Just twenty minutes earlier, a message from Isabella Lancaster lit up her phone screen.

The attached photo was hard to miss. Isabella, with her radiant smile, held a bouquet of roses identical to the ones now resting before her.

[I told Edmund I wanted blue roses. He ditched you to scour the city for them. But honestly, I lost interest once he bought them. Thought he might as well hand them to you instead.]

The truth stung. What lay before her was a cast-off, something discarded, handed over as an afterthought.

Much like Edmund, standing there now, looking at her with that same shallow sincerity.

Victoria’s lips curved faintly as she accepted the roses, placing them on the table with a casual grace.

"I’m not mad. I just got a little hungry while waiting."

"Then I’ll whip up some soup for you! I’ll fry an egg, too.”

Noticing her composed demeanor, he relaxed. But before he could step toward the kitchen, his phone buzzed, breaking the moment.

"I’ll be right there!" he answered swiftly.

Ending the call, Edmund walked briskly to the entryway. "Something urgent came up at school. I’ll order you some takeout later."

It was the same excuse he had used before, but Victoria didn’t seem fazed.

"Alright," she replied with an easy smile. "Be careful on your way."

Her eyes lingered on the empty doorway after he left. It was all too familiar, last night, he had bolted out after a similar call, leaving even his jacket behind.

Concerned by the biting chill of the night, she grabbed his jacket and hurried after him. She called his name repeatedly, her voice echoing into the stillness, but Edmund never returned. Even his phone remained unreachable, its silence mocking her attempts.

Left with no choice, she hailed a cab and followed him. The trail led her to a bar, where the sight awaiting her stopped her cold. Edmund cradled a drunken Isabella in his arms, his movements tender, his tone laced with worry.

"Why would you come to a place like this to drink alone in the dead of night?" he scolded softly. "Don’t you know how dangerous it is? I worry about you!"

The neon lights outside cast an ethereal glow on Isabella’s already captivating face, highlighting her beauty in a way that made her seem almost otherworldly.

"But you already have a girlfriend. Why do you even care about me?"

"If you keep this up, she’s going to get jealous," Isabella slurred, her words tangled in her drunken haze.

There was no sense in explaining things to someone in such a state. Yet, Edmund still made the effort, carefully tilting Isabella’s head back and speaking clearly. "I don’t have a girlfriend. The one I’ve been waiting for... has always been you."

After five years of shared moments and unspoken promises, she didn’t even deserve a title. If that was the case, what was left to hold on to?

The application form had already been completed; only Edmund had destroyed the original. With a swift resolve, Victoria rewrote it and personally delivered it to her mentor’s office.

The older woman’s surprise was evident when she saw her so soon. "I thought you’d take more time to think it over.”

Her mentor had always regarded her highly.

Though she was a woman, her resilience and determination could outshine even the most hardened men. Once Victoria set her sights on something, nothing could deter her; she pursued it with all the fire in her soul.

But this same tenacity had kept her bound to someone even when everyone else had given up. She poured all her heart and passion into him, ignoring the cost to her own future.

Victoria offered an apologetic smile. "I didn’t live up to your expectations before and was being reckless with my own life."

"But now, I’ve made my choice."

"From now on, I will only do what I truly love."

Her mentor’s face finally softened at those words, a warm smile spreading across her features.

"That’s good, that’s good!"

"There’s still half a month before you leave. Be sure you’re fully prepared."

As Victoria left the office, a sense of clarity settled over her, as if the weight had been lifted.

She called her parents and a few close friends, sharing the news of her decision.

Her best friend was taken aback, her surprise evident in her voice.

"Edmund agreed to let you go to Antarctica?"

"Why would I need his permission to go anywhere?"

"But aren’t you and he...?"

"Edmund and I are just friends."

Victoria didn’t even flinch as the words left her lips. To her surprise, she felt a strange calmness wash over her.

She understood why her best friend had asked.

For the past five years, she had loved Edmund with everything she had.

She had learned to cook, do the laundry, handle housework, all for him.

When he said he preferred girls in dresses, she tossed out all her jeans and jackets, replacing them with an endless collection of frilly gowns.

When he said he didn’t want their relationship to be public, fearing it might interfere with his studies, she kept quiet, fading into the shadows as the quiet woman behind him.

Even though everyone knew they were living together, Edmund never acknowledged her on social media.

Not a single photo of her appeared in his posts.

Everyone knew they were together, yet they also knew that Victoria wasn’t Edmund’s girlfriend.

Despite this, she had sacrificed her chance to join the Antarctic research team for him.

Some whispered behind her back, mocking her as a lovesick puppy.

Others said she’d never be anything more than what she was to him now.

Back then, Victoria didn’t care.

Now, she cared even less.

On the other end of the phone, her best friend let out a relieved sigh.

"It’s good to hear you’re thinking like this."

"When Isabella went abroad, Edmund couldn’t get her off his mind. And now that she’s back, he’s practically wagging his tail, begging for her forgiveness."

"If we’re being polite, we’d call it sentimental. But if we’re being honest, he’s just greedy, eating from one bowl while eyeing the next."

"Those two are a match made in hell. I just hope they stay together and leave the rest of us in peace."

Victoria couldn’t help but laugh aloud, but her laughter was cut short when a familiar voice called her name.

