Chapter 1

I was getting married, but my boyfriend of eight years still didn’t know.

Lately, he had been busy with his new female secretary. They clicked right away and chatted endlessly. To celebrate her birthday, he even ordered a ten–layer cream cake. At the party, they smeared cream everywhere, forgetting that I was severely allergic to it.

After being rushed to the hospital, I woke up and agreed to the arranged marriage my family had proposed.

Mom wasted no time. As soon as I got back from the hospital and was about to swipe my keycard to enter, she sent me dozens of wedding plans to choose from.

Scrolling through the options, I stopped at her last message.

[I knew all along you and Lucas wouldn’t last. If he truly wanted to marry you, why would he drag things out for eight years? It’s not too late to realize this. I’ve already prepared wedding plans for you.]

[The wedding is in three days. Take your time packing. No need to rush.]

So, this was all so obvious to everyone else. Yet, I was trapped in Lucas‘ empty promises, unable to let go.

Sighing, I sent her a voice message. “Mom, pick whatever you think is best. I like them all. Let’s keep the wedding simple.”

I didn’t notice when Lucas walked up behind me. When he heard the word “wedding,” he blurted out in shock, “Wedding? What wedding?”

Just as he tried to peek at my screen, I quickly put my phone away. He reached out to grab it, but in the next second, his phone started ringing.

The night was so quiet that I could clearly hear a panicked female voice on the other end.

“Lucas, I just went downstairs to grab something, and I think someone is following me! I’m so scared. I walked around the block, but I still can’t shake him off!”

Lucas‘ expression changed instantly, filled with concern.

“Celine, don’t worry. Go to a well–lit area, there should be someone on duty at the security station. Stay there, and I’ll be there soon!”

He hung up, completely forgetting about the wedding. Without hesitation, he left me standing there and rushed off into the night.

I kept my expression perfectly calm.

After he left, I called my aunt to say goodbye.

My parents had moved out of town to pursue their careers ten years ago, and since then, I’d been living with my aunt.

Lucas lived next door, and that was how we met. Later, when my aunt got married and sold her villa to move in with her husband, I didn’t want to intrude on her new life, so I temporarily stayed with Lucas. I never expected that “temporary” stay to last eight years.

When Aunt Mina heard I was leaving to get married, she was shocked. “Married? To Lucas? Well, that’s good–it’s been eight years, so I guess it’s about time to settle down.”

I pressed my lips together and corrected her assumption. “No, it’s an arranged marriage. I don’t know the person.”

She fell silent for a moment, then slowly asked, “Have you thought this through? I think Lucas really cares about you; I just don’t know why he hasn’t proposed. Maybe I should talk to him?”

I gave a small, indifferent smile.

“No need. It wasn’t really a relationship, anyway. We never formally got together. It’s just been this vague, ambiguous thing for eight years If I don’t end it now, my whole youth will be gone.

Aunt Mina was surprised that we’d lived together for eight years without even defining our relationship, so she didn’t try to dissuade me further and said she’d support my decision.

Before going to bed, I set a three–day countdown widget on my phone.

The next day, I asked my mom to send some local gifts over as a thank–you to my aunt for her care over the past decade and as a way to say goodbye.

That evening, a truckload of packages finally arrived. I gave the driver directions to my aunt’s house, but I didn’t expect to run into Lucas downstairs.

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