Laura didn't come home for several days, always claiming she was busy with wedding preparations whenever Ryder asked.

Three days later, the aroma of food filled the air as Ryder woke early in the morning.

Laura bustled about in the kitchen with a spatula in hand, wearing an apron. On the living room table sat a gift box.

"You're up! Breakfast will be ready soon. Sit down and relax. Oh, and that box on the table? It's a gift for you—open it and see if you like it," Laura said cheerfully.

Instead of opening the gift, Ryder asked, "What made you think of giving me a gift all of a sudden?"

Laura's eyes flickered nervously. "No reason. Do I need one to buy something for my soon-to-be husband?"

Ryder could see through her.

She was gambling—betting he hadn't overheard Seth's phone call or, if he had, that he didn't care.

She probably won that bet. Truthfully, he didn't care anymore.

He opened the gift box to reveal a flashy, expensive mechanical watch, the kind young men might find cool. Unfortunately, he preferred quartz watches.

This watch seemed like something Seth would love.

Ryder chuckled. "Your taste has changed quite a bit."

Laura froze, glancing at him from the kitchen. Her expression tightened with worry.

"But I like it," he added.

Relief softened her features. "As long as you like it."

Fuzzy, their cat, circled Laura's feet, meowing incessantly.

"Before the wedding, let's take Fuzzy for a family portrait," Laura suggested.

"Oh, sure—if you have time," Ryder replied.

Soon, the table was set with a spread of dishes.

Looking over the feast, Ryder smiled. "Quite the breakfast."

Laura removed her apron and sat beside him, reaching out as if to hug him.

Sensing her intent, Ryder moved slightly, creating a small gap between them.

Her hands hung awkwardly in midair before she pulled them back, her expression caught between embarrassment and forced cheer.

Something about Ryder felt different today. He wasn't sulking, as he might have in the past. Instead, he seemed unsettlingly calm.

Finally, Laura patted her legs lightly. "I've been so busy lately. I knew you'd be upset, so I did all this to make it up to you. Don't be mad, okay? I'm doing it for us—for the wedding."

Ryder turned to her with a faint smile. "I'm not mad. Let's eat."

Before he could pick up his utensils, the doorbell rang.

Laura jumped up to answer it.

As soon as the door opened, Seth's voice echoed, loud and clear. "Ta-da! Laura, you're so scatterbrained. You forgot the design plans again, so the project manager sent me to bring them over."

Laura froze momentarily, then quickly grabbed the plans from his hands, attempting to usher him out.

"What's the rush, Laura? It smells amazing in here. Are you having breakfast? I haven't eaten yet!" Seth said, clasping his hands together in exaggerated pleading.

Laura grew flustered, focused on pushing him out the door. "Seth, just go for now. I'll catch up with you later..."

"Is that Seth?" Ryder called from the dining table. "If you haven't eaten, come in and join us before you go."

Seth's face lit up in mock surprise. "Oh, Ryder! I didn't realize you were home. My bad, my bad. I thought you weren't here."

Ryder tilted his head, raising an eyebrow. "Oh? This is my house. It's early morning. If I'm not here, where would I be?"

Seth faltered, his expression uneasy as he turned to Laura for support.

Laura glanced at Ryder, her brows knitting together briefly.

In the end, she didn't reprimand him. Instead, she allowed Seth inside.

"Ryder, Seth is just a kid. You're a grown man. Don't take it personally," she said with a faint smile.

Seth quickly added, "Yeah, Ryder. It was careless of me. Please don't hold it against me!"

Ryder said nothing, his expression impassive as he picked up his utensils and began eating.

As soon as Seth sat down, his eyes lit up as he pointed at the gift box on the table.

"Laura and I picked out this watch together last night!" he exclaimed.

Ryder glanced at Laura, noticing her gaze was fixed on Seth. Her eyes were warm, and her faint smile carried a subtle tenderness.

"You've got a good eye," she said, adding food to Seth's plate. "He really likes it."

