words sent shockwaves through Felix, stirring up a storm inside him.
Was Felix really catching feelings for Muriel?
Because of this, Agnes actually lost her temper at Felix. Something she rarely did.
Felix watched Agnes demand answers from him, nearly hysterical.
He was speechless.
She was about to marry Shawn.
What right did she have to interrogate him about whether he liked someone else?
But in the end, he couldn't bring himself to be harsh with Agnes. He was still soft-hearted.
He pulled out his phone and started typing a message to Muriel.
Without even looking up, he said to her, "Agnes, this is the last time I'll give you what you want.
"Let's not do this anymore, and let's stop contacting each other."
Under Agnes's stunned gaze, Felix sent Muriel the message asking her to marry him.
But Muriel, who used to reply in seconds, didn't respond at all.
He waited until the afternoon, staring at the chat screen, still no reply.
He sent another message, hoping she'd finally answer.
Finally, when the call went through, he caught the sound of airport announcements in the background.
He finally felt at ease.
But his guilt toward Muriel weighed on him even more.
He thought, 'Muriel, when you come back, I'll make sure to treat you right.
'I'll make up for everything I messed up in the past.'
But this time, he'd miscalculated.
He waited all night, but Muriel didn't reply to his message.
The next day, and even a week later, Muriel still hadn't replied.
And then he realized Muriel had removed him from her contacts.
She packed up all her things in Celvyn and disappeared.
After I got back to Sormont, life felt a lot quieter than before.
Things were simpler, almost uneventful.
I didn't have to stress over what Felix was thinking anymore.
I didn't have to feel that sting in my chest every time he looked at Agnes, wishing for something he couldn't have.
Honestly, I felt so much better.
I was from Sormont.
After college, I stuck around Celvyn just for Felix.
Now that I was back in my hometown, there was this weird sense of comfort I couldn't quite explain.
My parents were still the same as ever.
When I chose to stay in Celvyn after graduation, they never said a word about it.
Now, I showed up in Sormont with all my bags out of nowhere.
Aside from the surprise in their eyes, they didn't ask much.
My mom quietly cooked up my favorite, Sweet and Sour Pork, which I always loved.
My dad helped me organize my luggage.
They didn't ask me why I came back, or when I'd leave.
I watched my parents busy with their tasks.
I thought to myself, 'Maybe this is where my confidence comes from.'
I could obsess over Felix for four years, all for just one look from him.
But I could drop everything and walk away the moment he said, "Marry me."
Maybe it was because I knew I had something to fall back on.
No matter what happened, my parents would always have my back.
That night, I finally got a real, peaceful sleep for the first time in ages.
When I woke up the next day, I felt a bit bored and had nothing to do.
I remembered the church Nykia mentioned to me before I left.
I didn't need to beg God to make me smarter anymore.
But for some reason, I wanted to go and take a look.
True to my word, I spent the whole day at home, relaxing and recharging.
After checking in with my parents, I headed out alone, traveling light, and started my journey to the church.
The church was nestled halfway up the mountain.
It wasn't big, but the place was always filled with prayers.
By the time I arrived, it was already afternoon.
The sunlight spilled lazily across the stone steps.
The flowers lining the path were bursting with color, blooming at their peak.
Back when I was in Celvyn, my eyes were always glued to Felix.