"Mom, Dad, I’ve decided to come home for the blind dates you mentioned. I’ll be back by the end of the month."
In the early spring, with the lingering chill of winter in the air, Valerie Stonecutter pushed open the door while speaking softly into the phone. Her gentle voice drifted through the rain like a thread weaving through the mist.
Pulling her collar tighter against the cold, she heard her parents breathe a sigh of relief on the other end.
"Val," her father began, his voice heavy with age. “Your mom and I haven’t been in good health these past few years. So now that you’ve made up your mind, that’s good. When you’re back, I’ll have your Aunt Laura arrange a few suitable candidates for you to meet."
Hearing that her parents were already making arrangements for her future, Valerie’s gaze flickered, her emotions momentarily unsettled. After a few more words of small talk, she ended the call.
She glanced around her home with a heavy heart, her thoughts tangled in a quiet storm. Then she retreated to her bedroom and began to pack.
"Mom, Dad, I’ve decided to come home for the blind dates you mentioned. I’ll be back by the end of the month."
In the early spring, with the lingering chill of winter in the air, Valerie Stonecutter pushed open the door while speaking softly into the phone. Her gentle voice drifted through the rain like a thread weaving through the mist.
Pulling her collar tighter against the cold, she heard her parents breathe a sigh of relief on the other end.
"Val," her father began, his voice heavy with age. “Your mom and I haven’t been in good health these past few years. So now that you’ve made up your mind, that’s good. When you’re back, I’ll have your Aunt Laura arrange a few suitable candidates for you to meet."
Hearing that her parents were already making arrangements for her future, Valerie’s gaze flickered, her emotions momentarily unsettled. After a few more words of small talk, she ended the call.
She glanced around her home with a heavy heart, her thoughts tangled in a quiet storm. Then she retreated to her bedroom and began to pack.
In the drawer lay a thick stack of love letters, albums of candid photos hidden in the cabinet, and journals filled with years of musings. Every single piece centered on one person—a man named Dominic Parker.
Without hesitation, she threw them all into a box, carried it downstairs, and set it all aflame.
Orange flames flickered and danced, crackling softly in the damp air. Suddenly, the sound of footsteps behind her broke her reverie.
She instinctively raised her head and saw him—Dominic.
He stood tall, dressed impeccably in his pilot uniform, his figure striking against the muted backdrop.
He had just returned from a flight.
Seeing her by the fire, his lips curved in the faintest smile. "What are you burning?" he asked, his voice calm yet curious.
He bent down, picked up a half-burned pink letter, and raised an eyebrow. "Love letters? You wrote love letters? Who were they for?"
Valerie froze and stared at him.
She opened her mouth to reply, but before she could speak, he chuckled and tossed the letter back into the flames. Then, with a casual gesture, he ruffled her hair.
"Alright, just teasing you. Why are you so serious?" he said, his tone light.
"I don’t mind your past, and I won’t dig into it either. Once you’re done burning this, you should get inside. It’s cold out here."
He didn’t linger. He turned and made for the elevator.
As his figure disappeared behind the closing doors, Valerie dropped her gaze and a faint, bitter smile twisted her lips.
Did he truly not mind, or did he simply not care?
Her name was written right there on the envelope, along with his own. If he had bothered to look closely, he would have seen it. But in the end, he chose to throw it into the fire.
She had loved her boyfriend in secret for ten long years. And yet, he had no idea.
At fifteen, because of her excellent academic achievements, Valerie had been accepted into a prestigious high school in the city.
She was an ordinary girl, plain and unassuming. She didn’t know how to dress up and had little presence—an invisible figure in the crowd.
Dominic had been her classmate.
He was like a bright moon in the night sky, untouchable in his brilliance. With his extraordinary family background and striking good looks, he was someone she could only admire from afar.
The first time she met him was on the first day of school. She had boarded the bus only to realize her transit card was missing. The students in line behind her started grumbling impatiently.
"If you don’t have money, walk!" one sneered.
"It’s bad enough you’re holding up the line, and then wearing such a ridiculous dress? Seriously, what an eyesore," said another.
Their words burned her ears, and her face flushed with humiliation. Just as she was about to step off the bus, a pair of slender hands reached out from the front and swiped a card for her fare.
Startled, she looked up in gratitude at a face so striking it felt unreal, but her words caught in her throat.
