Yesterday, my fiancé told me he didn’t have time to come home with me for the holidays, but secretly, he had booked a flight to my hometown. I couldn’t help feeling a quiet thrill. Justin Baker had always been good at surprises back when we were dating. I just didn’t expect that now, when we were practically like an old married couple, he’d still do something like this.

I was just about to tell my dad the news when my stepsister suddenly dropped a message in the family group chat that she was bringing her boyfriend home for the holidays. The relatives in the family immediately started teasing her, wanting to see what he looked like.

The next second, photo after photo of her and Justin’s couple pictures flooded the chat.

“I told you he’s really handsome, right? And he’s the same age as me.”

“Oh wow, you locked him down so young? Dawn, you’re impressive.”

“Hmph, of course. He’s crazy about me.”

I stopped breathing. So that was why, when he found out I’d be spending the holidays at my mom’s place this year, he suddenly said he didn’t have time to come with me. It was because he already knew we wouldn’t run into each other.

My hands trembled as I sent him one last message.

[I’ve returned the engagement gift to you. We’re done.]

The younger relatives in the group chat were still asking Dawn Fowler for tips on how to win a guy over.

[A lot of girls pursued him, but I wasn’t one of them. Yeah, he was the one who pursued me, so I don’t really have experience with that. Maybe ask Trisha instead?]

I ignored the constant mentions blowing up my phone and simply muted the chat.

So that was it. The reason Justin Baker had been so hard to win over was that he already had someone in his heart, and I had spent three whole years just prying open a crack in something that was never real to begin with.

I let out a bitter laugh and went back to my room to pack. As I reached up to pull down a large suitcase from the top of the closet, something suddenly fell to the floor with a dull thud. It was an old phone. On instinct, I typed in Dawn’s birthday, and it unlocked. A group chat instantly popped up.

[Justin, you’re not actually going to marry Trisha, right?]

[Seriously, are you even going to break up with her? We’re all still for your wedding with Dawn.]

Justin replied with a voice message. He sounded like he was smiling when he said it.

“That’ll depend on Dawn.”

Then, he sent another voice message, but this time, it was Dawn’s voice.

“Hm… In that case, this year!”

At the end, there was a soft, playful squeal from her.

My heart started pounding violently. I gripped the phone so tightly it felt like I might crush it in my hand. Then, I opened their private chat. It was filled almost entirely with Dawn’s resentment toward me and Justin comforting her.

[As if stealing my dad from me since I was little wasn’t enough, now she wants to take his money too! I hate her so much! Justin, you won’t actually fall for her, will you? You know, I never had a father’s love growing up. You’re all I have. You’re the only person I can rely on.]

[Baby, think about it. She’s five years older than me. How could she ever be right for me? Don’t overthink it. You’re the only one for me, and you always will be.]

I couldn’t go on reading. It felt like I was drowning, like the air had been ripped from my lungs.

The room was warm, but a chill ran down my spine. As it turned out, not only did he not love me, but he also thought I was old. Every time he called me “his little ancient artifact” in that soft, affectionate tone… it wasn’t intimacy. It was a mockery.

Every time he proudly told others we were in an older woman–younger man relationship, underneath that pride was nothing but disgust. When he swore he’d take care of me, that I’d never need to touch my dad’s money, it wasn’t love. He was just afraid I’d compete with Dawn.

What a ridiculous five years it had been. Next year, I’d be thirty, and my entire twenties would end in lies and betrayal.

I stood in front of the mirror and smiled faintly. A fine line had appeared at the corner of my eye. As I lifted my hand and touched my reflection, the line seemed to disappear for a moment.

Was I… really that old? I didn’t know, but one thing I did know was that time doesn’t come back, and I couldn’t waste another second.

I wiped away my tears, quickly changed my flight, and dragged my suitcase toward the door. Suddenly, it burst open. Justin stood there, his hair messy from the wind, his face full of urgency that didn’t look fake.

“What happened? Why did you suddenly return the engagement gift I gave you? Is it because I’m not going home with you for the holidays, and you’re mad about it?”

Like always, he reached for my hand, but I stepped back. He froze for a second, then immediately put on a hurt expression.

“Hey, My Little Ancient Artifact, are you really mad? I’ve just been busy, you know that. I’m at a critical point in my career right now.”

