After leaving the hospital, Leanna took the subway back to her office. No matter how hard she tried, Shane's words replayed in her mind again and again.

He felt far more detached than before.

The summer after their final year of high school, the choir had won a national competition. The celebration was hosted at Shane's family's private club.

Although Leanna played the violin as part of the choir, her true strength had always been pop music rather than classical pieces. As the competition approached, Shane had personally coached her for two hours every day.

It became the first award she ever won.

To mark the occasion, she had carefully prepared a gift for Shane. She had dressed up with unusual care and gone to the club full of anticipation, only to stop short when mocking voices drifted out from the private room where the party was held.

The violin she had bought for Shane was lying openly on the table.

"How on earth did that freckled girl even get the money to buy you a violin? This thing costs over ten thousand."

"She must have pinched pennies like crazy. Shane, after all that effort, you might as well give her a chance."

"She must have skipped meals to save money, but she's still fat. How desperate would Shane have to be to end up with her?"

"She's just some nobody with an unattractive face. There's no way she'd ever be considered by the Lloyd family."

Then Shane's voice joined the conversation.

Leanna would never forget those painful words.

"You're this worked up over a cheap violin?" he said with a scoff. "I have plenty at home that cost way more than this. If you want this one, I can just give it to you."

The room went quiet. A second later, there was a dull crashing sound.

A girl spoke in a flustered, apologetic tone. "I'm sorry, Shane. I didn't mean to. What should we do now? I think the strings broke."

Jeff said in an attempt to ease the tension, "It's fine. It's not like Averie gave it to Shane anyway. Come on, let's drink and enjoy ourselves."

Leanna stood frozen outside the doorway, her chest constricting until each breath felt difficult.

She had clung to the hope that Shane would say something. But he didn't. He simply continued singing with the others as if nothing had happened.

Its strings snapped, the violin was tossed into a corner like something worthless.

Shane had been born into a prominent medical family, raised in comfort and privilege from the start.

She, on the other hand, had a humble background, but she had never once thought of using Shane for personal gain.

That violin had been paid for with money she earned herself, playing the violin while wearing a mask at a restaurant.

She had earned thirty dollars per song and had saved every cent she could over six long months.

In the end, that violin had been discarded as if it were nothing more than trash.

At the subway announcement, Leanna jolted out of her memories. Only then did she realize her cheeks were wet with tears.

She quickly wiped her face, got off the train, returned to the office to finish up her work, and then headed home to the old apartment in Avlolis, located in the western part of Clegend.

She had returned to Clegend because her grandmother, Rhonda Brooks, had fallen ill. Since there was no one else available to care for her, Leanna had gotten a job in the city so she could remain close and look after her.

What she hadn't expected was to end up dealing with health issues of her own.

She had barely entered the building when she ran into her neighbor, Evan Clayton, who looked like he had just come back from playing basketball.

A recent graduate student, Evan was tall and had a warm smile and an easygoing, approachable demeanor. "Hey, Leanna. You're home early today?" he asked.

"Yeah. By the way, do you know of any clinics around here?" Leanna asked as they walked upstairs together.

Evan turned toward her, concern flashing across his face. "Are you feeling unwell?"

She shook her head. "No. It's flu season, and I just want to be prepared and help boost my grandmother's health."

"If you want, I can take you sometime. It's nearby," Evan said, his eyes never leaving her face.

She nodded, and they agreed to go together the following afternoon after work.

As soon as Leanna stepped inside her apartment, Rhonda leaned toward the doorway and craned her neck, peering outside. "Did you come back with Evan?"

Evan's apartment was just one floor down.

"I just bumped into him downstairs," Leanna replied as she walked in.

Rhonda followed her, continuing without pause, "I think Evan's a nice boy. You know him well enough. You haven't dated anyone since high school, and you're not getting any younger. Maybe it's time you thought about settling down."

