In our family there is a rule: when a woman has her wedding postponed three times, it means the ancestors do not approve of the match.

She gets branded a curse, and her whole family is cast out, spat on by everyone.

At my third pre-wedding gathering with Eugene Delgado, he brought his junior colleague Lisa Cobb again.

Eugene looked at me, his tone calm. "Amelia Summers, let's postpone the wedding."

"Next week I have to take Lisa to Capital City for an academic conference."

My best friend nudged my arm lightly and lowered her voice. "Has he lost his mind? Did he forget your family's rule?"

I lifted my eyes to him, smiled bitterly, and slowly finished the wine in my glass.

He hadn't forgotten.

It was just that in his heart, I had never come first.

If he didn't want to go, then we wouldn't go.

The wedding didn't have to be with him either.

…

Back home, I stood in the entryway. The lamplight stretched both our shadows long.

I looked at Eugene seriously. "Eugene, the custom in my hometown…"

"Amelia."

He tugged at his tie and cut me off. "What century is this? Stop using customs and morals to blackmail me."

I dropped my eyes and dug my nails hard into my palm.

But all I wanted to say was that in my hometown, when a wedding is postponed three times, it means the ancestors don't approve of the match.

I would be branded a curse too. His words stopped the rest in my throat.

"Didn't I already explain? I have to go for the academic exchange. Professor Cobb entrusted Lisa to me back then. I promised I'd take good care of her."

Ever since Lisa appeared, our world for two had turned into a party of three on its own.

At the movies, she sat in the middle. At dinner, we ordered the dishes she liked.

Weekend trips, he'd say, "Lisa's feeling down, let's take her out to clear her head."

Every time there was a reason. Every time I was the one who had to understand.

"Fine. I get it."

My voice was flat.

After washing up, he wrapped his arms around me from behind, his chin resting in the curve of my shoulder, his voice low. "Amelia."

For a second, the warmth of his arms left me dazed.

As if he were still the Eugene who used to stay up watching the stars with me, who once waited all night downstairs.

I lifted my eyes to him, wanting to give us both one more chance.

"Eugene, our wedding, seven days from now…"

He lowered his head and kissed me. I closed my eyes without thinking.

But the next second, Lisa's special ringtone came down like cold water.

The mood in the room went cold at once.

He stopped, let go of me, and turned to get his phone.

I reached out and held his hand, my voice going soft and coaxing. "Eugene, don't answer it, okay?"

He frowned faintly, a thread of impatience in his tone. "Amelia, I don't like how possessive you are of me."

A nameless anger shot up in me, and my voice rose before I could stop it.

"Eugene, who exactly is your girlfriend?"

"We're all adults here. She calls you in the middle of the night. Does she have any sense of boundaries at all?"

He blinked, as if he hadn't expected me to flare up. His tone softened, but it was still the same line.

"If it weren't for Professor Cobb's help back then, I wouldn't be where I am today. Lisa has depression. If something happened to her, I'd never be able to face him as long as I live."

All at once I felt very tired.

This kind of life, I'd had enough of it. I didn't want it anymore.

I let go of his hand.

He pulled on his coat while taking the call. At the door he looked back once, but in the end he didn't say a single word.

I leaned against the wall for a while, then dialed my mother.

It rang once and connected.

"Mom," I said softly, "I've thought it through. I'm willing to accept the marriage the family arranged."

After I hung up, I lay on the bed and slid my finger slowly across the phone screen.

The album was nothing but photos of Eugene and me. Him holding my hand by the sea on a trip, him fastening a necklace around my neck on my birthday…

I closed my eyes, and all I could see was the way he'd shielded Lisa from the drinks tonight.

When I opened them again, my finger had already moved to Select All.

I pressed delete.

Less than ten minutes later, Christina Cooley sent me a screenshot with a string of question marks.

I didn't answer. I opened my feed instead.

The newest post was Lisa's: a photo of a man from behind.

Anyone who knew Eugene would recognize him.

【I want to build a home with him.】

I quietly tapped Like, then closed the app.

The next day, I went into the office to process my resignation.

Ezra Lambert looked at the letter I handed over, picked it up, set it down, and stayed silent for a few seconds before he spoke. "You're sure?"

I nodded. "Yes. I'm sure."

I'd stayed in Seaport City because of Eugene in the first place.

Now there was nothing in Seaport City worth staying for.

After work, I met up with Christina.

She cursed Lisa for being shameless and cursed Eugene for being blind, both in the same breath.

I smiled and put a piece of food in her bowl. "All right, don't be angry. It's not worth it."

She set down her chopsticks and looked at me, serious. "You've really thought it through? Leaving him?"

I picked up a slice of tripe and swished it in the pot.

"Yes. I've thought it through."

We finished and walked out of the hot pot place.

At the door, we ran into Eugene and Lisa.

My eyes went to Lisa's hand looped through his arm.

He saw me, and without thinking he pulled his arm free and stepped half a pace to the side.

I gave a bitter little laugh.

This hot pot place. I'd asked him here three times.

The first time, he said he had to help Lisa with an experiment.

