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.

Three days later, when I was discharged and returned home, I saw that the exterior of the Thor's house was draped in festive decorations. His house was buzzing with people and laughter—it looked like they were hosting a celebration.

My mother quickly answered my unspoken question.

"Thor got into his dream university. His family's throwing a party for him."

She hesitated, then said uncertainly, "They invited us too… but I wasn't sure if you'd want to go."

I was just about to refuse when Thor's mom, Mrs. Bentley, appeared at the gate. She greeted us warmly, grasped my hand, and pulled me toward the lively house.

"Come on, sweetheart! We're not just celebrating Thor today—you deserve to be celebrated too."

Sensing my reluctance, she gave my hand a reassuring pat.

"Oh, I know Thor's done things that hurt you. Don't take it to heart. He's just stubborn. Once he comes to his senses, he'll apologize."

My lips pressed into a thin line, my expression unreadable.

Apology or not—it didn't matter anymore.

As soon as I stepped inside, the chatter quieted, and every gaze in the room shifted toward me.

Thor looked up. His eyes narrowed, the smile on his face instantly vanishing, replaced by an icy indifference that made the air heavy.

Even when his mother gently pushed me toward him, I stood still. He didn't move either. His mother, realizing we were still at odds, could only sigh and let it be.

I lowered my gaze and stood quietly, like a puppet with its strings cut.

Mrs. Bentley walked over to him and gave his shoulder a firm slap. "Don't be so cold all the time! A man should know how to coax his girl."

He said nothing, just gave a cold glare.

Before she could scold him further, the door opened—and Lina's bright, striking figure walked in, drawing everyone's attention. She wore a radiant smile as she approached Thor's parents.

"Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Bentley. I'm Lina, Thor's friend."

They returned her greeting politely, not suspecting a thing.

But the moment Thor saw her, the frost in his eyes melted away. His entire demeanor softened. He walked straight toward her, took her hand, and led her into the crowd—completely ignoring me and his parents.

His parents exchanged awkward glances, helplessness flickering between them.

It was clear I didn't belong there anymore. I turned to leave, but Mrs. Bentley caught my wrist. "Sweetheart, don't be upset."

"I'm not upset," I said, meeting her eyes. "But I need to be honest with you. Thor and I broke up. Whoever he's with now—that's his choice."

Her face froze in shock. She opened her mouth, perhaps to defend her son—but then she saw him across the room, gently wiping the corner of Lina's lips, his fingers brushing her cheek. She smiled up at him, eyes full of tenderness.

Mrs. Bentley's words died in her throat.

My mother, who had been standing beside me, finally understood everything. Her face darkened.

"I thought they were just having a lovers' quarrel. But now I see there's a third person involved. Thor has really gone too far, breaking Aisha's heart like this."

Mrs. Bentley shook her head, flustered. "No, that's not possible—there must be some misunderstanding—"

"Misunderstanding?" My mother gave a cold laugh. "The truth is right there in front of us. I thought all those breakups and makeups would make him cherish her more, but I was wrong. He's crossed the line. Breaking up was the best thing Aisha ever did."

Her fierce defense of me sent a warmth through my chest—a fragile, grateful ache. At least someone still loved me enough to stand by me.

People nearby were starting to look over, curious. I could see Mrs. Bentley's face flush with embarrassment. This was her family's celebration; I didn't want to make a scene.

So I took a slow breath and said softly, "Mom, that's enough. I'm tired. Let's go home."