Their Love Came After I Left

Synopsis

The night before Alex Reed and I registered our marriage, the biometric monitoring ring he had given me suddenly triggered an alert. [Abnormal heart rate: 169.] My hands shook as I made a video call, thinking something had happened to him. But when the video connected, I saw Elsie White in his black shirt. She curled up in his arms, her eyes rimmed with tears. Prayer beads scattered across the floor, each spelling out the truth for me. The untempted tycoon, who had always been so reserved, had broken his own rules for her. When Alex saw me, he didn't bother to explain. Instead, he pulled Elsie's shirt around her and said softly, "It's alright." I froze. He used to comfort me like that before he went on business trips. Elsie's eyes were red as she said, "Evelyn, you're marrying him tomorrow. Why can't you let me have this one night?" Alex frowned. "Elsie has depression. Don't push her. We'll still get married tomorrow." My throat felt tight. "Why her?" The System answered for him. Seven years ago, Elsie caused the fire that burned me, ending my acting career. Only now, seven years later, did I learn that Alex had given her the one and only spot for scar‑repair treatment that should have been mine. I clenched my fists. "Aren't you going to explain any of this?" Alex didn't deny it. He said, "Elsie's life can't be ruined." I asked softly, "So mine can?" Alex finally lost his patience. "Evelyn, don't fixate on this. You'll still be my wife. "I've been with you for seven years. I've given you everything I could, except love. "Isn't that enough for you?" That was enough. Enough to snap me fully awake. The System asked, "All four capture‑target routes have failed. Would you like to exit this world by dying?" I looked at the scattered prayer beads on the floor and said, "Yes." Alex thought I was finally coming to my senses. "Evelyn, be good. Wait for me to come back tomorrow—" "No need," I cut him off. I took off the monitoring ring and tossed it into the trash. "Alex, I'm not going to the city hall. "These seven years were just bad luck for me. We're even now." Later, I walked into the middle of the lake. The rain poured down as someone desperately screamed my name from the shore.