After handling Isabella's funeral, I felt like my soul had been taken away. The only thing echoing in my ears was Isabella calling Jasper's name.

The year I graduated from high school, I finally met Isabella's brother, the popular handsome guy at Arizona State University.

That glance changed my whole youth. I fell in love with Jasper at first sight and carefully hid my feelings for him deep inside.

I started to intentionally or unintentionally go home with Isabella and peek at Jasper.

But he was far beyond my reach, just the moon in the sky.

I changed my mind and went to Arizona State University for his sake, but we only met a few times. Every time, he nodded to me and gave me a faint smile.

I knew it was out of affection for Isabella.

My fate with Jasper began eight years ago at the European Championships. On a late night in a foreign country's street, I bumped into a man covered in blood.

He held me tightly, pressed me against the wall, and kissed me. He said, "Lydia, don't say anything. Help me."

The group of people behind us looked fierce, but when they saw us kissing, they whistled at us and left.

After they left, I saw the bruises on Jasper's handsome face and blood seeping from the corner of his mouth. The smell of blood filled my nostrils.

"Do you think I look good, Lydia?" Jasper's eyes were bright and particularly captivating.

I blushed and wanted to run, but he held my hand and put a ring on my finger. In a foreign country, Jasper revealed my secret crush that had lasted for many years.

He proposed to me and asked if I would be his wife.

I squatted on the floor, my mind numb with memories. But when the image of Isabella's bright smile appeared, I couldn't hold back anymore.

I hugged myself and started crying. I'm so useless. I can't even protect my best friend.

My phone vibrated twice. It was a message from Jasper. He finished watching the game and removed me from his blacklist.

[Don't be angry, Lydia. I brought gifts for you and Isabella. Don't make a fuss anymore.]

After a while, I still didn't reply to him. If it were before, I would be so happy that I could roll on the bed with my phone.

I liked Jasper even though I knew that I was not his first choice!

"Wait for me. I'll make it up to you when I go back, honey."

"No need, Jasper, let's get a divorce." I was tired. These eight years had been like shackles. The ring he gave me when he proposed was too small. I knew it was prepared for someone else.

"There you go again. You want a divorce whenever we argue."

"Jasper, get me the towel."

I immediately hung up the phone when I heard Gianna's sweet and delicate voice, but then I accidentally clicked on Instagram.

Gianna posted an intimate photo of her and Jasper as if making an official announcement that they were together.

The photo was captioned.

[I have come to fulfill our eight-year promise, and there are no regrets in life anymore.]

In the eight years, I was the only clown. I cherished Jasper's love, but that was something Gianna despised.

I cremated Isabella, and when I took over the urn of her ashes, I couldn't hold back anymore and burst into tears at the funeral home.

I brought Isabella home, and coincidentally, today was my birthday. She said she had prepared a gift for me and hid it well.

Since we met, we had celebrated each other's birthdays together every year.

This year, she was also here.

I placed Isabella's urn securely on the back seat and went to pick up the cake I ordered.

As I got out of the car, I happened to run into Jasper and Gianna. They were wearing clothes of the same color and were intimately leaning against each other as if waiting for someone.

"Lydia!"

Jasper was not blind. He walked towards me when he saw me. He said we knew each other very well. Even the cakes we ordered were from the same bakery.

I didn't say anything. I just wanted to quietly celebrate my birthday with Isabella, and I didn't want anyone to disturb us.

I ignored them and walked straight in. Suddenly, I felt a grip on my wrist as Gianna grabbed me.

"Lydia, you misunderstood. I just watched a game with Jasper and we didn't do anything else. He just didn't explain it well to you."

I turned around and looked at Gianna, who was acting generously like Jasper's real wife.

She apologized to me and playfully stuck out her tongue. "Jasper is very clumsy and not a romantic at heart. But now he has changed and knows how to surprise you. He even asked me for advice on what gift to give you."

Every word Gianna said was provoking me and reminding me that she held a special place in Jasper's life.

I smiled, "Ms. Stewart, you really like going back with your ex. I'm busy today and don't have time to play along!"

I shook off Gianna's hand with a little force, but in the next second, she suddenly stumbled back a few steps.

Wearing high heels, she fell to the ground with a dull thud.

I saw the tension and tenderness in Jasper's eyes. He shouted at me, "Lydia, what are you doing?"

He said I was unreasonable, snatched the car keys from my hand, held Gianna up, and left without looking back.

I chased after him and didn't let him use my car.

Jasper had no patience. "You are not a baby anymore. Why don't you have any manners? You hurt Gianna's foot. I'll take her to the hospital."

"You can call your driver over. I won't lend you my car."

I was anxious, but Jasper completely ignored me and opened the rear door. I reached out to pull it back.

Gianna shrank in Jasper's arms.

"It's okay, Jasper, I'll go to the hospital by myself. It doesn't hurt much. Don't let it affect your relationship with Lydia. After all, you've been married for eight years," she said softly.

Eight years of marriage couldn't compare to a single word out of Gianna's mouth. His nervousness and tenderness were genuine.

In the fourth year of our marriage, the 2nd European Championships was held. I had a miscarriage and almost lost my life. But Jasper couldn't wait to go to Europe.

At that time, I didn't know he was going for Gianna. Now, as I looked back, my mind was in turmoil.

If it weren't for me losing a child four years ago, they would have gotten their wish, right?

"You throw everything in the car, don't you?"

"I just wanna borrow your car to take Gianna to the hospital. Why are you so nervous?"

Just borrowing my car? Jasper, you haven't even wiped off the lipstick mark on your collar. It's so conspicuous. You two must have slept together last night.

Jasper picked up the urn and was about to throw it outside. I reached out to stop him and tried to snatch the urn away.

During the struggle, I got my hand trapped in a car door and didn't catch Isabella's urn.

Her ashes scattered all over the floor, and I knelt immediately.

But Jasper ignored my plea, closed the car door, and left.

I looked at the scattered ashes on the ground and couldn't hold back anymore. I was so anxious that my hands were shaking. I'm sorry, Isabella. It's my fault.

My hand was too painful to exert any strength, but I still picked up the ashes from the ground bit by bit.

Jasper, you better not regret it!