Asteria turned slowly, her heart pounding in her chest.

The instant their eyes locked, Primo’s face flushed with a mix of surprise and guilt. He quickly dropped Yesha’s hand, stammering to explain himself.

“Y-You know, Yesha drank too much. It’s late, and it’s not safe for a girl to be out alone at night, so I just... brought her back here.”

“She’s your sister, after all. It’s only natural for me to look out for her. And, well, she’s a considerate girl. She left early, worried you might think the wrong things when you came home.”

Primo, usually a man of few words, suddenly became an open book whenever it came to Yesha.

Each sentence was a shield in her defense, a testament to his unwavering loyalty.

Asteria stared at him, the man she had known for over two decades, and in that moment, he felt like a stranger, someone unfamiliar, someone lost.

They were supposed to be childhood sweethearts, bound together through years of shared memories and promises. She was the fiancée who had stood by his side, weathering every storm and supporting him as he built his empire.

Yet, here she was, nothing more than a placeholder, a mere stand-in for the woman he had truly loved.

Asteria pressed her palms to her temples, the pain in her head overwhelming. The situation was too much to comprehend, and she couldn’t bear to think about it any longer. Her gaze fixed on Yesha, contempt boiling in her chest.

“She’s not my sister,” Asteria hissed, venom dripping from every word. “She’s the product of a mistress and now a mistress herself.”

Yesha fell quiet, but Primo’s anger ignited.

He moved swiftly, placing himself between Asteria and Yesha, his voice rising in a roar. “Asteria! What madness are you speaking? Apologize to Yesha, now!”

“No wonder your parents abandoned you. With that sharp tongue and poisonous attitude, it’s clear no one could ever love you. You deserve to spend your life alone!”

In the ten years they had shared, Primo had never once raised his voice at Asteria. Yet, in a single day, he had scolded her twice, both times for Yesha.

Asteria could hardly believe what she was hearing. These cruel words, so sharp and biting, came from the man she had trusted with her heart.

Each word felt like a dagger aimed straight at her deepest, most vulnerable spots. It pierced through her, leaving scars that wouldn’t fade.

She stared at Primo in disbelief, her tears falling freely as the weight of his words crushed her.

Her mind wandered back to years ago when they were just children.

Every time Asteria was scolded or hurt by Yesha’s parents, Primo was there rushing to her side, his small body shielding hers.

When her tears fell, it was Primo who would whisper, “Asteria, you’re the best person in the world. If they don’t want you, I do. No matter what happens, I’ll always stand by you and protect you.”

But years later, that once-vibrant promise had withered into nothing more than an empty jest.

Now, the one Primo wanted to protect wasn’t Asteria, but Yesha—the very one who had caused her so much pain.

The blade that tore through Asteria’s heart was one she had handed over herself.

Seeing the sorrow in Asteria’s eyes, Primo realized, too late, that he might have pushed her too far.

A wave of guilt swept over him, and he quickly averted his gaze, his eyes falling to her bloodied feet.

“You’re hurt?”

Despite the years that had passed, Primo still couldn’t fully harden his heart against Asteria.

He sighed, his voice heavy with frustration. “Forget it. Let’s just pretend everything you said tonight was because you were drunk. From now on…”

“There’s no ‘from now on.’” Asteria interrupted, her voice soft but resolute.

“What?”

A hint of unease crept into Primo’s voice as he sensed something was off with Asteria’s tone.

But the weight of the day had drained him, and his thoughts were consumed with Yesha, leaving him little room for Asteria.

Just as he was about to push further, he heard the unmistakable sound of Yesha crying.

Turning swiftly, he saw her running toward the middle of the road, tears streaming down her face.

He no longer cared about the doubts gnawing at him and rushed after Yesha, his footsteps urgent.

Asteria was left behind, knocked to the ground by Primo, the small stones digging into her already bleeding wounds.

She sat there, dazed, her gaze drawn to something that gleamed in the dim light.

It was a cheap crescent moon necklace. The chain was tarnished, and the design faded with age as if it had been lost to time.

Asteria reached for the necklace, and the more she studied it, the more an unsettling sense of familiarity washed over her.

Something clicked in Asteria's mind as the moon disappeared behind a veil of clouds: Primo had the same moon tattoo on his chest.

"So that’s how it is..."

The scattered pieces, once overlooked, now connected like a thread weaving through her thoughts.

Cold and heavy, the truth settled in her chest: those ten years of love had been nothing more than a one-sided devotion.

Childhood sweethearts were no match for fate’s cruel hand.

In the years they had shared, Primo had only ever loved Yesha.

Asteria stood, her fingers tightening around the crescent moon necklace, the weight of realization pressing down on her.

With that realization, Asteria knew there was nothing left to hold on to.

She chose to walk away to make room for the lovers who could never truly be together.

After booking a flight ticket abroad, she returned to her room and discarded all the wedding preparations she had so carefully selected.

When her eyes fell on the wedding countdown in the living room, she paused, a flicker of doubt crossing her mind.

But then, with a quiet resolution, she tore off the word "wedding" and silently replaced it with "departure countdown."

