On the eve of graduation, I planned to pop the question to Lily Warren.

We were already engaged, but she said yes so quickly it felt rushed. She wanted a proper proposal.

So I gathered all our friends and family and set up the perfect spot to propose, but Lily was a no-show.

Suddenly, a storm rolled in, and my grandpa had a heart attack. By the time we got him to the hospital, it was too late.

Numb with grief in the morgue, I received a text from Lily's best guy friend, Ethan Theodore.

It was a screenshot from his social media.

The photo showed him in a hospital gown, arm wrapped around a woman in a cocktail dress.

The caption said: [Storm's raging, but you're my haven.]

I left a simple comment: [Wish you two to be together forever!]

***

The proposal day was crowded, but I declined everyone's help and dealt with Grandpa's funeral arrangements alone.

In the days that followed, not a call or message from Lily.

Grandpa always wanted to be laid to rest back home, by the serene mountains and rivers, so I brought his ashes home to prepare for the trip.

Just as I got home, Lily's car pulled up.

Lily helped Ethan out of the car, the two of them cozy as if made for each other.

I watched them from a distance, face a mask of calm.

Ethan noticed me and flashed a knowing smirk.

Lily was still in that dress, now crumpled and ill-fitting.

That dress was Grandpa's last masterpiece, a lifetime in tailoring. His career had earned him a solid reputation. Even after retiring because of his ailments, people still begged him to sew again, but he never gave in.

Lily knew this and insisted Grandpa tailor this dress just for her.

She imagined wearing it for the proposal, capturing loads of happy photos, and playing the radiant bride.

I sheepishly approached Grandpa with her request.

Thrilled to make something for his granddaughter-in-law, Grandpa ignored his ailments, scouring fabric markets for the perfect material, laboring over every stitch and button through day and night, all to make it flawless.

But when Lily received it, her reaction was underwhelming.

For her, it was just another piece in her collection of lavish gowns, crafted from costly fabrics by the world's leading designers.

Lily comes from money and runs her own company. Her worth is not my concern.

I've never felt the need to flaunt my heritage. Love shouldn't be weighed down by such things, so I kept explanations to a minimum. If she wanted upscale gowns, I could easily afford them, but she had her heart set on Grandpa's craftsmanship.

I pursued her for four years, always hoping to fulfill her dreams, dreaming of a joyful future together.

What did I get in return?

I gave her the grand gesture she asked for, but she didn't value it. A single call or text from Ethan was enough to whisk her away.

Grandpa had been eager to see her in that dress, hoping to witness her accept my proposal and envision a life together. Sadly, he left us with only his disappointment.

As I remembered this, tears welled up, and a wave of sadness swept over me.

Lily turned and noticed my somber face, snapping, "What's with that look, Jack? Ethan just needed surgery, and I was there for him for three days. Are you going to cry about it? I mean, it's not like I did something awful to you! We're already engaged, so what if I missed the proposal? Ethan's surgery was crucial, he couldn't have it delayed just because I wasn't there to sign off!"

Previously, I would have challenged her, "Doesn't Ethan have his own family? Why must you rush to his side? Aren't proposals meant to be significant? Then why did you insist on one?"

Now, all I felt was indifference toward them both, my gaze fixed on the wrinkled dress she wore.

Lily caught on to my mood and frowned, "What's wrong? This dress is uncomfortable, and it's kind of outdated. Maybe Grandpa could make another one; I'll cover the costs this time."

Calmly, I responded, "Then take it off right now." It was Grandpa's final creation, and I couldn't bear to see her wear it any longer.

Lily looked puzzled, "What do you mean by that?"

"You can wash off dirt from a dress, but you can't clean a tainted soul."

"Lily, we break up."

It was surreal how calmly I managed to say that.

Lily thought I was just being dramatic. "What's gotten into you? Are you having a breakdown? I've explained everything, and now you want to break up over this minor issue?"

Ethan's smirk grew as he heard us.

He looked like he was watching a trainwreck unfold, which nearly triggered a punch in his face from me.

He and Lily were childhood buddies, played together, studied together, and were practically raised together.

Their families once hoped they would end up together, but Ethan fell for someone else and pursued her abroad, forcing his family to accept her.

Seeing they weren't destined to be, their families let go of the idea of pairing them up.

Still, Lily and Ethan remained close, sharing their lives on social media.

After we became a couple, Ethan came back from abroad once.

Back then, Lily introduced him without hesitation, calling him her childhood friend, her brother, and her indispensable confidant.

Despite my doubts, their openness about their relationship, and Lily's assurances left me convinced they were just friends, especially when she was all girly and claimed that I was her only love.

Lily was my love, and she deserved her freedom. I never wanted to chain her down or control her friendships in the name of love.

Initially, their contact was just through messages on WhatsApp, meeting seldom. But eventually, they grew closer, hanging out at movies, malls, bars, and exclusive clubs. Often, when I picked up a drunken Lily late at night, she would be clinging to Ethan, spouting tipsy nonsense.

I was naive, never suspecting more than platonic feelings, just concerned about her well-being.

I hoped we could resolve our issues through conversation.