Seth turned to Ryder. "Ryder, don't blame Laura. She stayed up so late last night working on the wedding plans. Good thing I was there to help, or she wouldn't have even had time to drink water."

Although his words were directed at Ryder, his gaze lingered on Laura, his expression faintly accusatory.

Laura shot him a playful glare. "Alright, alright, you've done so much. Thank you."

At the table, Ryder might as well have been invisible. He couldn't get a word in.

For a moment, he laughed bitterly to himself before quickly masking his emotions.

"I'm done eating," he said. "You two go ahead. I have something I need to take care of."

Laura finally turned her attention to him. "Alright. Be careful on the road."

As Ryder stood, his eyes caught on Laura's neckline—it was bare.

"What happened to the necklace I gave you?" he asked.

Laura instinctively touched her collar. "Oh, the pearl necklace? It broke, so I put it away."

Her voice was hesitant, her explanation weak.

Ryder didn't press her. He simply turned and walked out the door. Before it closed completely, he could still hear their voices from inside.

-

Ryder met up with his close friend, Harry Milliman, at a custom suit shop.

The two had known each other since childhood.

When Ryder's parents were still alive, their families had business dealings together. They'd studied abroad at the same time and had grown closer over the years.

This was the shop where Laura had recently ordered a suit for him. Situated near the river, the store had an elegant and upscale interior.

Dressed in clothes that radiated sophistication and wealth, Ryder and Harry caught the manager's attention as soon as they stepped in.

"Are you here to order suits today?" the manager asked with a warm smile.

Ryder shook his head. "A few days ago, Ms. Laura Moon placed an order for a custom suit, right?"

"And you are?" the manager inquired.

Ryder held up his ring and a photo on his phone. "I'm her fiancé. I'm here to place an additional order."

After confirming his identity, the manager's smile widened. "Of course, sir! Will it be the same measurements?"

"No," Ryder replied. "Actually, Laura's best friend is getting married on the same day as us. To keep things coordinated, I'd like to order a matching suit for the other groom."

At that moment, Harry nudged him.

"What's up?" Ryder asked.

"Look over there. Laura," Harry muttered.

Following Harry's gaze, Ryder spotted her across the street near a bustling shopping district. She wasn't alone—Seth was with her.

Seth was carrying several large shopping bags while Laura wore his jacket over her shoulders, laughing sweetly at something he said.

Ryder only looked for a few seconds before turning away, ignoring it altogether. He handed the manager a sheet of measurements. "Please use these to make the suit."

The manager studied the numbers carefully before glancing at Harry. "These aren't for this gentleman, are they? The fit doesn't seem right for his build."

"No, it's not for him," Ryder explained. "He's just a friend who happened to come with me today."

The manager nodded in understanding. "Got it. By the way, you and Ms. Moon make such a handsome couple—a perfect match!"

Ryder smiled faintly but turned his gaze back toward the shopping district.

Laura and Seth were gone.

Before leaving, he gave the manager one final instruction. "Oh, one more thing—don't mention this to my fiancée. She doesn't know her friend is getting married on the same day. It's supposed to be a surprise at the wedding."

"Of course, Mr. Lineker. Don't worry—I won't say a word," the manager promised.

After stepping out of the shop, Harry insisted on dragging Ryder to the shopping district.

"Where'd you get those measurements?" Harry asked.

"Six months ago, Laura's company held a gala, and she asked me to get a suit made for Seth," Ryder explained.

"What?" Harry's voice was so loud it made Ryder's head throb.

"Keep your voice down," Ryder said, rubbing his temple.

"She asked you to make a suit for her assistant? The nerve of her!" Harry hissed.

Ryder chuckled helplessly.

He remembered that argument all too well. It had been one of their bigger fights, but, as always, he had ended up compromising in the end.

"Ryder! Ryder!" a voice called out from the end of the street.

Ryder looked up and saw Seth—with Laura standing beside him, looking visibly awkward.