Asteria decided that the next two weeks would be her farewell to everything from her past, ensuring she had no regrets left to carry with her.

Asteria had spent the night sorting through endless scattered belongings, only managing to finish around four in the morning.

After barely three hours of rest, the sharp, insistent ring of her phone shattered the fragile silence, pulling her abruptly from sleep.

“Asteria, are you awake? I had your favorite soup delivered. I won’t make it back today; we’ll need to reschedule the wedding photos. Something urgent came up at the company, and I really can’t step away.”

Asteria pressed her fingers against her throbbing temples, her voice low but steady. “Alright.”

Perhaps her agreement had come too quickly, or maybe the faint sorrow in her tone was impossible to ignore.

Primo’s heart stirred with unease, prompting his voice to soften.

“Don’t let yesterday’s incident trouble you. I’ve already apologized to Yesha on your behalf.”

“Okay.”

“Yesha thinks the wedding is just a formality. She said we don’t need to put too much effort into it. Our bond doesn’t rely on grand gestures or ceremonies to prove itself. Something simple will do.”

“I’ll go along with whatever you decide.”

But within her, Asteria’s resolve had already taken shape.

This wedding would be the simplest in history—and perhaps, for her, the most bittersweet.

No wedding photos, no marriage certificate, no officiant.

And certainly, no bride.

After hanging up the phone, Asteria stood up and, with a heavy heart, crossed off the “wedding photo” appointment on the calendar with a thick black marker.

Primo had always been buried in his work, and Asteria had never found it in herself to disturb him.

So, when preparing for the wedding, she had bought a wish calendar—a token of all the dreams she’d hoped to fulfill through this marriage.

Now, those once-cherished wishes were smudged out, swallowed by marker ink, leaving only the weight of unspoken regrets.

Asteria sighed softly, her gaze drifting around the room. Once bright with anticipation, the walls now seemed suffocating in their blinding red.

It had taken her the entire day to strip away the carefully crafted wedding room, piece by piece, until all that was left was the emptiness she felt in her heart.

By evening, Asteria saw Primo trending on the hot search.

“Devoted husband Primo spends 8 million dollars on a vintage moon brooch to make his beloved smile.”

The photo was grainy, but everyone assumed the woman beside Primo was Asteria.

Asteria let out a bitter laugh, the sound dry and hollow.

So, the wedding savings had found their way here, and they were spent on this absurdity instead.

In the days that followed, Primo never once returned home.

Asteria didn’t ask about his whereabouts like she once had, always trying to handle everything for him.

She submitted her resignation, quietly saying goodbye to the few colleagues who had become close friends over the years.

In the following days, she began reaching out to others, gently letting them know about her plans to leave for abroad.

Her friends exchanged knowing glances as she shared her decision, sighing in unison.

“We all suspected it, actually.”

One of them pulled up Primo’s Instagram and handed the phone to Asteria.

“Anyone unfamiliar would think that’s you in the photo, but we know better. It’s Yesha.”

Only then did Asteria realize that, for quite some time, Primo had been with Yesha.

Primo, who had always been sparing with his social media posts, was now sharing updates several times a day.

They spent carefree days at the amusement park, tried on wedding dresses at a bridal shop, and went to the mountaintop to watch the moon and stars.

Primo’s love for Yesha was no longer a secret; it was clear and open for all to see.

The only thing he kept hidden was Asteria.

Seeing Asteria fall silent, her friends grew worried.

“Asteria, are you alright?”

“You don’t need to waste your tears on someone like him. Primo isn’t worth your love. If he knew the truth about Yesha, he’d regret it deeply.”

Asteria smiled faintly, her gaze drifting to the busy street outside the window.

“I’m fine. I don’t care anymore. But there’s one thing I need to ask of you…”

In just a few days, she would be gone for good.

Asteria had no more room in her heart for anger or sorrow over Primo.

So when he finally showed up after days of absence, Asteria didn’t flinch.

Primo looked genuinely overwhelmed.

Upon his return, he couldn’t tear his eyes away from his phone, his hands restless and always moving.

Asteria sat beside him, quietly working on her laptop, transferring files from the surveillance videos to a USB drive.

Midway, Primo’s gaze lifted, sweeping the room.

“Why does the house feel so bare? Didn’t you decorate?”

“You said it yourself; keep it simple.” Asteria wasn’t concerned about Primo noticing anything.

Ever since Yesha had come into the picture, Primo seemed to see nothing else.

But this time, he caught sight of the countdown in the living room.

He smiled. “Time flies. In seven days, we’ll be married.”

Asteria stood, tearing off two more pages from the calendar.

“Our wedding is in five days.”

The two pages were filled with wishes: “Ride the Ferris wheel together” and “Watch the stars together.”

These were moments Primo had already shared with Yesha.

A sudden jolt ran through him as if something important had slipped through his fingers.

He opened his mouth to speak, but Asteria’s phone rang, cutting him off.

When she saw it was her mother calling, Asteria took the phone and stepped out onto the balcony.

By the time she returned, Primo was once again lost in conversation with Yesha.