Albion's POV

As soon as I saw her last message, my expression quickly darkened.

Serena didn’t have an issue with cilantro. In fact, she loved it—she’d even order an extra portion whenever we had pasta.

Still, I thought for a moment before I replied.

[Me: Alright.]

After sending the message, I opened a food delivery app, randomly picked a home-cooked dish, and had it sent directly to her office.

Later that evening, after finishing up work, I went out for dinner with Stephanie.

But the moment we arrived at the restaurant we’d reserved, I spotted Serena walking in with Cyril. They were arm in arm, their faces lit with easy smiles.

When she saw us, Serena instinctively let go of his arm and walked over.

Meanwhile, Cyril’s expression shifted for a moment before he quickly followed, smiling as he said, “What a coincidence! But it looks like we’re late—no available tables. Mind if we share yours?”

Before we could respond, Serena seated herself right beside me, unbothered.

Stephanie’s eyes widened in shock. Without hesitation, she got up and switched places with her. “What are you thinking? Sitting me next to your first love—how’s that supposed to work?”

Now seated across from me, Serena looked slightly annoyed, as if waiting for me to say something.

Avoiding her gaze, I handed the menu to Cyril. “Here, Cyril. Go ahead and order. My sister and I have already decided on what we want.”

He took the menu with a casual smile. “Albion, your cooking is incredible. It’s so much better than anything you can get in a restaurant.”

His comment confirmed what I’d suspected—Serena had asked me to cook for him, not herself.

Even so, I only smiled faintly and didn’t respond.

Stephanie, with a mix of pride and teasing, chimed in, “Oh, you wouldn’t believe it—he got it in his head to take cooking classes recently. He was the only guy in the class, but he stuck with it anyway. I thought he’d give up out of embarrassment, but nope. Now he’s great in the kitchen and outside of it. Whoever becomes his future girlfriend is going to be so spoiled.”

Serena had been smiling faintly, but her expression shifted at that comment. Her smile thinned, and she took a slow sip of tea. Calmly, she asked, “Albion, are you thinking about dating now?”

I looked at her, confused by the sudden question.

Recalling her words from the other day, I nodded slightly. “I’m 26 now—it’s about time I started thinking about that. If you know anyone suitable, Serena, feel free to introduce them to me.”

“You’re finally coming around!” Stephanie exclaimed, clearly more excited than anyone else. “I’ve been trying to set you up for ages, and you always turned me down. Now that you’re ready, I’ll make sure to find you the perfect girlfriend!”

As Stephanie finished speaking, Serena’s lips pressed into a tight line. Her eyes locked onto mine as if searching for something in my expression.

Cyril, noticing the change in her mood, laughed lightly. “Albion, you’re lucky to have such a caring sister. I’m honestly jealous. But, you know, I think Serena’s a great match for you. What do you think?”

“Don’t say things like that,” Serena cut in sharply, her brows furrowing. Though her tone carried a hint of reprimand, her expression was more resigned than angry.

I nodded in agreement. “Exactly. I only see Serena as a sister. Please don’t make jokes like that, Cyril.”

I paused, then added, “Besides, I think you and Serena make a better pair.”

The smile vanished from her face in an instant, replaced by a thin layer of anger. She let out a short, humorless laugh. “Is that so? Then how about I introduce someone to you? Would you take the time to meet her?”

“Of course. Thanks in advance, Serena.” My smile was bright, and I answered without hesitation.

For the next few days, I didn’t reach out to Serena, and she didn’t contact me either.

Albion's POV

Instead, it was Cyril who came to find us.

When he arrived, Stephanie and I were both at my place.

“What do you need?” Stephanie asked, cutting straight to the point.

He hesitated for a moment, glancing at me awkwardly before speaking. “Stephanie, you know how Serena and I grew up together. We were each other’s first love. Even though we’ve broken up and gotten back together a few times, there’s still something between us.”

Pausing for a second, he continued, “I was wrong to break up with her during our last fight. This time, I want to make things right—I want to confess to her and ask her to get back together. Can you two help me out?”

If I hadn’t experienced what I did in my previous life, I might have laughed in his face and told him outright that Serena loved me, not him, and she would never agree to take him back, so just gave up.

