"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.

Asteria opened the front passenger door as usual. Still, this time, her eyes caught a pink cushion resting where she would sit.

The safety charm she had once begged for was replaced with a couple’s pendant—a moon and stars twined together.

Suppressing the urge to confront the obvious, she moved the cushion aside, pretending not to notice.

Yet, when her eyes fell on a piece of lace lingerie, its shoulder strap was torn, and the bitter taste of hate rose in her throat.

She wiped her hands swiftly with a tissue, then silently moved to the back seat, eager to escape the mounting tension.

As Primo busied himself with replying to messages, he didn’t notice anything amiss in Asteria’s demeanor.

He asked, almost absentmindedly, "So, what made you go to the amusement park? Did you wrap up all the wedding stuff?"

"Almost done."

Tomorrow, she could walk away from it all, forever.

Primo smiled, a hint of fondness in his voice. "I remember how much you always wanted to ride the Ferris wheel. When I get the chance, I’ll take you out for some fun. I didn’t want to interrupt today, though. It was my mom who wanted to see you."

"It’s fine."

Asteria fastened her seatbelt, her silence thick with unspoken words. She wasn’t eager to engage with him any further.

To Primo, the wedding seemed like something that only mattered to Asteria, a duty she had to fulfill.

Primo only seemed to remember her when there was something he needed.

After sending the last message, he started the car, casually playing a song that Yesha liked.

Asteria turned her gaze toward the bustling streets.

The city was alive with beauty, neon lights dancing along the streets, perfectly complementing the starry sky above.

But after a while, the wind stung her eyes, and she felt a discomfort settle in, as though even the beauty around her could no longer soothe her.

When they reached the old house, Primo strode ahead, not even glancing back to see if she was behind him.

She followed into the living room, where the remnants of a forgotten meal sat cold on the dining table.

The maid bustled about, cleaning as both families exchanged casual pleasantries while Primo and Yesha shared lighthearted conversation.

In the midst of it all, Asteria stood like an outsider, unnoticed and forgotten in the grand house.

After a moment, Isabelle’s gaze finally found her.

"Asteria, come sit with me," Amanda said with a smile, tugging her hand gently. "You’re such a good girl. It's so simple, so beautiful, and you care so much for the family. A girl like you is rare these days."

Asteria offered a polite smile, the weight of her situation sinking in. Yes, a fool like her, willing to give without asking for anything in return, was indeed a rare breed.

Amanda continued, her eyes flickering over to Yesha. "Though with Primo’s position, he could have found someone more... suited, I’ve always told him to value what he has."

"You’ve been with him all these years without a word of complaint; you deserve more than this."

Asteria’s response was brief, a hollow smile playing on her lips.

Then Amanda spoke, her words cutting through the silence like a blade. "Asteria, you’re not getting any younger. Why not quit your job and give the Chromos family a strong, healthy child? Stay home, care for your husband, raise children—be the dutiful wife and mother."

If Asteria weren’t leaving tomorrow, she would have shouted back.

To them, she wasn’t a person. She was a mere tool to climb the social ladder, a womb to bear children, a decoration for their respectable image.

Most painfully, it dawned on her that none of them saw her as a real individual.

They all assumed Asteria should be grateful to marry Primo and take on the title of Mrs. Chromos.

Feeling an overwhelming surge of frustration, Asteria was about to walk out when someone arrived with several dresses.

Primo smiled, his voice laced with a tone that almost seemed like an afterthought. "Asteria, I know you’ve been busy lately, so I had Yesha pick a wedding dress for you. After all, her taste is always better than yours."