Before, when he called me his little ancient artifact, I thought it was just a sweet nickname between lovers. Now, I understand that it was sarcasm.

“It’s fine. It’s my fault,” I said with a light laugh. “I’m just too old for you.”

His eyes widened, panic flashing across his face.

“W-Why would you say something like that all of a sudden? You know I like older women!”

Maybe, but definitely not someone five years older like me.

He kept going, still acting and pouring out how much he loved me. Even now, when he was about to go home with Dawn to meet her family, he wouldn’t stop lying to me.

I stared straight into his eyes.

“Justin, do you really want to marry me? Have you ever… actually loved me?”

His expression froze for a split second. He was about to answer, but I cut him off.

“I don’t love you anymore.”

Without waiting for his reaction, I walked out with my suitcase. I wasn’t going to play along anymore with that cheap performance.

The moment I stepped off the plane, the familiar air hit me, and for the first time in days, I could finally breathe. All the resentment I’d been carrying seemed to drift away with the wind.

I looked out at the streets I knew so well, and my eyes stung. Yeah… As long as I was home, it’d be okay.

I took a cab to Mom’s house. No one had lived there for a long time, but everything inside was exactly the same as when she was still alive, except the family of three was gone. The whole place felt quiet and empty.

I had brought Justin here once before, wanting him to see the home I grew up in. However, he thought it was too cold and lifeless, so he didn’t want to stay long. Yet, compared to Dad’s new house, I thought this place still felt warmer.

After Mom passed away, my stepmother showed up with her daughter. Not long after, Dad and she had a son together. Just like that, the small family Dad and I once had turned into a household of five. He was no longer just my dad, and that home was no longer just mine.

I slowly came back to myself, carefully putting away the photo album filled with family pictures before heading out for a walk. Just then, a familiar voice called out from behind me.

“Trish? Is that you? Trish!”

I turned around, and there she was, Mom’s closest neighbor.

“Mrs. Hill! It’s been so long.”

“Oh, it really has been so long.” She set down her grocery basket and walked over, grabbing my hand tightly and giving it a warm pat. “You’ve gotten even prettier after all these years. How have you been? You and that boyfriend of yours must be getting married soon, right?”

I froze. The smile on my face disappeared instantly.

The only time I had brought Justin back, we ran into her. She had said we were such a perfect match. Justin had happily agreed, while I stood there, too shy to say a word. Now, everything had changed.

The emotions I had just managed to suppress came rushing back. My nose tingled, and tears began to gather in my eyes.

Seeing this, Mrs. Hill quickly tried to comfort me. “Oh, it’s my fault, I shouldn’t have brought it up. It’s okay, Trish. You’re still young. If it didn’t work out, you can always find someone else.”

Still young? Maybe in the eyes of elders, I was, but compared to Justin, who was barely in his twenties, I was old.

Looking back now, he had been hinting at it all along. He once told me that at my age, my career had peaked and that I should quit my job to focus on taking care of the family. In exchange, he’d provide for me. At the time, all I heard was that he would take care of me. I was completely ignorant to what was hidden underneath those words.

Recalling his conversations with Dawn, I finally understood that it wasn’t just that he thought I was too old. He wanted to weaken me and make me lose my place in the workforce, so I’d become someone who could only rely on him. After that, controlling me would’ve been effortless.

Just then, the custom ringtone I had set for him started ringing.

“Hey, where did you go? Are you still mad at me?” He tried to probe. “Did you see something? Can you tell me why you’re suddenly upset?”

“You once said you’d take care of me. Was that true?”

“Of course!” he replied immediately. “I told you I’d give you the best life.”

I looked at the sunlight filtering through the leaves above me and let out a soft laugh.

“Were you afraid that if I became too successful, Dad wouldn’t leave any inheritance to Dawn?”

There was a loud thud on the other end of the call.

“How did you–” His voice turned hoarse. “You saw it…”

“Don’t worry,” I said calmly. “Your childhood friend, the one you love most and the one you’ve always wanted to marry, she’ll get everything. I’m not interested in competing with her, so you don’t have to keep pretending anymore.”

I turned to look in the direction of home.

“Justin, don’t contact me ever again.”

It was time for me to go home.

Justin never called again, and I spent the next few days at home in a rare, quiet peace.

On Christmas Eve, I was at the supermarket picking up groceries when Dad suddenly called.

