02
Late at night, Professor Lewis‘ voice on the phone was filled with joy.
“Cate, I’ve always said you were getting married too early. You’re the most talented in our group. You should absolutely pursue this opportunity and make groundbreaking discoveries!”
After hanging up, a bitter smile tugged at the corners of my lips.
When I first got the chance to study abroad, I was genuinely excited. I wanted to achieve something extraordinary. But Ethan had clung to me, his eyes full of pleading.
“Cate, what would I do without you?” he had said. “Please don’t leave. Stay here with me, and we’ll get married.”
Now, those promises had turned sour, and the groom had skipped out on his own engagement party.
I slipped off the silver ring I’d worn for seven years, a ring cheap in value, matched only by the love that came with it.
The new ring, one he’d offered so reverently, had been rejected by another girl before it was given to me.
I tossed the silver band into the trash can, zipped up my suitcase, and closed the door behind me.
The last thing I expected was to run into Ethan the moment I stepped outside.
His face was full of anger as he blocked my way.
“Catherine, what the hell is your problem?”
I looked up at him, confused and caught off guard.
“Nessa’s young and innocent. She only posted on Instagram to show off a gift she liked. Why did you have to make her feel bad? You liked her post just to provoke her, didn’t you? She freaked out, thought you were mad, and insisted on apologizing. Now she’s sick because of it. So you know she’s on her period, and the stress made her worse?”
Before I could respond, he launched into a tirade, berating me without pause.
I looked up at him, his eyes brimming with concern, but not for me. He didn’t see my trembling hands from the cold or the suitcase I was wheeling behind me.
His mind was consumed with Nessa’s feelings.
It was laughable.
I studied his face carefully, searching for traces of the man I’d loved for seven years, but all I saw was a stranger.
When I finally spoke, my voice was calm, devoid of emotion.
“Oh, maybe I accidentally liked her post. Should I explain and apologize to her?”
Ethan hesitated for a moment, guilt flickering in his eyes before he quickly reached for my hand. His tone softened as he said, “I didn’t mean it like that, Cate. It’s just… Nessa’s young, she’s just graduated, and she doesn’t know better. You should be more understanding. As for the engagement party, we’ll reschedule. I’ll make it up to you.”
I stepped back, avoiding his touch. A wave of exhaustion swept over me.
Of course, it was just an engagement party.
In Ethan’s world, nothing mattered more than Nessa, not even the night I had painstakingly planned for weeks.
I’d designed my gown by hand, sketching out every detail until it was perfect. I’d stayed up countless nights agonizing over every arrangement for the venue.
He knew all of that.
And yet, he left me to become the laughingstock of my family and friends.
While Vanessa was posting fireworks on Instagram, I was smiling through gritted teeth, pretending not to notice the pitying stares and whispers behind my back.
I was sure my face was paler than a ghost that night.
And now, Ethan thought a casual promise to “make it up to me” would fix everything.
I let out a hollow laugh.
“No need. It’s not important anymore. And about Vanessa? Should I apologize for interrupting your special time together?”
For the first time in seven years, I spoke to Ethan with sharpness, my tone laced with sarcasm.
His hand froze mid–air, and his brows knitted together.
“Catherine, what’s with your attitude? You should apologize to Nessa. Liking her Instagram post was passive–aggressive,
wasn’t it?”
So, Vanessa could post something so suggestive, but my liking it was crossing the line?
Whoever said men didn’t understand subtle social cues between women clearly hadn’t met Ethan. He understood them just fine. He just cared more about her.
I remained calm, giving him a simple, “Oh,” before pushing my suitcase forward.
“Please move. You’re in my way.”
My indifference left Ethan visibly unsettled, as though he were trying to hit a target that kept slipping away.
Just as he opened his mouth to respond, a familiar, syrupy voice chimed in from behind him.
“Ethan, you left your coat at my place!”
Ethan immediately turned, whatever he was about to say completely forgotten. His expression softened, his voice tinged with
warmth.
“It’s freezing out here. Why’d you come outside? You’ll make your cramps worse.”
Vanessa giggled and throw barself into bie erme “It’e final if myster
ute you’ll just have to sub it all night!”
11:58 AM d
I watched their flirtatious exchange, biting back a laugh at the absurdity of it all.
Then, as if she’d only just noticed me, Vanessa lifted her head from Ethan’s chest. Her wide, doe–eyed expression was a poor attempt at innocence.
She stuck out her tongue and muttered, “Oh, Catherine, I didn’t know you were here too. I hope you’re not mad, for I only see Ethan as a brother…”
to.”
Before I could respond, Ethan pinched her cheek playfully. “Now you’re embarrassed? Where’s that fiery little tyrant I know?” Vanessa swatted his hand away, feigning shyness, but the smirk she threw in my direction was laced with challenge. “Catherine, you wouldn’t take offense, right?”
Ethan turned to me, his brow furrowing slightly, as if daring me to make a scene.
I gave them both a small smile.
“Of course not. I apologize for liking your post. It was an accident. Does that settle things? If so, I have other plans to attend
Ethan froze, clearly not expecting this reaction.
We’d fought over Vanessa before… many times, actually.
There was the time he texted her throughout our movie date, completely ignoring me.
Or the company dinner where he forgot my food allergies but made sure Vanessa got her favorite dish.
I had yelled, cried, and begged for him to see how much it hurt. But all I ever got was his cold, dismissive reassurance, “You’re overreacting. She’s just like a sister to me.”
After countless arguments, he’d proposed, and I’d held on, too afraid to let go of our seven years together.
I’d forced myself to swallow the half–cooked meal of our relationship, bleeding from the effort.
But now, I’d had enough.
“Catherine, you’d better mean what you just said,” Ethan warned, his tone heavy with threat. “If you upset Nessa again and her condition worsens, there won’t be a wedding. Understood?”
With that, he scooped Vanessa up into his arms, throwing me one last glance over his shoulder.
“I’m taking Nessa home. You go back and wait for me.”
I watched his retreating figure disappear into the distance, the stars faintly twinkling overhead.
In my heart, I made a quiet promise to myself.
“I won’t wait. Not anymore.”
Once he was out of sight, I wheeled my suitcase in the opposite direction.
From now on, our paths would never cross again.
After years wasted, I was finally on my way to the airport.
As the plane ascended, I gazed out at the city that had been my home for seven years, its lights shrinking into the horizon.
It was over.
For the first time in weeks, I let myself sleep.
I dreamed of a twenty–year–old Ethan, his eyes bright with youth and love.
“Cate,” he had said back then, “one day, I’ll marry you.”
In the dream, I didn’t respond. I simply sighed.
Who had broken that promise first?
When I woke, the plane was landing in a foreign country.
I wrapped my coat tighter around myself and hurried off the plane.
As soon as I turned on my phone, dozens of messages from Ethan flooded the screen.
Ethan: [Cate, why aren’t you home?]
