"Pretending? No one can put on such an act. If he weren't strong, he would have died from the pain."

The doctor immediately injected me with anesthesia and assorted medicines. I was in so much pain from the countless needle jabs that I let out a low growl.

Rosa suddenly said, "Fred, don't be afraid. It's just an ant bite. Don't worry."

I suddenly thought back to the time when we just got together.

I went to her with an injured kitten, only to see her crying. Her eyes were reddened, and she had a bunny in her arms.

When she saw the injured kitten, she quickly put the bunny down to attend to the kitten.

I was moved by her gentle yet resilient character. From then onward, I would often show up with a kitten or a puppy in my hand, just hoping to have a chance to see her.

I brightened up her day and made her laugh every time I saw her. One day, just when I was about to confess my feelings to her, she suddenly told me that she liked me.

I thought our feelings were mutual and that we were building something together, but I often saw her stroking the bunny's fur, looking distant and unfocused.

Later, I found out that the bunny was a gift from Jack, her first love. Back then, Jack left the country to further his studies.

When I found out about the truth, we had a huge fight. Later, Rosa proposed to me. As she put the ring on my finger, she said, "Fred, I only like you. Let's get married. I'll make you feel safe."

In our second year of marriage, Jack returned. I was asked to head to Chicilly for work, but Rosa was here. How could I possibly leave her?

After a long time of planning, Rosa pleaded with me to let her bring Jack along with her. They said that this was one of their regrets when they were together.

I generously agreed to it. In the car, the two of them were inseparable, like lovers finally reunited after a long separation.

Jack was also a veterinarian. Along the way, they chatted and joked about technical things that I wouldn't understand.

Rosa laughed so hard she buried herself in Jack's arms. Jack said jokingly, "Rosa, I wrote you love letters in the past, but I only found out after I graduated that our professor didn't pass them to you."

Rosa froze, looking at Jack in disbelief. Tears started welling up in her eyes. "I didn't know that you used to like me. I-"

Jack smiled and said, "It's all in the past now. You're happy with Fred."

Rosa suddenly sounded anxious, her voice cracking as she said, "But Jack, I like-" Suddenly sensing that I was next to her, Rosa stopped mid-sentence.

I knew that Rosa liked Jack and that he was her first love, but hearing it out loud would kill me.

I turned to see Rosa looking at me tenderly, comforting me. A long time ago, we used to be this sweet with each other.

If anyone commented about my career, she would stand up for me and snap at them, "My boyfriend's the best Wolvesmith there ever was! If you say anything about him, I'll get him to release the wolves on you!"

Her fierce expression was like an anxious kitten. I fell in love with her. I thought about proposing to her.

But in a mere few hours, I changed my mind.

After receiving all the necessary injections, I fell into a deep slumber.

When I woke up once more, I heard laughter and playful shouting outside.

"Jack! Go slower!"

Through the window, I saw Rosa in a traditional outfit, adorned with jingling bells, their chimes as cheerful as her. Jack was in a matching outfit.

They rode on a horse under the sun, galloping through the grasslands.

A crowd started to gather, watching them as they dazzled brightly. Everyone thought that they were a match made in heaven.

"Jack, I love riding horses!"

"Rosa, if you'd like, shall we ride forever?"

Listening to their flirtatious dialogue, the sun was shining so brightly into my eyes that I could barely open them.

Rosa went closer to Jack and kissed him. I was stunned and silent, seeing them kiss.

Rosa smiled shyly. She immediately got down from the horse and ran off. Jack was still reminiscing about the kiss.

I lowered my head and chuckled self-deprecatingly. Of course. No one could stop her from falling for her first love.

When Rosa returned to my room, still blushing, I stared at her intensely. She felt extremely uneasy from my stares.

She ran over and said, "Fred, you're up! I'm sorry. It was all an accident. I didn't mean to hurt you. Don't be mad." She tugged at me coquettishly, just like before.

The only thing was that we could never go back to before.

I shrugged her off and looked at her icily. Rosa was stunned by my reaction. She pouted her lips, looking aggrieved. "Fred, why are you doing this?"

She suddenly thought of something, then she looked at me timidly and asked, "Fred, did you go online?"

I looked at her and shook my head. "No."

She sighed in relief. "That's good. There's nothing good to see online. Rest well! I'll go and get you some grilled lamb. That's your favorite, right?"

At least she still remembered I liked lamb, but she seemed to have forgotten that I was so seriously injured, and I was in no condition to have such oily foods.

It was not that she truly forgot. She just could not be bothered to care.

When she saw Jack eating lamb, she angrily took it away and replaced it with some healthy food.

I shut my eyes and took a deep breath before going to see Rosa's social media page.

Upon entering, I saw pictures of them riding horses, dancing, and eating. Jack's arm was around Rosa while they shared a plate of food and drinks.