It wouldn't have been hard to brush off the situation. After all, she was his boss, and he was her assistant. Saying they were on a business trip would have been perfectly reasonable.

The problem was that Laura was draped in Seth's jacket, and they were standing too close to appear purely professional. Instead, they looked more like a couple out shopping together.

With Harry also present, Laura felt the need to explain herself.

"We were just in the area for a business meeting and were about to head back. It got a bit chilly, so Seth gave me his jacket," she said quickly.

Harry scoffed.

Trying to ease the tension, Laura asked, "What about you two? What brings you here?"

"We came to try on suits, to make sure they fit," Ryder replied.

"Don't worry, they'll fit perfectly. They were tailored to your measurements," Laura assured him.

Ryder nodded without saying much else.

Unable to tolerate the awkward atmosphere any longer, Harry tugged on Ryder's arm. "Alright, alright. We're both tired. Let's head back."

In the taxi, Ryder opened Seth's social media feed. As expected, there was a new post.

Seth: [Laura, you're the best! What other boss would take a whole day to go shopping with their assistant?!]

Harry saw it too. "Wow. One of them is busy building the stage, and the other is tearing it down."

On the way home, they passed a jewelry store.

After a moment's hesitation, Ryder asked the driver to stop and went in to buy a pearl necklace.

Later that night, Laura didn't return home until deep into the night.

When the door finally opened, Ryder, who had been waiting, pulled out a box containing the pearl necklace he had bought.

He took Laura's coat from her, his eyes dropping to her neck, and noticed she was already wearing a new necklace.

"What's that?" he asked, gesturing toward her neck.

"Oh, this?" Laura touched the silver necklace lightly. "Seth got it for me. He said my neck looked too plain and thought this would suit me better."

Ryder's hand tightened around the box.

"Silver doesn't suit you. Pearls match your style better," he said coldly.

Laura frowned. "Why are you talking to me like that? So harsh, like you're picking a fight! It's Seth's thoughtful gift, and I think it looks good on me."

Ryder froze for a moment.

He vividly remembered how, back in university, Laura had told him she only liked pearl jewelry. That memory was why, even when money was tight, he had saved up to buy her a pearl necklace.

Now, she didn't care about that necklace or about him.

How quickly people changed...

Ryder glanced toward the bedroom and chuckled, feeling a strange sense of release.

"Harry's going on a business trip soon," he said, his tone calm. "His grandmother lives alone, and she's getting on in years. I'll be staying with her for a few days to help out."

"That's fine. Just be back before the wedding," Laura replied.

"Oh, and you've been so busy planning the wedding by yourself. Let me take over the rest of the arrangements. I should contribute too," he offered.

Laura approached and hugged him from behind, nuzzling her face into his back. "Thanks, hubby!"

Ryder gently pushed her away. "Alright, I'm tired too. Let's get some rest."

For the second time recently, Laura felt something was off about him.

She wanted to ask him what was wrong, but her phone rang before she could say anything.

"Laura! I fell asleep in your office after dinner and just woke up! The lights are off, and I'm locked in! Help me, Laura!" Seth's voice was loud enough for Ryder to hear clearly, even without the speaker on.

Laura hesitated, glancing at Ryder.

He waved her off. "It's late, and leaving Seth alone in the office isn't right. You should go check on him."

Laura, feeling relieved, grabbed her phone and rushed out while reassuring Seth.

Watching her leave, Ryder put down the gift box in his hand.

The surface was damp with sweat. He opened the box and stared at the pearl necklace inside for a long time.

Laura didn't come home that night.

-

The next morning, Ryder woke up and sat by the window, gazing outside for a long time.

Most of the projects at work had already been handed off, and the wedding preparations were nearly done.

With his departure imminent, his thoughts turned to the people he still needed to say goodbye to.

His parents had long passed away, and he had no close relatives to speak of. Still, there were a few elders he felt he needed to visit before leaving.