But Lily was visibly annoyed, declaring, "We've been together forever—if something was off, it would have surfaced by now! We're purely platonic!"

She even said defiantly, "If you don't trust me, fine, we can break up!"

I loved her too deeply to risk losing her, so I relented.

I grew up without parents, and Grandpa was all I had.

Seeing me upset, he tried to console me, saying it's rare to find someone you truly love; you must cherish and work through differences.

His marriage with Grandma was full of mutual respect and love—I had always wanted the same with Lily. But it seems I was mistaken.

As I watched her fuss over Ethan, I declared coldly, "We're done."

Lily, irked, retorted, "You've lost your mind! I'm calling Grandpa to straighten you out!"

It was absurd. She didn't know Grandpa couldn't answer the phone anymore. I mocked, "Go ahead, call. See if he picks up."

"Grandpa adores me; he'd never ignore my call!"

Lily waved her phone, smirking, "Plus, I've lined up a top specialist for Grandpa. If he doesn't support me, I'll cancel it all."

Grandpa's condition was beyond current medical help, despite the experts we consulted. But Lily thought we hadn't tried hard enough and arranged further consultations.

She didn't realize Grandpa didn't need her meddling; he just appreciated her efforts and let her make arrangements.

Ironically, she thought this leverage could manipulate us both.

How absurd!

I watched her dial, unmoved. She snorted at my firm gaze.

When the call connected and the phone in my hand rang, she froze.

"Jack, why is Grandpa's phone with you?" Lily looked panicked, staring at the phone in my hand. "Is something wrong with Grandpa?"

I just stared back, ice cold. Why the sudden concern?

"Hey, she's talking here! Answer her!" Ethan chimed in, sensing Lily's mood, his voice fierce, "Lily's way out of your league, man. If she even bothers to ask, you better give her the courtesy of a response. What's with the attitude?"

I smirked slightly, "If I'm such a reach for her, why should I say anything at all? Seems pointless to talk."

Lily's face turned a shade redder. "What are you trying to say, Jack?"

My look was dismissive. "Just that I find this whole thing pointless, that's why I'm not talking."

"You—!" Lily was visibly seething with rage.

Ethan stepped in front of her, his anger directed at me, "Who gave you the right to speak to Lily like that? She's the most important person to me. You mess with her, you mess with me! C'mon, try me!"

Lily, moved by his words, held onto Ethan's arm, "Ethan, take it easy. You just had surgery. Let's just talk this out, slowly."

Ethan's gaze softened as he looked at Lily, "I've been meaning to tell you—this guy isn't worth your time. If he wants out, let him go. You deserve way better."

I noticed a slight shock on Lily's face, yet she didn't speak up.

It dawned on me that Ethan had shielded her from his flirty posts.

Ethan, noticing our silence, grew more intense, pointing aggressively at me, "Answer her, now!"

Calmly, I met his stare, "I refuse."

Out of nowhere, Ethan threw a punch, but I dodged. Then, unexpectedly, he went low with a kick to my stomach. I fell back, and the urn with Grandpa's ashes tumbled from my grasp, scattering across the floor.

Along with it, Grandpa's cherished belongings spilled out, including his phone with its lucky charm.

The sight of the chaos froze both Lily and Ethan.

"I'm gonna kill you!"

Furious, I lost all restraint and retaliated with a hard punch to Ethan's face.

He screamed as he hit the ground, his nose bleeding profusely.

"Ethan!" Lily screamed, rushing to his side, all concerned, "Are you okay? Talk to me!"

Ethan, face bloody and tear-streaked, cried out, "He's insane! Jack's lost it!"

Lily spun around, fury in her eyes, "Jack! What's gotten into you? Apologize to Ethan, now!"

I scoffed, "No way. He hit me first. He should be thanking me for sparing his sorry ass. I'm not apologizing, especially not after that!"

I used to take so much care of Lily's or even her friends' feelings. So she was stunned, her image of me as the gentle, accommodating boyfriend shattered. She hadn't expected me to strike her best male friend or to erupt like that.

Ethan continued, tears in his eyes, "Lily, he said he wanted to kill me!"

Lily's expression darkened further, "Jack, I'm serious. Apologize to Ethan, or you're not getting out of here."

My response was icy, "I won't."

Suddenly, I felt punches land on my stomach.

Lily's bodyguards, following her subtle nod, landed two more kicks.

Writhing in pain, I barely managed to speak.

"Apologize!" Lily demanded, her voice fierce.

Despite the pain, I gritted my teeth and said, "Never!"

"You're going to regret this!" she threatened.

I laughed bitterly, "The biggest regret I have is not ending this sooner."

"Fine! Have it your way," Lily snapped, grabbing her phone. "I'm calling off all of Grandpa's appointments right now! You'll regret it!"

She spoke into the phone, "Don, cancel all of Jack's grandpa's specialist appointments, immediately!"

Don's reply came hesitantly, "Um, those were actually canceled days ago… Jack's grandpa passed away."

Lily's face went rigid, "What? Repeat that!"

"He passed the night you were supposed to get engaged."