Every time I argue with Cyrus, it always ends with him saying, "You're the best." He knows I’ll tolerate him endlessly and forgive all his mistakes. But this time... this time, I really don’t want to just let it go.

"Cyrus, let’s break up."

I stared at him for what felt like an eternity before finally speaking those words.

The moment Cyrus hung up the phone, it hit me—I realized he no longer loved me. A relationship based on one-sided effort is doomed to fail.

When I said the words "break up," his eyes suddenly turned cold, his gaze sharp with something darker.

"I must have made you angry, I’m sorry, I really am," he said, his voice dripping with insincerity. He turned to Nina, who, incredibly, was wiping away a tear.

She leaned into him, her body pressing against his.

With practiced ease, Cyrus wrapped his arm around her, holding her close. "Amara, are you done?" he asked, his tone dismissive. "I’ve apologized. Why do you have to make this such a big deal?"

Then, with exaggerated tenderness, he wiped away the tear from Nina’s cheek. "It’s fine," he said, a touch of smugness in his voice. "Don’t pay attention to her. Don’t apologize to her."

He looked down at the woman in his arms, his voice soft, as though speaking to a child. "I’ve spoiled her. She doesn’t know her place."

As they turned to leave, Cyrus paused at the door and glanced back at me, his expression suddenly neutral, as if he had just remembered something.

"I’ll take you to try on the wedding dress next week. Don’t be late."

The words hit me like a punch to the gut. "Don’t forget," he added, his tone flat. "This is what you promised my brother. And this is what you promised me."

If he hadn’t said it, I might have forgotten. Four years ago, before Simon passed away, he’d asked me, in a barely audible voice, to take care of Cyrus. I agreed.

At Simon’s funeral, Cyrus confessed that this was his one wish, and I had promised.

I had kept my promise to take care of him.

But I was really tired.

I showed up at the wedding dress shop, just as I had promised.

Cyrus had always been late in the past, but today, he was already there, sitting in the shop, waiting for me.

The moment our eyes met, he smiled brightly, as if everything that had happened just days ago had never occurred.

"I knew you’d come back, you're the best."

I had heard those words so many times before, but today, they made me feel sick.

Cyrus eagerly pulled me into the store, excitedly showing me the wedding dress he had already picked out.

"This one’s perfect. It’ll highlight your figure beautifully."

He was like an overenthusiastic puppy, but I couldn’t bring myself to smile in this seemingly warm moment.

"The fiancé has great taste," the clerk said, admiring Cyrus' choice.

She took the dress and began guiding me toward the fitting room, but I waved my hand, stopping her.

"I can't get married this time."

"Cyrus, let’s let each other go, okay?"

I had been thinking about our relationship for a while now. Maybe, from the very beginning, it had never been based on love.

At least not for me.

This was the second time I was breaking up with Cyrus, but this time, there was no guilt, no hesitation. I looked at him straight in the eyes.

Cyrus froze, caught off guard.

For the sake of the clerk’s presence, he didn’t rush up to grab me or shout at me. But his words still stung.

"But my brother is dead, can’t you just forget him?"

The clerk, who had been quietly observing, now widened her eyes in shock.

It was probably the first time she had witnessed a brother-in-law and sister-in-law in a wedding dress shop

When Cyrus and I first met, he called me "sister-in-law."

"It has nothing to do with your brother."

"I just don't love you at all."

Cyrus’ fists tightened, his eyes reddening as he struggled to control his anger. He tossed the wedding dress to the ground and stormed out, not sparing me a single glance.

The confused clerk, witnessing this scene, couldn't help but feel sorry for Cyrus, the strange man who had been abandoned.

They must think I am a heartless woman, deceiving the feelings of two men who happened to be brothers. But only I know the truth — even if I had agreed to try on the wedding dress, he would have left anyway.

Before heading to the bridal shop, I had received a message from Nina, with a screenshot of a chat between her and Cyrus.

"Amara, he promised to take me to the beach. Seems like you won't be trying on the wedding dress after all."

It was all arranged, and he was pretending otherwise. Cyrus, your acting is really terrible.

After walking out of the bridal shop, I went straight home.

This house was the one Simon left behind before his death. After confirming my relationship with Cyrus, I moved in. I've lived here for four years now, and though I told myself I wouldn't mind leaving, the truth was different.

The house was filled with memories of our life together. In spring, Cyrus planted flowers on the balcony. I said I wanted to take pictures, and he spent hours setting up equipment, capturing every angle, never complaining about the time.

In summer, we would sit by the refrigerator, eating watermelon and drinking iced drinks. He always made sure to cut out the sweetest piece of watermelon and give it to me.

In autumn, the air was filled with the sweet smell of roasted chestnuts. I loved chestnuts, so he would trek into the mountains to find the freshest ones for me.

In winter, we’d snuggle on the sofa, watching movies, keeping each other warm.

We were two people who thought we would walk to the end of time, but in the end, we parted ways. Maybe we should never have met.

I had accompanied Cyrus to countless locations, finding the perfect spots for his shoots, but time and time again, he left me behind. The last time was on a mountain trail, and before that, it was in a jungle teeming with snakes and insects.

Whenever Nina called, he would drop everything and rush to her. We were never each other’s first choice, so why keep holding on?

I packed my things. In the four years we spent together, my luggage barely filled a 22-inch suitcase. All the furniture and little items around the house were bought to suit Cyrus' preferences, and in the end, there was nothing to hold onto.

Before I left, I opened the cabinet to find the photos Cyrus had hidden away. Finally, I looked at the picture of Simon. After all these years, I had truly earned the love of both brothers.

It was time to let go of this relationship that should never have existed.

Just as I was getting on the bus, my mother, whom I hadn’t spoken to in years, called.

"Cyrus just called me and told me everything."

"Why are you acting like a big lady? I warn you, go back and apologize to Cyrus."

As soon as the phone connected, my mother began scolding me.

"Simon is dead. At least his brother still likes you. If not, we would never have climbed up to their high branches in our lives."

To my mother, a family that could simply make ends meet was a luxury for someone like me, a money-loser.