Chapter 2
Before boarding, I finally had a moment to
check my phone.
I was shocked to see 99+ missed calls.
It suddenly hit me that today was supposed to
be our wedding day.
Just then, Chad called again.
“You’re not home? Where’s your stuff?”
He sounded anxious.
The tone was familiar.
It was the same tone I used to have when he
spent countless nights away because of Lily.
He’d always frowned impatiently and said,
“We’re just childhood friends. She’s all alone
in the city, it’s tough enough for her. We grew
up together, so I support her. What else am I
supposed to do?
“You’re a woman too, can’t you have some
empathy? Stop being so judgmental! Can’t
you see that we’re just friends?”
I’d always made a huge scene.
But then I’d be scared of him breaking up
with me, so I’d apologize.
Now, I just said, “I moved out. What’s up?”
“You moved out? Why?”
Chad sounded surprised, then paused.
“Where are you? I’ll come pick you up.”
In the distance, Wendy waved at me.
“Olivia! Come on! We’re going to miss the
boat!”
“Boat?”
Chad sounded confused.
“Are you out having fun? It’s late, I’ll take you
on a cruise tomorrow, okay? Come home
now. I’ll come get you. Aren’t we supposed to
be getting married?”
Looking at the lighthouse in the distance, I
faintly remembered the YOWS We made to
<
faintly remembered the vows we made to
each other there, promising to stay together
forever.
I checked my watch. “Chad, I’m at the pier
where we had our first date, under the
lighthouse. I’ll wait for you for half an hour.”
“Okay, I’m on my way.”
The winter wind was freezing.
I wrapped my coat tighter, standing on the
pier, waiting for that familiar license plate to
appear.
But an hour passed, my face was numb, and
he didn’t come.
The phone didn’t answer, no replies to my
L
“Olivia! What are you still waiting for? Don’t
tell me you’re having second thoughts?”
Wendy yelled from the railing.
The ship was about to leave.
I looked back one last time.
Chad wasn’t there.
“Coming!”
I turned and boarded the ship.
Soon, a text message came through.
[Lily’s light broke. She’s afraid of the dark,
and her ex is still harassing her. I have to go]
Then several calls came in.
I didn’t answer any of them.
So he texted again.
[I know you’re upset, but our families are
close, how can I just ignore her problems?
Stop overthinking things and trying to
threaten me!]
[Something’s come up with Lily. If you’re still
there, just go home. It’s cold out.]
[Why aren’t you answering my calls or texts?
What do you want? I’ve told you a million
times, we’re just friends! Do you want me to
be unfaithful or something?]
I didn’t reply to any of them
く
I had already fallen asleep.
When I woke up the next day, I was across
the ocean.
The old messages didn’t need a response.
On the third day after Olivia left, Chad
couldn’t take it anymore.
He kept checking his phone while he was with
Lily.
He wasn’t really looking at anything, just
staring at our conversation.
The last message was still his.
It was the first time Olivia had ignored his
く
When he scrolled up, there were pages and
pages of her messages in white.
His messages in green were few and short,
usually just “Okay” or “Yeah.”
Now he was the one glued to his phone,
waiting for a reply. He didn’t like it.
When had he had to try so hard to get her
attention?
Still, he couldn’t help himself, typing “Where
are you?”
“Chad?”
Lily interrupted, looking at his phone, hurt.
“Are you thinking about her?”
く
Chad’s friends laughed.
“That woman’s always chasing Chad. There’s
no way Chad’s obsessed with her!”
“Really?”
Lily batted her eyes at Chad.
He deleted the message, turned off the
phone, and flicked her nose.
“Of course. Who could compare to you? I’m
not done having fun with you, why would I be
thinking about someone else?”
Lily blushed, hugging Chad’s arm, pressing
her chest against him.
く
“I knew you wouldn’t get your priorities mixed
- up. We’ve known each other the longest!”
For some reason, Chad immediately thought
of Olivia.
They’d only known each other for five years,
but she had left a deep mark on him.
He raised his glass.
“Let’s have fun with Lily tonight! Let’s drink
until we drop!”
“Let’s drink until we drop!”
Chad tossed back his drink, feeling foolish.
Olivia had stormed off before.
<
She always apologized first.
This time was just a longer cold war. Why
was he acting like this?
His mood lifted, and he temporarily forgot
about it.
Meanwhile, I was across the ocean,
negotiating with a client.
After reaching a deal, I finally had a chance to
check my phone.
I saw Lily had posted an update.
In the photo, she was wearing the wedding
dress I had worn, giving a peace sign.
I immediately recognized the owner of the
<
The caption said:
[The happiest moment of my life, thanks to
you]
And she tagged Chad.
I was surprised.
I thought I’d be upset, after five years of
devotion.
But I felt like I was watching a stranger share
their happiness.
So I liked it and commented, “Congrats!”
Then I turned off the phone and went back to
work.
Chad woke up with a pounding headache.
He subconsciously called out, “Olivia.”
But no one answered.
Everyone else in the room was passed out.
He remembered he was still fighting with
Olivia.
Pushing Lily off, he went outside, where his
assistant was waiting.
“Chad, Lily posted a somewhat inappropriate
post last night. Your mother saw it.”
They weren’t married, but the assistant
always called Olivia “Mrs,” and Chad hadn’t
“The wedding dress?”
Chad vaguely remembered Lily wanting to try
on a wedding dress, and he’d agreed.
“Yes. Buy your mom something, smooth
things over,” Chad said casually.
“Chad, Mrs. didn’t seem upset. She
congratulated you.”
Chad dropped his toothbrush.
He couldn’t believe it. He opened Olivia’s
page, and the “Congrats!” burned into him.
He knew Lily would post it.
