But now, Dennis felt like a stranger to me. It was the same face—exactly the same—but I no longer felt my heart skip the way it used to.

Dennis reached out, his fingers brushing my cheek. That's when I saw it—the ring on his fourth finger.

That spot used to be bare.

"I'm tired," I said quietly. "Can I go home and rest first?"

I pulled my gaze away, but not before locking eyes with him.

Panic flickered in his eyes almost instantly. "Yeah... of course."

"But there are guests at the house today," he added quickly. "My friend just became a dad. He didn't have a venue for the baby's one-month celebration, so they're using our place."

He looked at me carefully. "You don't mind, do you?"

I used to think he was something otherworldly. Whenever I was bullied, he always appeared like a hero in a storybook. Whenever I was sick, he stayed calm, steady.

One winter, the two of us had gone out to buy fireworks. We passed by a couple arguing. The girl was in tears—turned out the guy had lied to her and snuck off to meet another woman.

Back then, he turned to me and said, "Anna, when you look for a man in the future, make sure your eyes are wide open. Pick someone like me as your standard. I'll never lie to the person I love."

But now? Every word from his mouth was a lie.

Maybe I've grown steadier, too. I didn't even want to call him out. I wanted to see how far he would go—how long he thought he could keep lying.

"I don't mind," I said.

He smiled when he heard that and reached for me.

I stepped back before he could touch me.

Surprise flickered in his eyes for a second, then he gave a soft laugh, as if trying to reassure himself.

"You're distant with me now. But that's okay. I'll stay by your side and help you become who you were before."

But deep down, I knew I wasn't going back. I couldn't.

Three years ago, he tricked me into going abroad to work with Doctors Without Borders. Since then, I'd seen more life and death than I ever thought possible. I watched children smile at me one second, and turn into cold, lifeless bodies the next.

That's when I learned to value time—because you never know if tomorrow or tragedy will come first.

And now? I had no desire to waste a second more on someone who didn't deserve it.

Dennis didn't take me to the master bedroom—the one that used to be mine. Instead, he led me to a guest room.

He explained, "My friend... he's a little proud. He told people this was his house, so he's been using the master bedroom for now. Once things settle down, I'll have the housekeeper clean it up for you. You can move in then, okay?"

"Mm." I set down my bag.

He looked at me for a moment, then said, "Knowing you, you probably don't enjoy noisy scenes anyway. Rest here for now. I'll take care of things."

After he left, I reached into my pocket and took out a small stone.

Etched into it were the words: Peace and Joy. A little boy gave it to me.

He had lost both his parents. He was all alone.

His small, dark hands placed the stone in mine, as he said, in halting English, "This is for you. You can give it to someone you love, so they'll always be safe."

I accepted it, and stood up to find some candy for him.

But before I could move, a gunshot rang out.

He dropped in front of me, a bullet to the head.

I screamed, hysterically, trying to resuscitate him, but a colleague pulled me away.

Now, pulled back to the present, I opened the guest room door and finally took a good look at the house.

Earlier, I'd been too overwhelmed to notice.

But now, I saw it clearly—signs of another woman were everywhere. In the bathroom, a towel and skincare products. Flowers on the coffee table. A baby bottle. Toys.

After taking it all in, I walked toward the master bedroom.

I used to live there.

Back then, Dennis had decorated it entirely to suit my tastes.

My hand had just touched the doorknob when a woman's voice stopped me.

"You're Anna?"

I turned and saw the woman Dennis had called Scarlett earlier standing behind me.

She had a soft fullness to her figure, hidden beneath a loose dress, but her eyes were striking—large, bright, and gentle-looking. The kind of eyes that made a person seem kind and dependable.

"I am," I replied.

Back when I practiced medicine, people often asked me that same question.

Every time, I answered without hesitation: I am.

It had become something like a professional reflex.

She studied me for a long moment, then let out a short, sharp laugh. "So he still hasn't told you, huh? I'm his fiancée. We already have a son."

A dull ache surfaced in my chest. But I could control my emotions now. "I know."

"You know and you still came back?" Her voice turned sharp, her glare full of hostility. "This isn't your home anymore. You're just an outsider."

She lunged toward me, her hand raised to strike. But I caught her wrist mid-air.

"You just gave birth not long ago. You shouldn't let your emotions get the better of you. It's not good for your health."

Shock filled her eyes.

For reasons I couldn't quite explain, I couldn't bring myself to hate her. She hadn't done anything wrong. She was just afraid—afraid of losing the man she loved.

"Don't worry," I said quietly. "Even though Dennis and I were once engaged... he has a child now. I won't get in the way."

I had barely finished when she shoved me hard.

I stumbled back, and she dropped to the floor with a thud.

"I'm sorry," she cried out. "It's my fault. I shouldn't have taken Dennis away from you."

"Anna! What are you doing!" Dennis's voice rang out behind me.

Then came a sudden, forceful shove.

And before I could steady myself, a hard slap landed squarely across my face.

Everything spun for a moment.

His face blurred in front of me, but his voice rang loud and clear in my ears.

"So what if Scarlett's my fiancée? So what if we have a child? She's gentle and understanding. Not like you—crying at every little thing, always causing trouble, using cheap tricks to bully people. Anna, you disgust me. You have three seconds. Apologize to Scarlett."

My vision cleared just enough to see him standing there, holding her tightly in his arms. His eyes were like ice, filled with contempt—for me.

People downstairs had started to gather, whispering behind their hands, staring up at us.

"I didn't push her," I said to him. "She fell on her own."

"You think I'd believe that? I saw it with my own eyes!" His voice was thick with rage.

"You're just jealous of Scarlett. Apologize now, or I'm not marrying you!"

I laughed.

"Dennis, do you know how many children, how many people in disaster zones, need us—need doctors like us to save their lives? I regret coming back for you. My time should've gone to something that mattered."

And with that, I turned and walked away.

This time, I didn't shed a single tear for him.

This time, I was leaving for good.