I had just submitted the proposal and was heading out when I saw Jaylon, who had been waiting for me by the company's entrance.

Despite the cold wind, he still looked sharp and stylish, his charcoal-gray leather jacket making him stand out. He was wearing a scarf that looked like a torn piece of cloth, a unique touch.

I recognized it immediately as the one Nadia had knitted for him by hand. He had once complained that it was too ugly, but every fall and winter, he wore it almost every day.

The girls from a nearby company were whispering to each other, marveling at his looks. In the past, I would have been secretly pleased, maybe even gotten jealous and shooed him away.

But things were different now. I looked straight ahead, determined to act like I had not seen him.

Yet he spotted me instantly and caught up with me in a few quick strides, his tone casual and light.

"I have a work event tonight. Come with me."

I chuckled softly, "Why do you not ask Nadia?"

I used to cling to Jaylon all the time, but after Nadia inserted herself between us, I got used to being on my own.

Jaylon rubbed his nose. "She's attending as a client tonight."

I smiled bitterly to myself and nodded. "Fine."

Though we sat close together in the car, there was nothing left to say.

I glanced at the fuzzy cover on his steering wheel and was surprised.

"Since when did you put on a steering wheel cover?"

It even featured Micky, Nadia's favorite character.

Jaylon smiled, his eyes filled with warmth. "I just thought it was nice. It feels cozy."

Really? But the one I bought for you before, you just tossed aside.

I said nothing more as we drove to the hotel. When Nadia saw Jaylon, her face lit up with a big smile, but when she noticed me beside him, her expression cooled immediately.

"Jaylon, you're finally here."

I did not know what to say, so I found a corner and sat down. Jaylon naturally sat next to Nadia.

At the dinner table, everyone showered Jaylon with compliments for the wedding dress he had designed that had taken the internet by storm. They asked if there was truly only one of its kind.

Jaylon nodded firmly, looking at Nadia with doting eyes.

"Since the inspiration came from Nadia, only she deserves to receive that sentiment."

The others looked at Nadia with even more envy, praising her for being lucky enough to be treated this way by a famous designer like Jaylon.

These people deliberately ignored me. Even though they knew I was Jaylon's girlfriend, they still believed I was the one clinging to him, thinking it was lucky enough that I could even be with him.

I used to try my hardest to prove myself, desperately seeking recognition from them through various social gatherings.

But they only smiled politely, while behind my back, in the restroom, they mocked my lack of taste and how I did not belong.

From inside a stall, I realized that they had never respected me from the bottom of their hearts. No matter what I did, it was all in vain.

How naive I had been, thinking I had only just figured it out.

Quietly, I sat in the corner, watching them fawn over Jaylon and Nadia as if they were the perfect couple.

Jaylon even picked out the cilantro from Nadia's dish. He had always hated to do it and never went out of his way for anyone.

I never ate cilantro before either, but he had forced me to get used to it simply because he liked it.

But now, he carefully picked out every piece, as if handling an important task, before gently offering the dish to Nadia like he was spoiling a child.

Nadia looked at him with happiness all over her face.

So, Jaylon was capable of being accommodating and considerate to others after all.

It would be a lie to say that it did not hurt to see this.

Even though I had tried to convince myself I had let go, a wave of bitterness and sorrow surged through me, overwhelming me.

A woman I vaguely recognized beside me noticed my expression and decided to stir the pot.

"Mr. Patel, you cannot play favorites like that. Your girlfriend is sitting right there watching you."

Jaylon's hand, halfway to picking up more food, froze. It seemed he had only just remembered something as he glanced at my empty plate.

He forced a smile. "What do you want to eat? I can order more."

"There is nothing I want. I am full," I said, setting down my fork and knife, my expression blank.

"I remember you like spicy seafood. How about I order it for you?"

"I do not like it anymore."

"Then fish?"

"Really, no need."

Jaylon's expression darkened. He had never encountered such resistance from me before.

He stared at me, disbelief in his eyes.

I met his gaze without flinching.

"I do not want anything, Jaylon. You do not need to force me."

"Aurora, are you upset?"

Nadia frowned, looking pitiful.

"Please do not blame Jaylon. You can have mine. I have not touched it."

She appeared so generous, making me look like the petty one.

"What could I possibly blame him for? You are overthinking it. I have work to do, so I will head out."

I wiped my mouth, got up, and grabbed my bag to leave.

"Why are you leaving? Are you jealous because Jaylon made a wedding dress for Nadia?"

Someone suddenly said, his tone full of disdain.

Nadia seized the moment and quickly added, "Is that what it is, Aurora? Please do not be mad. I was just feeling down after breaking up with my ex that day. I did not mean anything else."

But Jaylon was unhappy. "Aurora, it was just a wedding dress, and you are upset again? Why do you always have that same bad temper?"

The atmosphere in the room grew tense. Everyone was watching us, their eyes shifting between Jaylon and me.

Behind him, Nadia had a look of quiet satisfaction, like the victor of the night.

I found it laughable. Why were they treating me like the one in the wrong? But they were the ones who had crossed the line.

Time after time, Jaylon never acknowledged his mistakes.

Just like before, when he hurt me, he would conveniently forget all about it and go on acting like nothing had happened.

I shook my head with a smile, completely indifferent. "I am not upset. The wedding dress is beautiful and suits her perfectly. You two should be together."

With that, I grabbed my bag and walked out.

Just as I was stepping outside, I overheard Nadia barely suppress her delight. "Jaylon, you should go talk to Aurora. I think she has misunderstood something."

"Why should I care? She is getting too big for her britches."

His words pierced me like thorns, leaving my heart raw and bloodied.

How shameless had I been before, allowing him to hurt me like this so blatantly?

I wandered down the street, the cold wind harsh against my face.

But my heart hurt far worse than anything else.

A loud bang rang out, and the night sky exploded into fireworks. Couples passing by stopped to admire them, looking blissfully in love.

For a moment, I saw a reflection of the way Jaylon and I had once been. Back then, we only had eyes for each other, with no room for anyone else.

But when had things become so hopeless?

Tears blurred my vision, and I stopped at a stall to buy a lollipop.

When I took a bite, all I could taste was bitterness.

I remembered how, back when Jaylon and I used to eat them together, he would scold me for having bad teeth and tell me not to eat too many sweets. Back then, the lollipop was so sweet.

Had my sense of taste changed?

I stood there in a daze, unsure if I should keep eating.

But the couple beside me shared their lollipops, taking turns with each bite, laughing happily together.

It seemed the problem was me. I smiled bitterly to myself.

With nothing left to see, I went home. As soon as I opened the door, Jaylon's calls bombarded me. He seemed incredibly displeased.

I had no interest in responding and went about my business. Even into the early hours of the morning, he did not stop.

Before I went to bed, he sent one final message that felt like an ultimatum. "That dinner tonight was unpleasant. Find a time for us to eat together, and apologize to them."

I swiped away his message and opened my social media. Sure enough, I saw that Nadia had just posted a new picture.

It showed her sitting on a chair, changing her shoes, while a pair of large hands gently supported her feet as though handling a treasure.

The slender, strong fingers bore a scar. No one knew better than me that those hands belonged to Jaylon. The scar was from when he had once cooked for me.

Her caption read: [I never thought someone would still treat me like a child even after I've grown up. Thank you to my personal designer!]

I raised an eyebrow and replied with a smirk: [Congratulations! How wonderful for you.]