Leanna let out a sigh. "Grandma, Evan is a lot younger than I am."

The doctor had mentioned that Rhonda was showing early signs of dementia, yet when it came to urging Leanna to find a partner, her memory seemed surprisingly sharp.

Rhonda placed a glass jar on the dining table. "I was going through some old things today and found this jar filled with stones," she said. "Honestly, your grandfather—I really don't know why he gifted me things like this."

Leanna stole a glance at it, and the cup in her hand nearly slipped.

This jar hadn't belonged to her grandfather; it was the one Shane had given her.

These were not ordinary stones. Each one had been collected from outside a courthouse in a different city—twenty-six cities in total.

Shane had once promised Leanna that when she turned twenty-six, they would marry and travel to each of those cities together on their honeymoon.

Years had passed since then. By now, he had likely already married Averie Willis and completely erased her from his life.

Perhaps, that was how it was meant to be. They shouldn't cross paths again. She had already started over and built a life of her own.

At that point, Leanna's phone rang, pulling her out of her thoughts.

The call was from her supervisor, Matthew Wallace. Leanna dropped the jar into the trash and picked up. "Hello, Mr. Wallace."

She worked at an animation technology company in Avlolis, and her probation period was almost over. This was a crucial time for her career.

"Leanna, you're leading the Ethereal Recall project," Matthew said. "One of our investors, Ms. Willis, will be coming in tomorrow. I need everything to be flawless."

"Understood," Leanna replied, giving it little further thought.

Her uncle was taking care of Rhonda's medical expenses. Her parents were struggling financially, and her own living costs were supported by whatever income she could manage.

She had once had some savings. Now, with her own medical treatment added to the list, the financial pressure was growing heavier by the day.

The presentation was scheduled for the next morning, yet she had only been informed that evening. There was no alternative. She would have to prepare the slides overnight.

It looked like another late night was unavoidable.

Shane had told her to try to be asleep by eleven.

Leanna laughed dryly, bitterly. Why was he still on her mind?

The following morning, as the client would arrive soon for the project review, the conference room was already filled, everyone seated and waiting in strained silence.

Her colleague, Maddie Walsh, nervously grabbed Leanna's arm. "Are you sure you're ready for this?"

"Yes," Leanna replied calmly.

Lowering her voice, Maddie whispered, "You know Ms. Willis is known for being ruthless, right? She's extremely demanding. People say she only ever shows kindness to the person she truly favors."

Leanna didn't think of it the same way. To her, it was admirable that someone so young had reached such a powerful position. "That just means she's serious about her work," she said.

Maddie shook her head. "You'll understand soon enough."

At that moment, Matthew walked in with two others. One of them was a tall young woman with sharp, appraising eyes.

Matthew stepped aside and gestured toward her. "Ms. Willis, these are the team members responsible for the Ethereal Recall project."

The woman's red lips curled into a faint smile. "Hello, everyone. I'm Averie Willis, CEO of L&W Group."

Leanna went completely still.

Ten years earlier, standing outside that private room, she had overheard people saying that Shane and Averie would get engaged during college and marry after graduation.

So this was the woman she had always assumed was Shane's wife.

Pulling herself back to the present, Leanna immediately lowered her face, unable to bring herself to meet Averie's eyes.

Matthew lifted his hand, signaling everyone to sit.

Averie's eyes moved calmly across the room. "Which one of you is Miss Leanna Brooks?"

Leanna remained engrossed in her thoughts.

Maddie, seated beside her, nudged her arm lightly. "Ms. Willis is talking to you."

Leanna jolted back to reality and stood up. A faint tremor crept into her voice as she spoke. "Hello. I'm Leanna."

As soon as the words left her mouth, she looked away.

Ten years ago, she had never met Averie and had no idea what she looked like.

Even if Averie had seen her back then, Leanna was certain she wouldn't recognize her now.

She was no longer Melinda; she was Leanna.