The caption wrote, [After everything, I still found my way to you. I'm truly happy!]

The comments were all congratulating her.

[Our Rosa finally got everything that she wished for!]

[I saw you together with Fred, I thought you two were together!]

[Wishing you all the best!]

Rosa and I were together for four years and married for two. She never once posted a photo of me online. She said she didn't like showing off, so I let her be.

She said she did not like people attending our wedding, so we did not have one. We only got registered. Even until now, my parents still constantly lectured me about having a proper wedding, but I took it all in. For her.

The photos she posted of her and Jack seemed to be mocking me. Mocking me for being so foolishly sincere in the past.

I gave her my heart only for her to crush it into pieces. My heart meant nothing in front of her first love.

The pain in my heart slowly turned into numbness. With trembling fingers, I wrote, [I wish you all the best. Goodbye.]

Then, I quit the app.

I left the hotel with a limp when suddenly Rosa came out running to me frantically. "Fred, where are you going?"

I ignored her and continued onward.

Rosa went up to me and grabbed my injured arm. She did not realize it, but it was extremely painful, yet I was so numb I could not feel anything.

I turned to look at my arm stiffly, seeing blood seeping through the bandages. I said, "You're touching my injuries."

Rosa suddenly realized with a jolt. She immediately let me go and apologized profusely, "I'm sorry. Fred. I'm just worried that you'll get yourself hurt."

I smiled at her with a pale face, "I'm just going to the Wolvesmith's Base."

Rosa smiled in relief. "Alright then. Go. What a fool. You're already hurt, yet you still want to go to work."

This time, I could no longer force a smile. I left.

Upon reaching the Wolvesmith's Base, the person in charge, Hunter Regan, came to welcome me.

"Mr. Presley, you're finally here! Our wolves are waiting for you!"

Then, he immediately noticed my injuries. He asked hesitantly, "Mr. Presley, are you alright?"

I replied with a smile, "I'm fine. I'll be working here from now on. This will be my home."

I was orphaned from a young age. My parents abandoned me when I was little. I craved love, but it no longer mattered.

Hunter took me to see the wolves. A dozen wolves were kept in a fenced area. He said that a family owned those wolves, but the wolves were too ferocious and would often sneak out to hurt people, so they wanted me to train them.

Perhaps, I did look intimidating. When I arrived, the wolves stopped howling. A few even cowered in fear.

However, a few bigger ones stared at me with hunger gleaming in their gazes.

I scanned around to see that I had all the tools I needed. I picked up a whip. Those bigger wolves were still standing their ground. They growled at me threateningly.

Hunter looked at me with fear. "Mr. Presley, I know how amazing you are, being the best Wolvesmith in the country at such a young age, but these wolves are truly terrifying. You don't have to."

Before he could finish his sentence, those few wolves tried to escape the fence. Hunter was so frightened he yelped and retreated.

I quietly walked over to them, never taking my eyes off them.

Whenever they growled or howled, I hit the ground loudly with the whip. In a few short moments, they quieted down and looked at me with a whimper.

Hunter cheered and applauded me.

At that moment, Jack appeared with Rosa's bunny, Bubbles. "Fred, you're amazing! I'm truly in awe!"

He walked over to me while stroking Bubbles. "But, you can't train humans the way you train wolves."

I ignored him and patted the ferocious wolf through the fence. The wolf let out a few obedient howls.

Jack continued nonchalantly, "Rosa's a strong woman. She doesn't go for your violent behaviors. She prefers the softer type. Someone like me. Haha!"

I looked at him icily. "What are you trying to say?"

Jack said slowly, "Bubbles is like a daughter to me and Rosa. If it weren't for the love letters going missing, do you think we would have been apart for so long?" He came closer to me.

The wolf next to me suddenly got all agitated, glaring at Jack and Bubbles. He was hungry. I had a bad feeling.

Bearing through the pain, I shoved Jack away. "Get lost!"

Jack retreated backward, but Bubbles sprang out of his arms.

"Bubbles!" I called out in fear, trying to catch the escaped bunny. There were wolves everywhere, not to mention a huge gap beneath the fence.

I knew how much Rosa cared for Bubbles. Bubbles was with us for a long time. She was family to us.

Bubbles fled in exasperation. I bent down, trying to grab it, but my injuries prevented me from bending down.

All I could do was stand and watch Bubbles running into the wolf's den. The wolves' gaze lit up when they saw food.

I tried my best to stop the wolves, but we barely got to know each other. They wouldn't listen to me.

I watched in horror as the wolves tore Bubbles apart from limb to limb.

When Rosa arrived, she saw Bubbles being eaten alive, leaving only a few tufts of fur on the ground.

"Bubbles!" She wailed and fell to the ground, grabbing onto the last few tufts of fur.

She sobbed and wailed loudly for a long time before looking up at me with resentment in her eyes. "It's all your fault! You killed Bubbles!"