“Come home for dinner tonight to meet your sister’s boyfriend,” he said.

I rejected his offer. “I’m not coming. I want to stay with Mom.”

“You…” He choked for a second before he replied, “It’s just one meal. You only come back once a year, and you won’t even visit me? You’re getting more unreasonable the older you get.”

I could hear the anger creeping into his voice. It was the holidays, and I didn’t want a fight.

I let out a quiet sigh. “Fine.”

…

The moment I walked through the door, Justin froze. Meanwhile, Dawn, standing beside him, looked at me with a hint of amusement, like she’d been waiting for this.

“You’re here, Trisha.”

She took Justin’s hand and walked toward me.

“Let me introduce you. This is Justin, my boyfriend and your future brother-in-law.”

I looked at him. His Adam’s apple bobbed hard. He looked like he wanted to say something, but not a single word came out. I had expected this scene, but even so, a sharp, uncontrollable pain spread through my chest.

“Oh, right,” Dawn added, “Justin and I are getting married after the holidays. You have to come, Trish.”

I clenched my teeth, afraid that the moment I opened my mouth, everything I was feeling would spill out.

“Hm? What’s with that expression, Trisha? Don’t tell me you’re jealous?”

She stepped closer, studying my face with a small laugh.

“Then again, you’re not that young anymore and still unmarried. Unlike me–”

“Dawn!” Justin cut her off sharply, his expression dark.

Annoyed, she snapped, “What? Isn’t it the truth? She’s just an unwanted old woman. Am I wrong?”

“It is the truth,” I said, a faint, mocking smile on my lips. “But unlike you, I don’t go around picking up what other people threw away.”

“You!”

Furious, she pointed at me, but I slapped her hand aside.

“Trisha! What are you doing?” Dad came out of the kitchen just in time, carrying a dish.

Dawn immediately complained, “I was just telling her to get married soon, and she got mad.”

Dad slammed the dish onto the table and started lecturing me.

“Is she wrong? You’re already thirty and still not married. Do you know how embarrassing that is for me?”

My stepmother, Lisa Green, stepped in right on cue.

“Alright, alright. It’s Christmas, let’s not argue. Trish, you’ve had a long trip. You must be tired. Why don’t you go upstairs and rest for a bit?”

As she spoke, she pushed me gently toward the stairs, all smiles.

Just then, a small, timid voice called out, “Trisha…”

I turned around. My little brother, Ben Fowler, stood by the doorway, looking at me with wide, hopeful eyes.

Before I could react, Lisa lowered her voice and scolded him. “Don’t bother your sister. Go play on your own.”

I gave him a small nod and headed upstairs.

The moment I opened the bedroom door, I realized the room had changed completely. It was filled with Dawn’s things. Hers and Justin’s bags were piled on the table.

I stood there for a moment, then quietly closed the door and turned away.

…

As the sky turned dark, I stood on the second floor, looking down. The kitchen lights were on. Dawn was clinging to her mother, acting spoiled, while Justin stood beside Dad, helping with the vegetables. They looked like a real family. Without me, everything felt more harmonious.

Not long after, Dawn came up to call me for dinner. As she passed by, she suddenly grabbed my arm and whispered in my ear, “Stay away from Justin. He’s mine.”

I said nothing. I simply shook her hand off.

…

After dinner, Lisa carried Ben upstairs for bedtime, and Dawn followed soon after. Only Dad and Justin were left at the table. As I couldn’t bear to stay for a second longer, I stood up, ready to leave.

Suddenly, Dawn rushed downstairs and called out to me.

“Trisha, did you take my necklace? That’s the token of love between Justin and me!”

I asked, “What necklace?”

“Stop pretending! It’s the one I left in my room. You stole it! It was still there before dinner. I just checked, and now it’s gone. You were the only one upstairs during that time!”

“But I didn’t go into your room,” I said. “I only stood at the door for a second.”

Dad slammed his fist against the table, irritated.

“Enough! It’s Christmas. Can all of you stop fighting?”

Then, he shot me an impatient look. “If you took it, just give it back to Dawn.”

“Dad!” I stared at him in disbelief, my lips trembling. “You don’t believe me?”

He didn’t answer. He just turned his head away and let out a heavy sigh.

Dawn looked at me, a satisfied smile tugging at her lips.

“Then let’s search her.”