Thor's special treatment of Lina had me worried; that was for sure. I had tried to win him back by threatening to break up, but all I earned was his disgust. Once I was no longer his only one, everything I did became wrong. It was clear, whatever he and I shared belonged to the past.

As exams approached, I buried myself in study.

Meanwhile, Thor and Lina grew closer by the day; rumor had it they were already a couple. I became the punchline in everyone's gossip.

After the tests, I stayed home—nowhere to go—waiting for my acceptance letter.

Soon, the envelope arrived. I took it from the courier and was about to open it when a shadow fell over my head and someone snatched the letter from my hands. I recognized the thief and felt my mood sour.

"Give that back—it's mine," I said.

Thor ignored me and ripped open the envelope.

My heart lurched; I lunged instinctively and grabbed it back.

"Don't look." I barked.

He looked at me coldly. "I was curious how you did—wanted to see if maybe…"

He trailed off, but I cut him off. "You have no right to see it."

His face hardened, voice sharpening. "Aisha, are you still throwing tantrums after all this time?"

I kept my lips pressed together and looked down. He reached out, pinched my chin, and forced me to meet his gaze.

"I thought you'd use this time to calm down and think. I thought you'd realize where you went wrong. But you don't seem remorseful at all."

I let out a bitter laugh that tasted of scorn. "So, you think I'm the one at fault?"

"Isn't that the case?"

Disappointment thinned across my features; the warmth I once felt for him eroded a little more. I stepped back, about to speak, but he sighed in resignation.

"Fine. If you haven't figured it out yet, take your time. We'll be at the same university—four years should be plenty for you to come to your senses."

I frowned and said, "I applied to another school."

At that moment, his phone rang, drowning out my words. When he glanced at the caller ID, his face softened. He answered; his voice became gentle.

"Lina? What's wrong?"

Even from where I stood, I could hear her tremulous cries through the handset. "Thor, I'm being harassed by some thugs. They're forcing me to drink. I'm at the Last Drop Bar. Come quickly."

Thor's expression snapped into panic. He turned and started to leave, murmuring reassurances into the phone as he went. "Don't be afraid. I'm on my way. If anyone lays a finger on you, I'll kill them."

I watched his retreating back until he vanished, and whatever storm had been in me calmed. Whether he'd heard my earlier words or not didn't matter anymore; I had said them.

I slit open the envelope. The university name confirmed my new plan: a school far from the city I lived in. I had no intention of coming back for those four years. From then on, my life and Thor's no longer intersected.

His life, however, brimmed with excitement. He spent his days dining and partying with friends, always with Lina at his side. They traveled together, dived together, trekked forests, spent nights in caves—every adventure photographed and posted to his social feed. Lina's face appeared in every album, radiant with joy.

One day, he even posted a photo of Lina kissing his cheek.

A few of Lina and Thor's friends commented beneath his post.

[Lina, you're amazing—you actually got the aloof and restrained Thor!]

[Wow, you two are official now! Expecting wedding bells soon and a baby!]

[Yes! Don't forget to invite me to the wedding!]

[I call dibs on being the best man!]

Reading through the comments, I felt a twinge of discomfort. No matter how many times I told myself to move on, the heart wasn't a machine—it still ached.

But this pain wasn't as sharp as before. It had dulled, softened around the edges. Time truly could change a person, and fade emotions that once felt impossible to forget.

When I returned to campus for the graduation ceremony, the first thing I saw upon stepping through the gate was Lina, arm-in-arm with Thor. They were laughing, radiant—a perfect match of beauty and charm. Someone nearby was taking their photo.

Even though Thor's pose looked a little stiff, he still smiled for the camera, eyes filled with gentle affection when he looked at her.

I remembered our first photo together—he'd looked at me the same way.

I turned down another path, choosing not to cross their way. I had no desire for awkward encounters.

As I walked, memories of Thor and me flooded back like flickering scenes from an old film—our laughter echoing through the campus, our warm embraces, the dizzying sweetness of first kisses.

We had once promised to marry after university, to build a home, to decide how many children we'd have.

Back then, we were childish—but genuine. Now, it all felt like a beautiful dream. And when I woke, the dream was gone, and so were we.

I made my way to the back garden, picked up a fallen branch, and pried open a patch of earth. Beneath it was a small box—our names carved onto its lid.

There was an old legend at our school: if two lovers wanted their bond to last forever, they had to write down their names, tie them together with a ribbon, and bury them in the ground. That way, their love would be blessed for a lifetime.

The year we decided to marry, we came here and buried our names together. It was also here that he had promised to love me forever.

I dug up the box, opened it, and pulled out the slip with my name. Without hesitation, I tore it to shreds.

They were together now. Why should I cling to a promise that no longer meant anything?

Footsteps sounded behind me. I turned and saw Lina approaching, her expression cold, eyes sharp with disdain.