The second time, Lisa had a fever.

The third time, Lisa was in a bad mood.

Now here he was, with Lisa.

Lisa lifted her face into a smile and looked at me, smug.

"Amelia, I didn't realize you liked this place too. Looks like we have the same taste."

Christina stepped in front of me and planted her hands on her hips.

"You think you're fit to compare yourself to my Amelia? The only thing you're fit for is trailing after her and picking up the trash she throws away."

Lisa stumbled back a couple of steps, reaching out to grab me, her voice all hurt. "Amelia, that's not what I meant…"

When I pulled my hand back, she let herself fall with the motion and dropped to the ground.

Eugene's face changed in an instant. He bent down and helped her up.

When he lifted his head to look at me, his eyes had already gone cold. "Amelia, that was too much. Apologize to Lisa. Now."

"I did nothing wrong. Why would I apologize?"

Lisa tugged at the hem of his shirt, her voice soft. "Eugene, it's okay… I just lost my footing. It's not Amelia's fault."

Eugene bent his head to comfort her, his voice gentle. "You don't have to make excuses for her. It's just her jealousy talking."

I thought my heart had died long ago, but in that moment it still hurt so much I couldn't breathe.

My eyes stung. I reached over and tugged at Christina. "Christina, let's go."

On the way home, Christina kept turning to look at me, like she wanted to say something and couldn't.

When we were almost there, I finally spoke. "Christina, I'm fine. Oh, and remember to come to my wedding."

She blinked. "What wedding?"

"The one the family arranged. You'll find out when the time comes."

Back home, I started packing.

Looking at the half-empty "home," I felt a little hollow.

I took out my phone and placed an order to ship the boxes back home.

The courier had just taken the boxes away when Eugene came back.

He changed into his slippers, glanced over, and asked offhandedly, "What's the delivery for?"

"Just mailing some things."

"Oh."

He didn't press. He held out a cup to me.

"This place makes a good smoothie. Want to try it?"

I took it and looked down at the label.

Mango smoothie. 2/2 cups.

It wasn't bought for me. Lisa wanted one, and the extra cup had simply ended up in my hand.

I set it on the coffee table without drinking it.

Eugene frowned slightly. "Why aren't you drinking it? Don't you girls love this stuff?"

I stood up, my voice flat. "I'm allergic to mango."

He looked at me, his mouth opening, but no words came out.

Somewhere along the way he'd forgotten what I liked. He only remembered what Lisa liked.

I turned and went back to the bedroom.

His voice followed me, but I couldn't make it out, and I didn't want to.

I'd just lain down on the bed when my phone lit up. A message from Mom.

【The family has it all arranged. When are you coming back?】

【Flight's tomorrow.】

Before sleep, he suddenly wrapped his arms around me from behind, chin tucked into the curve of my shoulder, his voice muffled. "Amelia, are you still angry?"

I lay with my back to him, eyes open.

"No. Go to sleep."

His kiss landed on the back of my neck, warm and familiar. "Once the conference is over, we'll have the wedding. All right?"

I didn't answer.

After a while his breathing evened out, his arm draped over my waist.

The next morning.

He came out of the kitchen carrying tomato-and-egg noodles. I was the one who'd taught him to make them.

He pulled the chair out for me, considerate, and gave a small smile. "What are you standing there for? Sit."

I sat down and ate the noodles quietly.

They tasted a little better than before, the seasoning just right.

He took a few bites, then set his chopsticks down, his gaze settling on my face.

"Amelia, why don't we just hold the wedding here in Seaport City? All our friends are here, it'd be easier…"

"The noodles are going to clump."

I lifted a bite with my chopsticks and lowered my head to keep eating.

He watched me, his lips moving, but in the end he said nothing more.

He knew I was still angry. But he was certain I couldn't live without him.

As long as he coaxed me a little, I'd forgive him eventually.

Every time before, that was how it went.

After breakfast, he mentioned it offhandedly. "Lisa wants to go to Capital City a couple of days early to look around. Do you want to come along?"

I paused, then shook my head. "I'll pass."

He seemed to sense something. He reached out to hold me, and I turned aside to avoid it.

"Go pack your bags."

His hand stalled in midair for a moment, then drew back awkwardly, and he turned and went into the bedroom.

A moment later his voice came from inside. "Amelia, where's that gray tie of mine?"

"Third drawer on the right side of the closet. Have a look."

He pulled the drawer open, and his movement stopped short. It was more than half empty.

He came out and stood in the bedroom doorway, his voice not quite natural. "Amelia, where are your clothes?"

I kept scrolling on my phone, head down. "Threw them out."

"Doesn't the place feel a lot emptier? Did you do a big cleanout?"

I didn't answer. Instead I asked, "Did you find everything?"

He stared at me, his lips parting, just about to speak, when the doorbell rang.

I went over and opened the door.

Lisa stood there dragging her suitcase. She turned sideways to squeeze in, walked straight over to Eugene, and looped her arm through his as if it were the most natural thing.

"Eugene, time to head out."

Eugene instinctively shifted half a step to the side, away from her hand.