The day before the wedding, my fiancé received an urgent mission.

He promised he would return in a few days to marry me.

However, that mission took a tragic turn, and everyone perished.

My fiancé, Lucas Gray, was declared dead, but I refused to believe it and frantically searched for him.

For five long years, I searched.

Then, Captain Johns called to inform me that Lucas had been found.

He was alive, but he was getting married—to my younger sister, who had been missing for 18 years.

***

On my way to the South City, I kept rubbing the simple ring on my finger.

I was not ready to give up. I was the one he cherished for seven years; he would surely come back to me after completing his mission.

How could he forget me? How could he marry someone else?

Eventually, I arrived at a quaint little bookstore called "Lucia." It was tucked away in a serene corner, filled with flowers and featuring a double swing with thick cushions in the yard.

My heart ached at the thought of Lucia.

The name was a lovely blend of his, Lucas, and mine, Mia.

Lucas and I had dreamed of opening a bookstore together, naming it "Lucia," with flowers in the yard and a swing where I could bask in the sun.

Recently, this bookstore gained popularity due to a viral video featuring its handsome owner, garnering a large following.

Captain Johns had warned me repeatedly, "He doesn't remember anything..."

As I pushed open the door, the bell chimed softly.

A plump golden retriever lifted its head, glanced at us, and then returned to its nap.

Suddenly, a tall figure emerged from behind a bookshelf.

He wore a clean white t-shirt and had a strikingly handsome face.

The moment I saw him, my blood ran cold, my mind blanked, and my legs trembled as if I would collapse.

I steadied myself, staring at the man before me.

His skin was paler than I remembered, his features more mature, with an added air of coldness.

"Hello! Feel free to sit anywhere. You can scan the code on the table to order. Just call me if you need anything!" he greeted us with a slight smile.

His face, his voice—they had appeared in my dreams countless times.

The small mole beneath his lip and the thin red string on his wrist made my heart race.

He was my Lucas Gray, the man I had waited for over the past five long years...

"Lucas... Gray..." I managed to choke out his name through tears.

He looked at me, confusion and distance in his eyes.

"Excuse me, miss, what did you just say?"

He called me "miss."

Even though Captain Johns had told me he wouldn't remember anything, hearing him address me so formally felt like a knife to my heart.

How could he not remember me?

We were each other's lifelines.

Johns quickly pulled me aside. "I'm sorry, we'll just order ourselves."

Lucas scrutinized me for a moment before turning away to tend to the bar, not sparing me another glance.

I had naively thought that once he saw me, he would remember everything.

But the look in his eyes was so foreign and guarded, as if I were a stranger intruding on his life.

The distance and wariness he showed cut deep, leaving me breathless. Tears streamed down my face uncontrollably.

Captain Johns and a few accompanying officers ordered their drinks.

After a while at the bar, he returned with a tray, carefully placing the drinks on our table.

As he bent down in front of me, I caught a glimpse of a long, jagged scar on his neck, resembling a wound from a sharp weapon.

When he walked away, I noticed he seemed to limp slightly, as if his leg was injured.

I bit my lip hard, grabbing a book from the shelf to hide my face, trying to conceal the fact that I was sobbing uncontrollably.

"Mia, are you okay?"

"Just cry it out; it'll help..." My senior sister comforted me, gently wiping my tears with a tissue.

On the way here, I had imagined countless scenarios.

How could he forget me and choose to marry another woman?

When he saw me, he would surely remember.

I vowed that if he did, I would make him suffer for three days without forgiveness, driving him to the brink of despair.

But the moment I saw his face, his smile, and that scar... all my defenses crumbled.

I couldn't bear to be angry; all I wanted was to hug him tightly and ask how he survived, how he had been these past years.

Yet... he didn't remember anything.

I don't know how long I cried, my nose stuffed, my eyes swollen and barely open, until I finally calmed down.

I quietly sipped the lemon tea he had brewed for me, warm with just the right amount of sugar.

A blooming chrysanthemum floated in it, tasting just like it did five years ago.

Suddenly, the wind chime at the door jingled, and the door swung open.

The lazy golden retriever, lying in the air-conditioned space, perked up, wagging its tail excitedly as it rushed to greet the newcomer.

A girl in a white dress entered, her steps light as she headed straight for the bar.

"Lucas! I missed you so much! Did you miss me?"

She opened her arms and jumped into the man's embrace, wrapping her arms around his neck and planting a kiss on his lips.

He caught her effortlessly, holding her protectively, his eyes filled with affection and a hint of helplessness.

The golden retriever eagerly wagged its tail, circling at their feet, begging for attention.

