Chapter 5

Main Story: Anya's POV

That young woman posted another update.

"I'm ready to give myself to my crush. Do you think he'd go for it?"

The photo showed a set of alluring lingerie.

In the kitchen, Eli was busy cooking pasta.

His phone rang twice. When he picked it up, his eyes flickered toward me.

I sat in the living room, a smile curling on my lips as I watched him.

Eli untied his apron and walked over.

"There's an emergency consultation at the hospital, so I have to go. The meal's ready—go ahead and eat without me."

With a smile, I teased, "What's the big emergency? Please don't tell me it's another patient asking you out."

His eyes flickered for a moment.

He stepped closer and gently pinched my cheek. "What are you saying? It's just a last-minute call. I'll be back before you know it."

I knew it was another lie.

I reached out and grabbed his sleeve. "I don't feel well. Can you stay with me?"

"Where does it hurt?" he asked, nervously touching my forehead.

I pointed to the left side of my chest. "Right here."

Eli chuckled softly and kissed my forehead. "You little troublemaker. Quit teasing me. I promise I'll come back early to be with you."

With that, he closed the door behind him and stepped out.

We hadn't been intimate during this period. He must have been feeling restless.

I slipped on my coat and quietly followed his car.

For someone usually so sharp, Eli was surprisingly careless this time.

He'd rushed out without his keys and even left his glasses behind.

Without them, he was practically blind.

I waited in the hotel lobby for two long hours.

By 2:00 am, he still hadn't come out.

…

When Eli walked in, I kept my back turned to him.

The crisp sound of water running in the bathroom soon pierced the quiet.

My chest tightened, making it hard to breathe.

After a moment, he pulled back the covers and slipped into bed.

As he wrapped his arms around me from behind, I tried to pull away.

"Baby, I'm really tired tonight. Please don't push me away," he whispered.

His lips brushed against my hair. The faint, unfamiliar scent on his skin made me feel nauseous.

I gripped the edge of the blanket, my fingers shaking uncontrollably.

Noticing my unease, he asked softly, "What's wrong, Anya?"

He propped himself up. Seeing my pale face, his brows knitted in concern.

"You haven't seemed yourself lately. Are you hiding something from me?

"You don't have to bear this alone. Just promise me you won't keep it all inside, okay?"

Looking into his familiar but distant eyes, a lump caught in my throat.

"It's nothing… Maybe I'm just too anxious. The wedding is so close, after all."

Eli's voice softened. "No matter how messy or exhausting things get, I'm here with you. Don't be afraid. I'll take care of everything."

I remained silent.

He leaned in, his breath warm against my ear. "Have you ever thought about what life will be like after we're married?"

"No."

We were never going to reach the wedding day, after all.

"I used to believe marrying you would complete my life."

So why was he still planning to run away?

"I want to watch you brewing coffee in the kitchen. I'm excited for the day we have children—some who inherit your traits, and others who carry mine.

"No matter if it's spring, summer, fall, or winter, I want you by my side every single day.

"Why would you think I'd run away at the last moment? That could never happen. I've done everything to keep you close."

Eli's performance was flawless. I wouldn't be shocked if he believed it himself.

Unfortunately for him, I wasn't going to be fooled again.

Chapter 6

Main Story: Anya's POV

It was just one day before the wedding.

I didn't expect that young woman to show up in person.

The moment I saw her, a memory surfaced.

She was none other than Maggie Alden—the same woman Eli had supported years ago.

I'd heard she was ambitious. Despite coming from a small town, she'd made it into a top medical school in the city.

She'd relied on scholarships every step of the way.

When our eyes met, Maggie's expression was calm and measured. "While your heart belonged to someone else for a decade, mine was always with Eli."

A faint smile curved her lips. "Tell me, Anya… doesn't that make my love the more genuine one?"

She watched me closely as she spoke. "You saw the photos I posted, didn't you?"

I remained silent. Her smile only broadened.

"Looks like it was no secret to you. Yes, we kissed. We made love. What we have is undeniably real."

For a moment, I forgot how to breathe.

Yes, I had spent ten years chasing Carter. After finally letting go, Eli and I spent two years as friends.

It wasn't until I fully realized my feelings that I began this three-year relationship.

With my head bowed, I let out a quiet laugh. "If you were so sure he'd pick you, you wouldn't have come searching for me."

Maggie's face hardened in an instant. "It's only a matter of time. You may have chosen Eli, but that doesn't guarantee you'll be the one who wins in the end.

"He sees his younger self in me. His pity and sympathy are unmistakable. All I need to do is keep appearing before him. As long as even the smallest spark of curiosity remains, I still have a chance to win this game.

"Because you hold the upper hand, you'll never truly see things from my perspective."

My fingers clawed at my palm. Even though my nails tore into my flesh, I felt nothing at all.

Thinking of Eli, it was as though my heart was being torn apart and crushed at the same time.

I got up slowly, my eyes never leaving Maggie's.

"Don't rush, Maggie," I said, uttering each word like the strike of a match.

"What you can't have always seems the most irresistible.

"Right now, you're just a temporary thrill in Eli's heart. But once he has you, the fantasy will dissolve.

"I'm the reminder of how it all unravels."

I drew in a slow breath, trying to quiet the storm churning in my chest.

It felt like a hundred blades pressing in at once.

Still, I knew I had to hold on.

The end was almost here.

…

During this period, I decided to take Eli back to all the "firsts" we had shared—the theater where we watched our first movie, the seaside from our first trip, and even the street where we had our first argument.

I tasked him with creating a "memory album" from these moments.

I told him it would stand as proof of the journey we had traveled side by side.

Every time he wrote a page, he fell quiet for a long moment.

It was clear he was lost in his memories, and I could see his heart beginning to soften.

Despite his grudges, his emotions weren't completely one-sided.

My love for him was real throughout all these years.

But in the end, I had chosen the wrong man.

When I came back to myself, a drink had been placed before me.

I looked up and saw Carter standing in the light, his eyes quietly locked on mine.

"I understand everything now."

He paused, as if summoning every bit of courage. "...Would you consider giving me another chance?"

I nearly laughed out loud.

Men were always like this.

When a woman loved them with all her heart, they called her overly sentimental. But as soon as she pulled away, they acted like they couldn't live without her.

"There's no future for us, Carter."

His brows knitted together. "Why not? We come from similar backgrounds, and we've known each other for years. What are you really holding on to?"

I laughed bitterly. "So, I'm supposed to choose between you two?

"Is my life really over without either of you?"

"That's not what I meant…"

He reached out to grab me, but I quickly stepped aside.

Suddenly, a familiar voice came from behind.

"What are you two talking about?"

Eli stood against the sunlight, his face hidden in shadow.

His eyes were dark and unreadable.

In the next instant, he lunged forward, swinging a punch at Carter.

Carter froze for a heartbeat before retaliating.