Dad was surprised.

He said, "Hasn't it been your dream since you were young to marry Gary? What changed? Did he mistreat you?"

I said in a feigned light tone, "No. I just suddenly realized that he isn't right for me."

Gary and I grew up together. When I was five, Mom's depression flared up, and she locked me up in a closet for two days.

Gary was the one who found me and rescued me.

From that moment onward, I thought that he was the light in my life. My savior.

Later, Dad took Mom everywhere to find a cure. It was Gary who stayed by my side. He was there throughout my entire youth.

Just when I thought that we would naturally end up together, he met Sasha. Our childhood bond couldn't compete with his love for her.

I helplessly watched as they fell deeply in love. That was the most painful period of my life. It was so painful, I wanted to drop out of school just to never see them again.

Just as I was about to leave for New Siland to be with Mom and Dad, Sasha broke up with Gary for unknown reasons.

Gary fell into despair, but it also gave me hope. I stayed by his side, guiding him and protecting him. I even confessed my feelings for him.

Step by step, I walked with him to where we are today, on the verge of marriage.

Yet, Sasha returned.

The moment she returned, she provoked me, saying that Gary would never marry me. She said that if I'd known any better, I would have stepped out of the relationship on my own.

Back then, I confidently retorted that it would be impossible.

However, at that moment, I admitted defeat. I completely failed in my relationship.

After hanging up, I went online to buy a flight to New Siland three days later.

Then, I hailed a taxi and headed home to pack.

I was halfway packing when Gary returned with a cake in his hands. He handed it to me.

"This is your favorite, right? I bought it just for you."

I indeed loved a lemon cake, but as I looked at the cake that looked like it was destroyed by a dog, my appetite was completely gone. I only found it disgusting.

"Thank you, but I do not eat other people's leftovers."

Gary froze for two seconds before saying, "Come on, you won't even be able to finish it anyway. Why are you being so petty?"

I zipped up my luggage and dragged it out while saying, "Sure. I'm petty."

Gary reached his hand out to stop me, asking, "The wedding is in three days. Where are you going?"

I was leaving for New Siland in three days too. To avoid any further problems, I replied, "The bride and groom can't stay with each other right before the wedding, so I'm heading home."

Gary looked relieved when he heard me say that. He still asked rather doubtfully, "Has there ever been such a tradition?"

"Of course. If you don't believe me, you can ask others."

The tradition was there for a long time. I didn't just make it up, so I wasn't afraid if he asked others.

I just didn't expect that the person he would ask right in front of me would be Sasha. After he got an answer, he looked much more relieved. Then, he said, "Let me take you home."

I put my luggage in his car. Then, as I got into the front passenger seat, I saw the label, [For Sasha Only.]

This time, I no longer did what I did in the past, tearing off the label. Instead, I chose to sit in the back passenger seat.

Gary actually looked pleased. "Anthea, you've finally grown up. You used to always tear off that sticker. It's just a seat. I really don't understand what you and Sasha were even fighting over."

I smiled faintly, "You're right. There is nothing to fight over. I'm giving it to her."

Halfway through the drive, Gary's phone rang. It was his special ringtone for Sasha.

He answered the call to hear Sasha saying to him anxiously, "Gary, I was halfway through showering when the lights suddenly went out. Please come and help me quickly."

Gary instantly grew anxious.

He turned to me and said, "Sasha has night blindness. A power outage is too dangerous for her. I must go."

Things like these happened countless times before. In the past, no matter how hard I tried to stop him, it was in vain.

This time, I wouldn't get worked up over this anymore.

I replied to him calmly, "Just drop me off at the next intersection."

Gary slammed on the brakes. I went behind to take my luggage out of his trunk. He looked at me guiltily and said, "Anthea, it's hard to get a taxi here. Wait here for me. I'll be back soon."

Wait for him?

Have I not learned the lessons from before?

I smiled at him and nodded. Once I saw his car vanish into the traffic, I clicked onto an app and called a taxi.

That night, Sasha posted a photo on her social media.

[No matter what happens, I feel safe as long as you're around.]

Under the faint candlelight, two figures leaned in close together.

I knew that Sasha deliberately posted the photo for me to see. In the past, I would have immediately called Gary and questioned him.

However, this time, after seeing the photo, I merely liked it.

When I woke up the next morning, I noticed two missed calls and a message from Gary.

[Anthea, I'm home. Where are you?]

Seeing the timestamp at five in the morning, I was glad I had the foresight to silence my phone.

For the next two days, I started packing up for my move to New Siland. Mom and Dad were living there for a long time.

This time, I was leaving without planning to return to the country. I had to bring all that I needed.

A day before the wedding, Gary came to my house and got me into his car. I asked him, "Where are you taking me to?"

He drove and replied, "To Sasha's place."

"Why are you taking me there?"

"You'll see once we're there."

Arriving at Sasha's place, Gary pulled me inside. Sasha's living room was filled with her good friends.

Sasha, in a white dress looking like an angel, walked over to me.

"Anthea, you're finally here. Ever since accidentally destroying your wedding dress the last time, I have been feeling guilty about it, so I made one to make it up to you."

The words "accidentally" and "guilty" sounded strange coming from her.

Also, how could she come up with a wedding dress in just two days?

Her friends pushed a mannequin covered in a white cloth. Sasha unveiled the mannequin.

Layer upon layer of pink mosquito netting wrapped around the mannequin.

It was so crudely made that even a child's play-pretend bedsheet looked better.

She looked at me and said, "Anthea, I spent two whole nights making this. I hope to see you wear this on the aisle tomorrow."

I almost laughed out loud at her shameless request.

Instantly, her face filled with grievance, her voice trembling pitifully. "I know it doesn't look that good, but it comes from my heart."

I looked at Gary and asked, "Do you wish for me to wear it too?"

Gary looked conflicted. Looking at Sasha's aggrieved expression, he said, "This is Sasha's sincerity. I mean, compared to the other generic wedding dresses, this is quite refreshing."

I smiled and nodded. "The wedding dress will appear at the wedding tomorrow."

At that, Sasha's friends instantly looked at me condescendingly with mockery.

"Sasha's right. Anthea is such a desperate simp."

"As long as she can marry Gary, she would even be willing to wear a burlap sack."

"How embarrassing. She's a disgrace to all women!"

Amid their ridicule, I took the dress and turned to leave.

Gary came after me and held my wrist. "Anthea, I didn't know that they would say such things. Don't take it to heart."

I brushed his hand away and said, "Don't worry. I won't."

He patted me on the head and said, looking relieved, "I know that you've been wronged lately. Once we get married, I will no longer keep in contact with Sasha."

I smiled faintly, "Alright. See you tomorrow."

At the wedding venue, beneath dazzling crystal chandeliers, guests filled the hall.

Dressed in a sharp black suit, Gary stood on stage before walking toward the entrance, ready to welcome his bride.

The wedding hall doors opened.

Under everyone's watchful eyes, a mannequin dressed in a wedding gown was pushed in by delivery workers.

Gary's expression darkened. He said through gritted teeth, "Where is Anthea!"

One of the staff members handed him a recording pen, saying, "Mr. Dome, Ms. Fowler would like me to hand this to you."

Gary accepted the pen and played the recording.

"Gary, I'm gone. I am out of this game of love. I hope you and Sasha have a lifetime of happiness. May you two be together forever."