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.

"Whose phone was that? I think I heard something about a visa."

"It’s nothing, just work-related," Asteria casually dismissed it, her tone light.

Primo let out a quiet sigh of relief. "That’s good. You’d better not be planning a honeymoon trip. I don’t have time for that."

"I know."

Since Yesha had returned, Primo had been glued to her, leaving little room for anything else.

They sat side by side, but the air between them grew thick with unspoken words.

Asteria felt the growing awkwardness and decided to break the silence. She went to the bedroom and returned with the moon necklace, offering it to Primo. "How did it end up with you? I’ve been looking for it everywhere."

"I found it on the road. Only realized it was yours after I saw your lost item post online,” she replied.

Two million spent searching for an old moon necklace. And yet, the total cost of their wedding combined barely reached five hundred thousand dollars.

Primo’s obvious favoritism toward Yesha left Asteria in stunned silence.

He eagerly snatched the necklace from her.

Asteria glanced at his bare ring finger and suddenly asked, "Where’s your wedding ring?"

He froze, caught off guard. "I don’t know when I lost it..."

Seeing the cold indifference on Asteria’s face, Primo felt something stir inside him, something he couldn’t quite place.

It wasn’t just the missing ring. It was something deeper, more significant.

An unsettling sensation crept through him, leaving him uneasy. Just as he opened his mouth to explain, his phone buzzed with a new message.

It was from Yesha.

Primo stood abruptly, the tension in his shoulders betraying his thoughts. He walked toward the door, only to stop mid-step.

Turning back, he leaned in and pressed a fleeting kiss to Asteria’s forehead.

"Sorry, my wife. I’ve been so caught up lately, and you’ve had to handle everything."

"I promise, once this busy patch is over, I’ll make it up to you. I’ll make you the happiest woman in the world!"

In all their years together, Primo had never spoken to Asteria with such tenderness.

He knew women craved sweet words, but Asteria was different. Too understanding, too patient to demand anything. It was easier to shower the needy, demanding Yesha with affection.

Asteria stood there, watching his retreating figure in silence.

Had this been in the past, she would have been elated, believing she had finally broken through the cold walls of the man she loved.

But today, she simply washed her face with a look of disdain, brushing off the lingering bitterness before continuing with her routine.

Time moved at a crawl.

Soon, the day before the wedding arrived.

Only two thin pages remained on the calendar.

The wish for today read, [Have a reunion dinner together.]

It was a wish Asteria had held close to her heart for over twenty years.

But deep down, she knew it would never come true.

Her mother would never forgive Connor, her father, just as Asteria could never forgive Primo.

She didn’t linger on the thought.

Instead, she applied a light touch of makeup and slipped into her favorite white dress, ready to face the day.

She went to the movies alone, ordering a full couple's meal just for herself, then took a solitary ride on the Ferris wheel.

When the Ferris wheel reached its highest point, the sun began its slow descent.

The golden orb sank beneath the horizon, and the city she’d known her entire life was bathed in a warm, red glow.

A gentle breeze kissed her face as Asteria opened her arms, embracing the moment.

In that fleeting instant, it felt as though all the memories drifted away with the evening wind, leaving nothing but peace.

Asteria bought her last ice cream by nightfall and strolled out of the amusement park.

She sat on a nearby bench, savoring the ice cream, her eyes tracing the constellations above.

The night sky was her sanctuary, the one constant she could always count on.

During the countless times she’d been cast out of her home, young Primo always held her hand, lying together on the grass, watching the stars.

But it no longer mattered. People around her would come and go, but the sky would remain unchanged.

No matter where Asteria went, the stars above always shone for her.

Once she finished the ice cream, she stood up to head home. Just as she prepared to leave, a message from Yesha appeared under the twinkling sky.

[Dad’s sweet and sour fish is amazing; you must’ve never tried it.]

Asteria clicked open the video. The two families sat down to dinner, the table decorated with festive double happiness symbols.

In the center of it all, Primo and Yesha sat, the picture of joy as they discussed the wedding, laughter echoing around them.

Asteria didn’t let Yesha’s petty games upset her; after all, she’d endured far worse.

Instead, she found it almost laughable.

The wedding? Whose wedding were they really talking about?

Was it hers, or was it Yesha’s?

Without a second thought, Asteria deleted and blocked Yesha, then opened her chat with Primo.

The last time they had spoken was a week ago.

Asteria scrolled through the endless chat history, her eyes skimming over messages she had sent, each one an attempt to share something of herself with Primo.

She had poured her thoughts into those messages, from grand plans to the smallest details, like what she had for lunch.

But Primo rarely replied, and when he did, his words were all about Yesha.

Asteria felt her desire to message him slip away.

After all, with no response for so long, why continue trying?

When it rang, she was about to slip her phone back into her pocket. Primo’s name flashed on the screen.

"Where are you? Why aren’t you home yet? It’s so late; why haven’t you come back?"

Primo’s voice held a hint of reproach as though she were the one at fault.

Asteria glanced at the clock; it was already 8:20 p.m. She couldn’t understand why he was so eager for her return.

Primo often worked late, sometimes disappearing for the entire night.

Every time, Asteria would leave a light on for him, waiting in silence.

If he’d been drinking, no matter how exhausted or aching, Asteria would always make him hangover soup.

But what had he ever done for her?

She couldn’t recall a single thing, and irritation began to creep into her voice.

"Can’t I have a life of my own?"

The words slipped out before she could stop them, and suddenly, she remembered Primo had once said the same thing to her.

There had been a time, not too long ago, when Primo hadn’t returned home, and when she couldn’t reach him, Asteria had panicked, searching for him in the pouring rain.

It was then that Primo had coldly spoken those very words to her.

At that moment, she realized that love and indifference often hid in the smallest of details, and she had loved so deeply in the past that she hadn’t noticed the quiet signs of distance.

Now, Primo’s voice softened, a tinge of regret lacing his words.

"Asteria, it’s been so many days since I’ve seen you. I miss you."

"Tomorrow we’re getting married. I’m just worried something might happen to you. Please don’t be mad, where are you? I’ll come pick you up."

Seeing Primo’s message, Asteria didn’t respond with much more than a simple share of her location.

It wasn’t long before he arrived, the roar of his favorite Cayenne cutting through the night air.