But because I had lived through it, I knew the truth. Deep down, Serena still cared for him. They were meant to be together.

“Of course! That’s easy enough to arrange,” Stephanie said with an encouraging smile. “You two have a history, and it’s obvious she hasn’t moved on. If you confess, I’m sure it’ll work out!”

Hearing that, a confident smile spread across Cyril’s face. When he looked at me, there was a glint of triumph in his eyes.

But I didn’t think much of it and brushed it aside.

Two days later, Stephanie and Serena’s close friends worked out the details for the confession. They decided that the perfect setting would be a countryside trip to watch a fire-dancing performance. After all, they said, true feelings reveal themselves in moments of excitement and chaos.

When we arrived at the venue, the crowd was massive. Since I wasn’t a fan of packed spaces, I planned to wait on the sidelines.

But Cyril wouldn’t let me off the hook. With the growing crowd, he grabbed my arm and pulled me right into the thick of it.

Soon enough, we found ourselves at the very front, where the view of the performance was crystal clear.

As the show began, fire erupted into dazzling sparks, lighting up the dark night.

Standing too close, Cyril flinched, startled by the flying sparks. Instinctively, he leaned toward Serena for protection.

Noticing his discomfort, Serena’s lips curved into a playful smile. Linking her arm with his, she teased, “You know you’re scared of fire. Why would you come up this close? Are you silly?”

“Well, as long as you’re here, I’m not afraid of anything,” he said, his tone soft and sincere.

Her eyes filled with warmth as she held his hand tightly.

In that moment, a memory from my past life flooded my mind. I remembered how things were just after Serena and I had gotten together.

Back then, I was full of hope for our future. I threw myself into our relationship, handling every little thing around the house to make her feel loved and cared for. I wanted her to feel like she truly belonged, that she had a home.

But one night, after she got drunk, I overheard her talking to Cyril.

“I feel like I have no husband,” she said, her voice slurred. “But a dad who has to micromanage me. It’s so annoying. He drives me crazy.”

Then, laughing softly, she added, “But you… you’re different. You know how to give me space. You never make me feel smothered.”

That memory hit me like a punch in the gut, and before I could dwell on it any longer, chaos erupted nearby.

A small dog suddenly darted out of nowhere, sending the crowd into a frenzy. People screamed and stumbled to get out of the way.

The commotion jolted me back to reality just as the dog charged toward me.

I reached out to pull Stephanie back, but before I could, someone shoved me hard from behind.

I lost my balance and stumbled over the safety line, finding myself dangerously close to the fired materials.

The crowd’s shouts and warnings blended into one chaotic roar.

Then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw a figure running toward me through the crowd.

For a brief moment, hope flickered in my chest. Was Serena coming to help me?

But no.

She rushed past me without hesitation and went straight to Cyril, who had also been pushed past the safety line.

What am I even hoping for?

I wanted to laugh at myself, but it felt too hollow. All I could feel was the sting of irony.

Thankfully, Stephanie appeared just in time. She helped me back over the safety line, supporting me as I limped on an injured ankle.

As we stepped away from the crowd, she turned to me, her voice filled with excitement. “The confession setup is ready! Let’s hurry back and see how it goes!”

Albion's POV

Stephanie pulled me to the front entrance of the farmhouse inn.

Hanging from the love tree by the door were heart-shaped fairy lights, each one shimmering softly in the evening breeze. Among them were tokens of their past: handwritten love letters and photos of the two of them together.

Standing beneath the tree, Cyril held a bouquet of pink roses—Serena's favorite. His voice trembled slightly as he poured his heart out to her.

Serena froze, clearly caught off guard by the spectacle.

The gentle wind brushed past, unsettling my supposedly calm thoughts. I couldn’t help but feel that even nature was testifying to the love between them. They were meant to be together. That was the best arrangement for everyone.

The crowd around us began to cheer and clap. Their voices echoed in unison: “Say yes! Say yes!”

Joining them, I clapped along and shouted, “Say yes to him!”

Serena’s head snapped toward me, her face a mix of shock and disbelief. “Albion, have you lost your mind? I’m your girlfriend!”

“What?” Stephanie, who had been quietly watching until now, widened his eyes in disbelief. “She’s your girlfriend?”