But he had been hoping…
He had been sure Olivia couldn’t handle it and
would come running back.
How could things have turned out like this?
He quickly got dressed and made a call.
“Find out where Olivia is! Bring her back!”
The assistant was confused.
“But Chad, Mrs. is out of the country.”
“What?”
Chad gritted his teeth.
The assistant spoke carefully.
11
A
く
“A company was expanding its international
project, and Mrs. accepted their invitation.
She left over a week ago. We thought you
knew…”
“Left?”
Chad clutched the ring box in his hand.
He had planned to put it on her finger on our
wedding day.
“Chad, should we look for her now?”
“Damn it!”
He threw his phone on the ground, the
headache making him even more frustrated.
“She wouldn’t leavel She can’t live without
“She wouldn’t leave! She can’t live without
me!
“What is she doing? Does she think she can
threaten me by running away? No way!
“She’ll come back! She always does!”
He said that, but the assistant could tell he
was worried.
Then he was punched in the face.
“Chad!”
The assistant caught him.
Someone stood before him, someone vaguely
familiar.
.
He remembered that both he and Olivia had a
childhood friend.
“Chad, you’re pathetic,” said Mark.
Mark looked at Chad. “She’s gone, and you’re
still acting like you’re so great. How could she
ever have loved someone like you?”
“Ha…”
Chad wiped the blood from his mouth.
“It’s between me and Olivia.”
“Shut up!”
Mark grabbed Chad’s collar, angry.
“I don’t get it, how could she love a jerk like
you? You had her, and you still couldn’t let go
of another woman!”
“Lily and I are just childhood friends!”
“Did you forget that you’re not the only one
with a childhood friend!”
Chad froze.
He remembered Olivia also had a childhood
friend.
But once they were together, she had
stopped hanging out with other guys.
Olivia kept her relationships so separate that
he’d forgotten she had this friend.
What was he doing?
Running to his childhood friend, leaving his
girlfriend alone to heal from his mistakes?
“Chad, do you know how many times I wanted
her to break up with you?
“You don’t deserve a woman like her.
“Your childhood friend’s light bulb blew out
and you spent the night with her, but she
never asked me to stay over, no matter how
many times you abandoned her.
“Chad, do you think you deserve her?”
Mark pushed him away.
“She finally got away. I’m telling you, don’t
bother her again. You like someone else, so
く
go live your own life. Don’t hurt her anymore!”
Mark turned and left.
Chad gritted his teeth, clutching the ring box.
Who said he liked someone else?
He only loved Olivia.
As for Lily…
He never realized he was hurting her so
much.
Mark told him to live his own life?
How could he live without Olivia?
I was out on a business trip.
Г
When I got a call from a number I didn’t
recognize, I was surprised to hear Chad’s
voice.
“Olivia, can we meet?”
“Mr. Chad, we’re over. I don’t think there’s
anything to talk about.”
“I just… I want to apologize.”
I was surprised.
The Chad I knew was arrogant and thought
he was better than everyone else.
He never apologized.
But I still refused.
“If it’s about our past, forget it. We’re even. I
hope we won’t bother each other again.”
“But…”
I hung up before he could finish.
But when I went downstairs, I saw him in the
lobby.
His eyes were red, he looked like he hadn’t
slept in days.
When he saw me, his eyes lit up.
“Olivia…”
But I acted like I didn’t see him and walked
right past him.
Г
As I got into the car, I looked back.
He was standing there, looking defeated.
I knew that expression.
That was the expression I had so many times
after he left me.
I had been so pathetic.
He waited for me near my office for a while.
He was always there, hoping to say a word to
- me.
Finally, I couldn’t take it anymore.
I agreed to meet him for one last time.
୮
He promised he wouldn’t bother me again if I
didn’t change my mind.
I canceled a meeting with a big client and met
Chad as planned.
I sat in the cafe from afternoon to night, but
Chad didn’t show up.
He didn’t answer the phone, he didn’t reply to
my messages.
Just like the old days.
I frowned.
He had begged me to meet him, I came, and
he stood me up again.
Like always.
I was angry.
But it was different.
I wasn’t angry at a lover, but at someone who
didn’t respect my time.
My time was too precious to waste.
The client sent me a message.
[Did your guest leave?]
I replied immediately.
[Finished. I’m on my way.]
r
Just as I left the cafe, I got a text from Chad.
[Something came up. I’ll see you next time.]
At the same time, Lily posted an update.
[I just mentioned I had cramps, and he flew all
the way back to take care of me.]
The photo was of the back of a man in bed,
making red sugar water.
It was Chad.
I laughed.
I fell for it again.
I couldn’t agree to meet him again.
r
But soon, Chad contacted me again.
[It’s over. Let’s meet at our place.]
I didn’t agree. I just replied, “Go live a good
life with the person you really love. Don’t
bother me anymore.”
Then I deleted and blocked him.
Chad called me on different numbers, but I
blocked them all.
He couldn’t come to my office anymore.
I applied for a business trip and started flying
around the world.
But eventually, I met him in Paris, by the
He was very thin.
His hands were covered in scars.
“Olivia.”
His voice was hoarse.
He handed me a small stone.
It was a jade carving.
I was surprised.
It was similar to the jade cat I had made.
I looked at the scars on his hands.
“Did you make this?”
く
“Yes.”
“But you weren’t interested in this kind of
thing.”
“Olivia…” He looked at me. “The person I
really love is you.
“I didn’t go back to take care of her, I went to
break up with her.”
I was confused. “Break up with Lily? But
you’re childhood friends.”
“I know. But after Mark punched me, I
realized what I had done.”
He got closer. “I’m sorry. When I went to meet
you, she came to me, threatening to kill
berself
く
“I know you saw the post. That was the la
