Flashbacks

As nausea hit me. I rushed into the bathroom and retched, but nothing came out except bitter bile.

I stared into the mirror. A woman with reddened eyes and a pale face stared back at me.

My stable and happy life over the last four years felt like a dreamy, iridescent bubble.

Now, it had burst. Nothing remained.

There were no tears on my face.

I was too furious and shocked, and tears would not come.

I picked up my phone and opened Ramona's profile again, searching for clues in the photos where she had been careful not to show her face.

The window was left ajar in one of the photos, revealing the top of a building.

It was the Starwell TV Tower, a landmark building of Silveridge.

Another photo revealed the sign of a famous chain coffee shop.

The third photo captured the flower bed outside the neighborhood.

In less than half an hour, I had tracked down Ramona's location. She lived in Camphor Heights in Silveridge.

A popular amusement park was only two miles from her neighborhood.

Without hesitation, I changed into a comfortable tracksuit, grabbed my car keys and personal documents, then walked into the garage.

I had planned everything out the moment I started the engine.

It was pointless to yell at him on the phone or listen to his lies.

I needed to see everything with my own eyes.

I wanted to find out how the man I risked my life to save and the woman I poured my heart out to betray me. I wanted to know how they trampled on my dignity and built a family without my knowledge.

My grip tightened around the steering wheel until my fingers turned white.

Memories from my youth flashed through my mind.

When we were sixteen, Luke had been hurt by his father and hid in my guest room, tugging at my shirt as he looked at me like an abandoned puppy. "Bianca, you're the only one I have now."

When we were twenty-two, he dropped to one knee with a diamond ring between his fingers. Tears were twinkling in his eyes as he proposed to me. "Bianca, I'll always put you before myself."

Last week, he was drying my hair when he gently suggested, "Bianca, let's have a kid. A daughter will be the best. She'll be as beautiful as you."

…

Back in our university dorm, Ramona had once promised me, "Bianca, I'll be the first to fight anyone who wrongs you."

Then, it was the day at the airport before she departed. She hugged me tightly while crying. "Bianca, I wish you a happy life."

Those scenes flashed through my mind one after another before finally stopping at the photo of those intertwined fingers. 'He always comes to visit us. We are a happy family of three.'

I never knew how good at pretending Luke was until today.

When I arrived at the amusement park, I took a break.

…

The next day, Ramona's timeline was updated.

'Good morning, world! We're going to the amusement park today. My little boy looks super adorable in his teddy bear onesie!'

She had taken a selfie in the passenger seat. From the interior, I could tell she was sitting in Luke's Maybach.

I waited patiently at the entrance.

This time, I would catch them with my own eyes.

####CHAPTER-NAME:

Amusement Park

"Daddy! Can I ride the carousel?" A bright little boy's voice rang out behind me.

"Sure. Whatever you want, sport." The man's gentle voice pierced straight through my heart like a poisoned blade.

It was Luke.

Despite the bustling ambience and the short sentence, I recognized his voice.

I turned around stiffly. I spotted them in the crowd a couple of feet away.

It was so harmonious that it stung me.

Luke was wearing a casual white shirt with his sleeves rolled up. His scar was noticeable on his wrist.

He was peering down at a toddler in a teddy bear onesie with a gentle smile.

Ramona stood beside him with her long hair cascading down her back. She wore a light yellow dress and put on light makeup. She was wiping the toddler's sweat with a tissue.

When her gaze fell on Luke, it was full of affection and trust.

When the three of them stood side by side, they caught the onlookers' eyes with their stunning appearance. Anyone would perceive them as a happy family of three.

I was rooted to the spot. The noises around me had been drowned out.

I thought I was mentally prepared. I thought the memories during the drive here had already hurt me enough.

But only when I saw their happiness with my own eyes did I truly understand how devastating it was to be betrayed by the two people I trusted most.

It felt as if someone had reached into my chest and crushed my heart, leaving only its remains behind.

I trailed behind them the whole day, never daring to tear my gaze from their smiling faces.

By halfway through, I felt numb.

…

In the afternoon, the toddler asked for ice cream. Luke turned around and went to queue for it.

Ramona took the boy's hand, and both of them waited in the shade.

He was bouncing a red rubber ball against the ground to kill time.

Suddenly, his hand slipped. The ball fell out of his hand and rolled toward me.

Ramona was checking her phone. She didn't notice he had lost his toy.

The ball rolled to a stop at the tip of my foot.

The toddler, running after it, was huffing and puffing in front of me. He was adorable, I would give him that. He had Luke's brows and eyes, but Ramona's nose and mouth.

The toddler looked up at me with his round eyes and asked chirpily, "Can I have my toy back, miss?"

I took a deep breath and crouched down. I picked up the ball and handed it to him.

"Thank you, miss!" He happily took the toy and shot me a vibrant smile.

"Come back, Howie!" Under the tree, Ramona finally realized the boy had run away. She looked around for him in a panic.

When she spotted him with his toy behind a crowd, she exhaled in relief. Then, her gaze darted from his face to the woman crouching down before him.

I rose and removed my sunglasses, meeting her eyes with a surprisingly calm gaze.