"Droopy! Be good!" the girl said, petting the dog's head.

The dog, blissfully unaware of its size, leaned against the man, seeking more affection.

"Alright, Droopy, go play," he said, gently brushing the paw prints off the girl's white dress and then petting the dog's head.

We once had a chubby golden retriever, named by him, who loved to snuggle and beg for head pats.

"Droopy, because he's both fat and lazy," he had said.

From the moment the girl in the white dress walked in, my blood ran cold, and I froze, my gaze fixed on her, my heart pounding like a drum.

At that moment, the café wasn't busy, and our group of four or five stood out.

After their affectionate moment, the girl quickly noticed us, her mouth agape in surprise.

"Sister?!"

She opened her arms and rushed towards me, affectionately linking her arm with mine, smiling sweetly.

"Mia, didn't you say you wouldn't be able to get off until next week?"

"Did you miss me? Is that why you came back early to surprise me?"

I felt stiff all over, my mind blank as I mechanically replied, "I... I have something to do, just happened to run into you..."

Pouting, she pretended to be upset. "Oh, so you just happened to pass by? I thought you came back specifically to see me! I was wondering how you found me here..."

My brain was in turmoil.

How could it be her...

Why is Lucas' fiancée my sister?

She is my sister, Sophia Moore.

Twenty-one years ago, when she was just three years old, she got lost.

Since then, my parents have never treated me the same.

They missed Sophia.

All my life, I have carried a heavy burden of guilt.

It was my fault she got lost; if I had looked after her better, she wouldn't have disappeared.

She wouldn't have been separated from our parents, causing them pain for eighteen long years.

She was missing for a full eighteen years, until she was found three years ago.

And this city, South City, is where I grew up.

When Sophia returned three years ago, she mentioned having a boyfriend she had been dating for two years.

But I work over a thousand kilometers away in River City.

Whenever I returned home for holidays, I never saw her bring her boyfriend along.

So, I had never met this boyfriend she spoke of.

My heart felt as if a massive stone had been dropped on it, making it hard to breathe.

The fiancé I waited five years for turned out to be my sister's boyfriend of five years.

And now, they are about to get married...

As I watched Sophia being affectionate with me, Lucas approached.

Sophia released my arm, leaping from her seat into Lucas' embrace.

She was so comfortable, greeting Captain Johns and the other officers with a bright smile.

"Are you all Mia's colleagues? Hello! I'm Sophia. Thank you for taking care of my sister!"

"You must be Captain Johns! Mia often mentions you and how well you treat her."

"And this dashing police officer must be Jean, the one my sister talks about all the time..."

She was charming, complimenting everyone around her.

Finally, snuggling into Lucas' arms, she introduced him to everyone.

"This is my husband, Lucas."

Lucas held her waist affectionately, pulling her closer.

"Ah, so you are Mia's sister and her colleagues. Welcome!"

"I'm Lucas, Sophia's husband."

Sophia seemed to relish hearing Lucas call "husband," playfully poking his side.

He looked at her with tender affection, playfully dodging her poke as he went to the bar to fetch some pastries.

Sophia distributed the pastries to everyone, then took a plate for herself. After a few bites, she pouted again, pretending to be angry.

"Hmph! You must have made these pastries so delicious on purpose! You want to fatten me up so I can't fit into my wedding dress and embarrass myself!"

Lucas' eyes were filled with unending warmth.

He gently ruffled Sophia's hair, chuckling helplessly. "No way! My Sophia would look beautiful even if she were as chubby as Droopy."

At the mention of Droopy, the dog wagged its tail happily and ran over, tongue out, begging for attention and treats.

Sophia playfully poked him.

Her eyes sparkled with happiness and anticipation for the wedding, just like mine once did.

Jean teased the golden retriever.

"So, Droopy is his name? So cute!"

Lucas smiled slightly. "Yeah, he's fat and lazy, so we just called him Droopy."

My senior looked at me, her eyes silently reassuring me.

She knew about my Droopy.

"Mia, since you and your colleagues are in South City, why not stay a few more days and join us for our wedding next week? Mia, you promised to be my maid of honor, so help me set up the wedding room these days."

Lucas turned to Captain Johns and the others, inviting them as well. "Yes, our wedding is next Wednesday. We hope you all can come."

"Right, Mia, it's been a while since you visited Mom and Dad. How about inviting everyone over for dinner tonight?"

Captain Johns and the other officers suddenly looked at me.

Jean quietly squeezed my hand, her eyes filled with concern.

"Okay."

I replied with a bitter voice.

I wanted to see Mom and Dad too.

But there was one question I desperately wanted an answer to.