Her cheeks grew hotter, and she stammered awkwardly, "Th-thank you. My name is Valerie. May I know which class you’re in? I’ll pay you back."
His voice was deep and pleasant, but his reply was distant. "No need for that."
Later, she learned that his name was Dominic. He was the most popular student at Person High School—its legendary campus heartthrob.
Not surprisingly, he also had a notorious reputation as a player, changing girlfriends every three days.
From that day on, her eyes couldn’t help but follow him every time he entered a room.
She noticed how his desk overflowed with love letters, yet it didn’t stop her from writing her own—pouring her growing affection into the words under the faint glow of her desk lamp.
She knew he liked girls who were both beautiful and accomplished, so she pushed herself relentlessly. She studied harder, lost weight, learned how to apply makeup, and worked to shed her timid, self-doubting demeanor.
She strived to become better—not only for herself but to be someone worthy of standing by his side.
Finally, they were admitted to the same university. By then, her transformation was so complete that Dominic finally noticed her.
In their sophomore year, he approached her. He didn’t recognize her as his high school classmate, but he smiled and asked casually, "Want to be my girlfriend?"
Her chest tightened, and she fought back the urge to cry. With trembling hands and a pounding heart, she nodded and said yes.
She became his seventy-eighth girlfriend—and his last.
After getting together with her, Dominic didn’t break up after three days like he did with the other girls. Instead, he stayed, committing to a serious relationship that lasted six years.
Everyone said he had finally fallen for someone, that the notorious heartbreaker had changed his ways.
Valerie believed it too. She thought she had finally won the love she had chased for so long.
There were countless nights where she lay beside him and watched his sleeping face, her heart brimming with quiet joy.
But three days ago, everything fell apart.
Dominic had been drinking, so she went to pick him up. She didn’t expect to overhear his drunken conversation with his friends.
One of them, slinging an arm around his shoulder, teased, "Well Dom, you’ve been with this girl for six years. Isn’t it time to call it quits?"
Dominic’s voice was hoarse, thick with alcohol. "Not yet," he slurred. "She’d think I’m not patient enough."
The friend laughed and added, "You’re still hung up on Camilla Baldwin, huh? Back in the day, when you confessed to her and she turned you down, you just lost it.
“You turned into a player, cycling through girlfriends every three days, trying to forget her. And when she came crawling back but said you weren’t dependable enough, she told you to try a long-term relationship to prove her wrong.
“So you randomly picked someone and stuck it out for six years. Man, she’s got you wrapped around her finger."
The room was noisy, filled with laughter and drunken banter. No one noticed Valerie standing outside the door, frozen to the spot, her heart sinking into an icy abyss.
She had heard Camilla’s name before—a girl from the neighboring high school. But she had never imagined that Dominic’s heart had always belonged to her.
She had never imagined that she was nothing more than a tool in his grand display of devotion.
Her youth, her ten years of love and longing, collapsed at that moment.
The young girl who had once blushed severely at the thought of him could never sway the heart of the boy she adored.
The person who had kept her tied to the past, to her endless yearning, had never once turned back to truly see her.
That night, she finally understood. She decided to let him go.
That’s when she agreed to her family’s plans.
'Today marks ten years since I first fell for you, Dominic.
It’s also the first day I decided not to love you anymore.'
After burning everything, Valerie didn’t return to her apartment immediately. Instead, she sat on a bench outside for what felt like an eternity.
By the time she returned, Dominic was already asleep. But his phone, resting on the bedside table, vibrated incessantly.
She walked over to silence it but accidentally opened his WhatsApp messages.
The screen flooded with chat logs between him and Camilla.
[What a coincidence] one message read. [I didn’t expect to end up on your flight this time. The carefree rebel has become a calm and composed pilot! I’m impressed.]
Dominic’s reply had been delayed, but it came nonetheless: [Do you really not know why I became a pilot?]
Camilla responded with a playful sticker and replied: [Could it be… because of me? Just because I once said I liked boys in pilot uniforms?]
Dominic’s reply consisted of a single word—a word sharp enough to shatter Valerie’s heart entirely.
[Yes.]
Her eyes reddened and tears slipped down her cheeks before she could stop them. She hastily wiped them away and exited the chat.
As she did, her gaze fell upon the bold, unmistakable pinned conversation at the top of his list.
It was Camilla’s.
Directly below it was her own chat window. It bore a label too—Do Not Disturb.