Leanna tried to anchor herself with that thought, but beneath the table, her palms were already damp with sweat.

Averie stared at her. "There are several parts of this project where the intention isn't very clear to me. If you can explain what those elements are meant to accomplish, I'll consider keeping your design."

At those words, every member of the project team turned to Leanna, their expectations silently resting on her shoulders.

Leanna nodded slightly, forcing everything else out of her mind as she slipped into a focused, professional mode.

She knew the project thoroughly and responded to each of Averie's questions with clear, well-structured explanations.

No decision was announced right away, but the atmosphere felt optimistic. In high spirits, Matthew led the team to a restaurant for lunch.

Leanna, however, couldn't fully relax.

If the project was approved, it meant she would inevitably have more interactions with Averie.

But resigning wasn't an option. She had worked too hard to reach the end of her probation period, and starting over elsewhere would mean enduring the same exhausting process all over again.

She needed the income.

Leanna let out a sigh.

After work, she met Evan as they had agreed and went with him to a nearby community health center.

Evan's car stopped in front of the building. "Go ahead and go in first, Leanna. I'll look for a parking spot."

"Okay. Text me when you're done," Leanna said as she opened the door and stepped out.

There were many people at the health center, mostly elderly patients. Leanna spent some time looking around.

A deep voice came from behind her. "Can I help you with something?"

Leanna's body went rigid at the sound. When she turned around, it felt as though time slowed to a crawl.

Shane stood there, wearing a white lab coat, six brand-new pens clipped neatly to his chest pocket, his hands in his pockets as he looked down at her.

Leanna turned her face away almost immediately.

Why did she run into Shane again?

"No, thanks," she muttered under her breath.

Keeping her head lowered, Leanna stepped forward and picked up her pace, trying to slip away as quickly as possible.

At that moment, a middle-aged woman walked in, accidentally blocking her path. "Leanna? What a coincidence. You are here to pick up medicine for your grandmother, right?"

Shane's eyes moved slowly over Leanna.

She was dressed in a white silk blouse paired with a light blue denim pencil skirt. Large hoop earrings accentuated the graceful line of her neck, and the bold shade on her lips stood out sharply against them.

He suddenly remembered her.

"You were patient No. 156 yesterday," he said.

He saw countless patients every day, but she had left an impression.

She was the only patient who had directly asked if she could see another doctor the next time.

Leanna looked up and flashed a small smile. "You've got quite the memory, Dr. Lloyd."

Remembering people by numbers, really? That level of detachment was precisely what she associated with Shane.

"Follow me," Shane said, already turning away without waiting for her response.

Left with no choice, Leanna followed him into the consultation room.

Shane hung his stethoscope around his neck, his tone casual as he asked, "Were you up late last night?"

Leanna sat down, hunching her shoulders slightly. "The dark circles have always been there."

Her probation evaluation was approaching, so she couldn't afford to slow down.

She couldn't help but wonder what had happened that caused the client to hold back from making a decision.

Shane raised his head and studied her quietly through his glasses.

He couldn't explain it, but something about Leanna felt oddly familiar.

Being alone in the room with Shane made Leanna uneasy. She fiddled with her phone, unable to stay still.

Suddenly, a gentle tune rang out.

Shane recognized the tune immediately and, without thinking, looked toward the phone on the desk, where a large alarm icon blinked on the screen.

Leanna had already brought the phone to her ear. "Hello, Mr. Wallace? Yes, there's still a proposal that hasn't been finalized. Okay, okay. I'll come over right away."

She pretended to end the call. Before she could speak, Shane placed a small medical kit in front of her with a soft thump.

He lowered his voice. "Using an alarm as an excuse to leave?"

Leanna ducked her head even lower.

Could this get any more uncomfortable?

Shane calmly opened the kit. Inside, slender medical instruments gleamed under the light, arranged with precise, clinical order.

A chill crept into Leanna's palms, damp with sweat.