"Victoria?"

She looked up and saw Isabella, arm linked with Edmund’s, walking toward her.

"I thought it looked like you. It really is!"

Isabella’s smile danced with mischief, while Edmund looked visibly uncomfortable, his hand instinctively trying to pull away. "Victoria? What brings you here?"

Victoria’s eyes fell on the bowl of food Edmund was holding. He didn’t like buffalo wings, so they were clearly for Isabella.

Isabella noticed Victoria’s glance and explained with a deliberate, almost teasing tone, "I suddenly craved buffalo wings, so Edmund came with me to grab some."

"I’m sorry for being gone so long; I couldn’t even remember where the restaurant was."

"I hope you’re not upset I took him away."

Though it sounded like an explanation, it carried the sharp edge of a taunt.

"Why would I be upset? We’re all friends," Victoria replied with a calm, composed smile.

"But what a coincidence, I was here for buffalo wings too. After all..."

Her gaze swept over the pair before continuing, "After all, my takeout still hasn’t arrived. I wonder if it got delivered to the wrong address."

Her words made Edmund furrow his brow and just as he opened his mouth to explain, Victoria waved at them brightly.

"But now that I smell yours, I’ve suddenly lost my appetite. The meat doesn’t seem fresh; it smells slightly off."

"Well, I’ll be going now. Enjoy your meal."

Back at her apartment, the evening had already settled in.

As her eyes swept around the familiar space, the scattered remnants of their shared life made her feel momentarily unmoored.

She and Edmund had met in their sophomore year.

Though they studied different subjects and were in separate departments, fate had brought them together in the same classroom.

As Victoria closed her umbrella, the edge brushed against Edmund’s chest, a light graze that felt heavier than it should have.

Rain had already soaked through the thin fabric of his shirt, leaving faint, damp patches scattered across his chest.

Flustered, Victoria stumbled over her apology, but her words faltered when she caught Edmund’s gaze; his eyes, damp but piercing, held a quiet intensity.

His thick lashes framed those strikingly clear eyes; their corners tinged with a faint redness from the sting of the rain.

"It’s fine. I was walking too fast," he said, his voice low, yet it resonated within her, stirring something deep.

Falling for him had felt effortless, as though it had always been meant to happen.

Victoria memorized the name on the cover of his textbook, traced his school and class and eventually learned about the ex-girlfriend he’d broken up with when she went abroad.

But none of that diminished her enthusiasm, not even for a moment.

She had always loved with all her heart and hated with equal clarity.

Over time, Edmund had unknowingly grown accustomed to having her in his life.

They ate together, sat side by side in every class, celebrated every holiday and gradually embraced each other in every sense.

That night, Edmund kissed every inch of her skin as though he was trying to merge her into his very soul.

Again and again, he whispered her name, "Victoria, Victoria..."

"Promise me, you’ll never leave me!"

At that moment, Victoria truly believed that they would be together forever.

Now, as she fed their photographs into the shredder one by one, her heartfelt surprisingly steady.

The matching couple figurines on the desk, alongside the bouquet of blue roses, were swept into the trash without a second thought.

On the bedside table sat the stuffed bear, a prize from last Christmas.

They had been shopping that day when they stumbled upon a couple’s three-legged race in the mall.

Out of thirty-six pairs, they had taken first place.

A couple in the next lane tripped in the race, crashing directly into Victoria’s right shoulder. Almost instinctively, Edmund had pulled her into his arms, shielding her from the impact.

As they finally received the prize, Victoria’s gaze fell on Edmund’s pale face and she noticed the fine droplets of sweat gathering on his forehead.

When she pulled up his sleeve, her heart skipped a beat at the sight of his entire right arm bruised, dark and swollen.

Panic surged through her, but Edmund’s uninjured hand gently pat her head, his voice calm as ever.

"Protecting you is my duty."

The stuffed bear, large enough to fill an entire seat, was something Victoria had intended to toss right into the trash.

But just as she descended the stairs, a small child peeked out from behind the fence.

"Sister, are you throwing the bear away?" the child asked with a hesitant voice.

Victoria couldn’t help but nod, seeing the spark of hope that appeared in the child’s eyes.

"Do you want it?" she offered.

And just like that, the stuffed bear was spared from the trash, now the child’s new companion. At least it wouldn’t go to waste.

After getting rid of the last remnants, Victoria spotted Edmund approaching.

He must have just dropped Isabella off at her dorm, considering the timing.

"What did you throw away?" Edmund asked, his tone curious and a little wary.

"Just some useless things," Victoria replied casually, her voice light as she turned away, not looking back.

Fortunately, Edmund didn’t push her further. Instead, he shifted the topic to their earlier encounter.

"I really did have something urgent to deal with at school. As for Isabella, we just happened to cross paths on the way back."

"So, don’t overthink it. I really..."

"I know," Victoria cut him off with ease, her tone flat and composed.

"You two are friends, right? Friends help each other out. There’s really nothing for me to overthink."

It was odd, though.

By all logic, Victoria should have been furious.

She should have demanded answers; why was he always with Isabella? Why were their lunch plans tossed aside every time Isabella appeared? What was going on between them and what did she even mean to him?

But instead, she said nothing.