Love and indifference, separated by just one word, felt like a chasm as vast as heaven and earth.
But it didn’t matter anymore. She had already let go.
He had finally reunited with the one he loved, and Valerie was ready to embark on a new chapter of her life.
Both had gotten what they wished for—a perfect resolution for both.
The next morning, Valerie woke to the sound of her alarm, only to find that Dominic had already left.
He hadn’t mentioned where he was going, but she knew—he was meeting Camilla.
After all, the night before, Camilla had casually mentioned craving croissants at a cafe near their alma mater. Dominic had immediately booked a table through an app.
Valerie pushed the thought aside. She had her own plans to follow.
After breakfast, she applied light makeup, grabbed her bag, and headed to her workplace. By midday, she had completed her resignation formalities.
At lunch, she met with a few of her university roommates for a farewell meal.
The women all knew about her decade-long unrequited love. When they heard she planned to break up with Dominic and return home to explore other romantic prospects, they couldn’t help but sigh over the years she had wasted.
“Are you really just going to leave without saying a word? Don’t you feel wronged? Won’t you tell him everything—all the ways you’ve silently loved him over the years?”
“Exactly! You like him so much. Are you sure you don’t want to fight for him one last time? If you tell him, he might stop you. Ten years—no heart, no matter how cold, could remain unmoved.”
“Honestly, Dominic was a jerk in this whole thing, but the truth is, you’re the one who’s been with him for many years. That other girl has been abroad for ages. Maybe she’s just a youthful obsession to him now.”
Valerie knew their words came from a place of concern and regret.
But her decision was final. She wasn’t interested in empty gestures or futile efforts. With a soft shake of her head, she dismissed their suggestions.
“He doesn’t love me. Telling him would be meaningless. It’s better to end things cleanly and leave with dignity.”
Seeing her resolute stance, her friends had no choice but to wish her well in finding someone better.
The group talked for over an hour before finally parting ways.
After finishing her last glass of wine, Valerie returned home, still feeling energized.
Taking advantage of the good weather, she began clearing out everything she had accumulated over the years.
Couple-themed clothes and mugs, a cabinet overflowing with plushies, the razor in the bathroom, the array of cosmetics crowding her vanity—one by one, all the items she had carefully chosen and brought into her life were now tossed into the trash.
The once-cozy bedroom, kitchen, and living room were gradually emptied, left desolate and cold.
But Valerie understood that once she left, these vacant spaces would soon be filled with new belongings.
They would all belong to someone else: Camilla, the new mistress of the house.
For the next few days, Dominic didn’t return home, nor did he send a single message.
Valerie didn’t care where he had gone. She continued packing her belongings at a steady pace, undisturbed.
On Friday, her birthday, Valerie went out to order a cake and bought herself a bouquet of fresh flowers.
She had just arranged the flowers in a vase when her phone buzzed with a call from Dominic.
“Hey, I’m outside your office. Your coworkers told me you resigned. What happened?”
A flicker of surprise crossed her face.
In all their years together, Dominic had never come to pick her up from work.
Although she couldn’t fathom what had prompted the sudden change, she had no intention of revealing the true reason for her resignation.
“I’ve just been feeling too exhausted lately. I thought I’d take some time off to rest.”
He didn’t press her further. Instead, he told her that he would pick her up to take her out.
Half an hour later, they met at her doorstep. Valerie climbed into the car.
She didn’t ask where he was taking her, nor did she inquire about his absence over the past few days.
Instead, she quietly gazed out the window at the passing scenery, maintaining a silence that stretched unbroken throughout the drive.
When the car came to a halt, Dominic didn’t wait for Valerie and walked ahead into the venue.
Following closely behind, Valerie stepped inside and immediately realized it was a birthday party. However, she was not the guest of honor.
Standing in the spotlight at the center of the stage, surrounded by admirers, was Camilla. In an instant, Valerie understood that she was the true protagonist of this event.
Draped in an exquisite haute couture gown, Camilla exuded elegance. A custom diamond necklace accentuated her long, graceful neck, while her pearl earrings glittered under the chandelier light. It was impossible to look away.
Valerie’s gaze lingered on the jewelry for a long time.
She knew the pieces all too well not because she had worn them but because they had been sitting in Dominic’s display case for ages.
In her naivety, before she knew the truth, she had assumed those items were gifts he had prepared for her. For years, she had anticipated their arrival with quiet hope.