Just then, several nurses walked in together, laughing and chatting.

"Oh my God, there's a really handsome guy outside," one of them said excitedly. "Like, insanely handsome."

"Seriously? Where? Did you get his contact information?" another asked.

"No. He said he came here with his girlfriend."

Leanna hardly noticed their talk about the so-called handsome man. Her thoughts were already spiraling, focused solely on finding a way to escape.

At that moment, Evan walked in with an easy smile, heading straight toward her.

"Hey, Leanna, are you okay?" he asked, standing by her side.

Nearby, the nurses exchanged whispers among one another.

"That's him. So the handsome guy really has a girlfriend. I'm officially heartbroken."

Shane glanced at Evan before he could stop himself.

"I'm fine," Leanna blurted in reply. "I just remembered something I need to handle at home. Let's go."

She reached out, grabbed Evan's arm, and pulled him toward the door.

She couldn't stand being in the same space as Shane for even a second longer.

Evan glanced briefly back at Shane before following Leanna outside.

The moment they stepped out of the community health center, Leanna sighed in relief.

"Are you okay?" Evan asked, lifting his arm and lightly pressing the back of his hand against her forehead.

She stiffened for a second, and then pulled his arm down and strode straight toward the parking lot.

"I'm okay. Let's leave; dinner's on me," she said.

Evan scuttled after her, his tone apologetic and slightly awkward. "Sorry about earlier, Leanna. I didn't want to give my number to strangers; that's why I told them you were my girlfriend."

"It's alright," Leanna blurted, barely processing his words. The only thing she cared about was leaving that place as quickly as possible, putting as much distance as she could between herself and Shane.

Soon after that, she received a wedding invitation from a former high school classmate.

Back in high school, she had created an email account she hardly used anymore, and the invitation was sitting in its inbox.

Logging into an old social media account she hadn't accessed in years, she found it filled with private messages from Lanny.

"Hey, why aren't you responding? Don't tell me you actually died on an operating table while getting cosmetic surgery."

"Melinda, if you're seeing this, please say something. Everyone's so worried about you."

Leanna read through all the messages, one after another, until she reached the most recent one.

"I'm getting married, Melinda. Don't forget to come to the wedding."

The invitation was, without question, a dilemma.

Lanny had always been one of the genuinely kind people in their class. He had never openly defended her, but whenever she was bullied, he had quietly reported it to a teacher and stopped things from escalating.

Not going would be an unfair thing to do.

But if she did go, what kind of ridicule would she face this time?

She spent the night restless, tossing and turning, before finally sending a message to her friend living overseas. "What do you think about me going to Lanny's wedding?"

Her friend replied almost immediately, "When is the wedding? Let me go with you."

"It's next weekend. But concentrate on your work; I'll be fine on my own."

Just a day before Lanny's wedding, there was a get-together event at Time & Taste, a restaurant located in the Lakeside Building.

Coincidentally, Leanna went by invitation to the same restaurant—her former part-time workplace—to join a tasting event organized by their newly appointed head chef.

By seven in the evening, most of the attendees were already there. Even Shane had arrived early for a change.

Former classmates joked casually around him. "Dr. Lloyd, when are you going back to take over the family business?"

Another person laughed and added, "Obviously after he marries Averie. That's the plan, right?"

Shane didn't touch the glass in front of him. He was worried that an emergency might come up at either the community health center or the hospital, and he stayed mentally prepared to leave at any second.

The groom-to-be, Lanny, walked onto the small stage in the middle of the room with a microphone. "Is everyone here now? If so, I'll give a short speech."

"Not yet!" someone shouted from the crowd. "Beth and Melinda still aren't here!"

"Melinda? Who's that?"

"You know, the girl with all the freckles."

"Oh, stop it. Melinda's been dead for years. What is this, a ghost story?"

At those words, Shane's water glass tipped over. Water splashed across the table, wetting the cuff of his white shirt.