"Still can't let go, can you?" she said icily.

I looked up and held the box out to her.

"Tie your name with his," I said flatly.

She blinked in surprise, hesitated for a moment, then took the box.

I stood, inhaled deeply, and said, "You love him, don't you? Then hold on tight."

A confident smile curved her lips. "Of course."

She quickly scribbled her name, tied it with his, and buried the two together.

I said nothing more and walked away, oddly numb.

Before leaving campus, I decided to stop by the library for a few books. One title caught my eye, something philosophical yet comforting, and I found myself absorbed in it.

Then, a pungent smell reached my nose. I frowned, sniffed again, and instantly sensed something was wrong. Dropping the book, I bolted for the door.

But it was too late. Flames were already roaring outside, blocking the exit. Within seconds, fire engulfed the room, trapping me inside.

I tried to find a way out of the fire, searching desperately for a corner to shield myself while scanning for any possible escape.

Just then, a shadow rushed in. When I looked closer, my stomach sank—it was Lina.

Of course. Even in a fire, fate had a way of throwing us together.

Her expression was dark, her tone bitter.

"This is all your fault. Nothing good ever happens when you're around."

My brows arched with fury as I snapped, "Shut your filthy mouth!"

But Lina refused to stop. Her voice cut through the crackle of fire, every word soaked in venom.

"Yelling won't change anything. Thor is mine now. From now on, the one standing beside him will be me. In his heart, I'll always matter a thousand times more than you ever did."

I scowled, glaring at her with open disdain. "Pathetic lovesick fool."

My indifference only fueled her rage. Her face twisted with fury as she lunged forward and shoved me hard.

I stumbled backward, crashing into the bookshelf behind me. Books rained down as I fell, the heavy spines striking my head. For a brief, disoriented moment, the world went dark.

When I came to, the acrid smell of smoke filled my lungs. Through the haze, I saw Thor rushing in with a fire extinguisher, dousing the flames in front of him. Relief flickered for an instant—until I realized what he did next.

He ran straight to Lina, scooped her into his arms, and carried her out.

I struggled to my feet, but the fire had already spread, racing toward me with frightening speed. A gust of wind from the open doorway fed the flames, sending them roaring higher. Thick black smoke rolled through the air, stinging my eyes and burning my throat.

I coughed violently, tears spilling as I gasped for air.

Panic surged. I screamed for help.

"Help… Thor!"

But he never turned back.

I shouted again, louder this time—clinging to the last thread of hope that he would come for me.

He froze mid-step and looked over his shoulder.

For a heartbeat, I thought he might return.

Then Lina whimpered, clutching her arm. "Ah… my arm hurts so bad… I can't breathe… I'm dying…"

Thor's brow furrowed deeply, hesitation flickering in his eyes. But when he looked up again, that moment of conflict was gone—replaced by cold, emotionless resolve.

"I can only save one person. And besides, she and I are over. Whether she lives or dies, it has nothing to do with me."

For a second, I couldn't even breathe.

I had thought that even if love had faded, he might still save me for the sake of what we once were.

But I'd been naïve.

As I watched him walk away, his figure swallowed by firelight, a hollow laugh broke from my throat. The sound trembled, cracked—then turned into sobs.

That was the last time I ever cried for his cruelty.

My vision blurred. The world went dark.

When I opened my eyes again, I was in a hospital bed. My mother sat beside me, her face pale and anxious.

She gripped my hand tightly, her voice trembling with relief. "Sweetheart, thank God you're awake. Are you in pain?"

"I'm fine, Mom," I said weakly. Only then did she relax, wiping her eyes.

She told me that when the fire broke out, several classmates had rushed in with extinguishers to rescue me. I listened in silence.

Then, she squeezed my hand again, her voice tinged with heartache. "Baby… what happened between you and Thor?"

At his name, my chest tightened. I hesitated a while, then said, "We broke up."

Her pupils trembled, and she let out a long, weary sigh.

"No wonder. I called to tell him you were in the hospital, but he said it wasn't his concern, and he never came."

I lowered my gaze, forcing my emotions into stillness. The memory of that fire still burned behind my eyes.

The boy I had loved for so many years—once his love was gone, his heart turned to stone.

After a long silence, I sat up slowly and gave my mother a faint, bitter smile.

"Mom, he and I really are done. We won't be in touch again."

Tears welled in her eyes. "But you two were planning to get married… How can years of love just disappear like that?"

My lips pressed into a thin line. "People change."

Just then, a shadow flickered past the door. I lifted my gaze and caught sight of a familiar coat hem.

Was I imagining it?

That coat looked exactly like Thor's.

But no… he wouldn't come. I must've been seeing things.

I turned back to my mother, my tone firm now. "Mom, please, don't ask about him anymore."

She sighed again, wanting to say more, but seeing the set of my expression, she let it go.