But as time passed, year after year, those gifts never materialized. Eventually, she stopped waiting, letting her yearning fade into the background.
Now, seeing Camilla adorned with them, the truth became painfully clear—those treasures had always been meant for someone else.
Noticing her gaze, Camilla lifted the hem of her gown and gracefully approached, her lips forming a gentle smile.
“Dom, is this the woman you’ve been seeing these past few years? The one you promised to introduce me to?”
Her tone was warm but her words were laced with subtle condescension.
“She’s beautiful. No wonder she managed to capture the heart of our school’s most sought-after bachelor.”
So that was it—Camilla had asked to meet her. No wonder Dominic had uncharacteristically, brought her along that night.
Realizing his intentions, Valerie let out a quiet, bitter laugh, mocking herself for expecting otherwise.
A few of Dominic’s friends noticed the situation and sauntered over, their voices brimming with indignation as they spoke up for him.
“That’s right. Dom’s been nothing but devoted and obedient! Hopefully, some people will stop with these bizarre tests and start keeping their promises.
“These days, finding someone who truly cares is rare. When you have that, you hold on to it. Mess it up, and you’ll regret it for the rest of your life.”
The group voiced their support for Dominic assuming Valerie wouldn’t catch the veiled jabs.
She didn’t react, as they had expected, her face betraying no emotion. Instead, she casually found a seat and quietly played the part of the clueless, ornamental girlfriend.
All evening, Valerie stayed rooted in her seat, silently observing Dominic as he lingered beside Camilla.
The man who usually despised socializing now stood by Camilla’s side, chatting with her circle of affluent friends.
The man who showed no interest in anything remembered Camilla’s likes and dislikes, even stepping in to shield her from drinks she didn’t want.
The man who never got jealous in her presence now darkened with displeasure just because Camilla shook hands with another man.
In just a few short hours, Valerie witnessed what Dominic looked like when he cared for someone deeply, in a way he couldn’t hide.
After six years together, she finally saw how he acted when he was in love.
As the centerpiece of the evening, Camilla had her birthday song sung to her, and the crowd eagerly gathered to present her with gifts.
Dominic waited until the end to give his, producing the deed to an estate. Warmth softened his usually impassive expression as he spoke.
“Camilla, you once mentioned wanting a cozy home. So, I’m giving you this, hoping it will fulfill your dream.”
His friends immediately cheered and egged him on, their excitement spilling over into laughter and teasing.
“You wouldn’t believe it—every single room in that estate was designed by Dom himself. It took six years to finish the renovations!”
“I heard the garden in the back is filled with lavender and tulips. Now, whose favorite flowers could those possibly be?”
“A cozy home, if you ask me, needs a man of the house to truly feel warm and complete. Don’t you all agree?”
Camilla’s cheeks flushed crimson amid the teasing remarks. She clasped her hands together in a great show of preparing to make a wish. Only then did the laughter fade into silence.
In the quiet that followed, Valerie’s phone chimed with a few soft notifications.
It was a voice message from her father. She intended to convert it into text but accidentally hit play instead.
“Happy birthday, Valerie! It’s almost midnight. Did you have your cake yet?”
The attention previously fixed on Camilla shifted sharply to Valerie. Every pair of eyes was now filled with shock.
Even Dominic froze for a few seconds, turning to look at her with a faint frown on his face.
“Is it your birthday today, Valerie?”
Valerie’s face remained calm, devoid of emotion, as she gave a small, quiet nod.
In previous years, Dominic would at least ask about the date in advance and prepare a gift.
But this year, with Camilla’s birthday coinciding with hers, it was as if Valerie had completely slipped his mind—a fact that, in hindsight, didn’t seem surprising.
No one had anticipated such a coincidence. The room fell into an awkward silence, with everyone exchanging uneasy glances.
It was Camilla who eventually smoothed things over. She gently took Valerie’s hand and led her toward the cake, lighting a single candle herself.
“Well, since it’s such a lucky coincidence, let’s celebrate together. Make a wish, Valerie.”
Valerie didn’t refuse. She closed her eyes and made her wish in silence.
When she opened them again, Dominic, perhaps trying to dispel the lingering awkwardness, casually asked, “What did you wish for? Is there any gift you’d like?”
Valerie looked at him for a moment, her gaze calm yet distant. Then, in a steady voice, she answered.
“I wished that I’d get married this year.”
