After three years of on-and-off relationships with Lance because of Melissa, I was exhausted and finally gave up.

I chose Elmer, my childhood sweetheart, who had been pursuing me for many years.

We had been in love for five years and he took care of everything. I thought he was the one for the rest of my life until the bachelor party a week before the wedding.

His good friend got drunk and exposed his secret thoughts that he had kept secret for many years.

“You have been acting affectionate for Melissa for so many years and finally Erin is willing to marry you wholeheartedly.”

“As long as Melissa can get Lance as she wishes, I am willing to marry someone I don’t love.”

It turned out that the wedding dress he carefully prepared was because of his regret that Melissa couldn’t wear it.

The ring he designed himself was also a sadness that he couldn’t see Melissa wear it.

My self-righteous utopia was a cage that he carefully built with lies just to trap me.

I wiped my tears dejectedly and finally gave up and agreed to the marriage my parents chose for me.

——

“Mom, I agree to the marriage.”

The living room was dark and my shallow voice was clear and numb in the lonely night.

Mom knew I was upset and sighed softly. “Dear, don’t worry about the marriage, leave everything to mom and dad. We can’t say that the person we choose will definitely be your type, but we can guarantee that he is excellent in character and family background. My daughter deserves the best.”

“Thank you, mom.”

“By the way, remember to say goodbye to Elmer when you come back. You have been in Ordgan City for so many years, thanks to his care. When you get married, you must also invite him to have a drink at the wedding.”

I was silent for a moment and said yes.

There was a noise at the door and the living room soon became bright.

Elmer saw me at home and was stunned for a while, then smiled and came over to hug me in his arms. “Who made my baby unhappy?”

He rubbed my neck and kissed me.

I avoided his action. “You smell of alcohol, go take a shower first.”

He pinched my palm and said, “Okay, okay, my baby has an order and I, as her husband, will make sure to wash myself clean.”

When he stood up, he thought of something and said, “Who to invite to the wedding wine?”

Mine. I told him in my heart.

“No one, just a relative.”

His brows relaxed and he said, “Okay, please come back after we get married.”

Seeing his back humming a song as he went to the bathroom, I smiled bitterly.

We wouldn’t get married.

The phone on the coffee table vibrated, it was Elmer’s.

I had no intention of looking at it, but when I stood up, I saw the name on the screen saying “Only Love”.

And that avatar also existed in my WhatsApp friends. [Elmer, he doesn’t want me anymore, I only have you.]

My hands and feet were cold and even my breathing stopped for two beats.

When Elmer came out, I was pouring water.

He habitually picked up the phone and the next moment, even though I had already prepared myself mentally, I still saw his face change instantly.

He went back to his room and hurriedly put on a piece of clothing. He was always a serious person and didn’t even notice that he had buttoned the wrong button.

When he walked to the door, he seemed to remember me standing at the table without saying a word.

He hurried over and said, “Baby, there’s an emergency case in the hospital. I have to go there right away. Don’t wait for me tonight.”

He perfunctorily touched my forehead and as the door closed, the room fell into a dead silence.

I lowered my head, looked at the water flowing all over the table, took a tissue and wiped it carefully.

Then I walked to the refrigerator and took out a birthday cake.

I lit the candles and made a sincere birthday wish for myself before twelve o’clock.

“I wish you happiness every year and I will never return to Elmer in this life.”

It was already noon the next day when Elmer came back.

I was cleaning things with gloves on when I opened the door.

He rubbed his eyebrows and pointed to the black bag piled at the door. “Is there so much garbage at home?”

“Well, there are quite a lot.”

After all, it was all the things he gave me in the past five years.

And every one of them, I flipped through all the dynamics that Melissa specially opened last night for a whole night.

They were all things she mentioned, bought and liked.

Elmer spared no effort to replace all his deep affection for Melissa with me.

And I was like a clown, treating false feelings as treasures.

Now, the garbage should return to the garbage dump.

He didn’t ask or look at it and walked over.

Until he saw that most of the cake was left on the table.

He put a little cream on my nose and when he saw me stop, he raised his eyebrows and laughed. “You like a little greedy cat, why do you suddenly want to eat cake?”

Elmer had a pair of very beautiful and affectionate eyes.

In the past five years, these eyes had smiled at me unparalleled times. This was the first time that I looked at them seriously.

But I couldn’t see any heartfelt meaning.

He was really an excellent actor.

After a few seconds of silence, I whispered, “Yesterday was my birthday.”

The playful smile on the man’s face froze instantly.

He immediately looked up at the calendar on the wall and came to hug me with annoyance on his face.

“I’m sorry, baby. I’m so busy that I forgot. Rolf just organized a party. I’ll take you there to celebrate tonight, okay?”

Rolf was the good friend who exposed his worries. I wanted to refuse, but his phone rang suddenly. He lowered his eyes and smiled at me evasively.

“It’s a call from the hospital. I’ll go over first and pick you up in the evening. Be good, your husband loves you.”

I pretended not to see the call from “Only Love” pop up on the screen. I nodded lightly.

It had been five years. Even if it was over, he was still my friend who had been friends with my family for many years. Let’s treat this dinner as the last good farewell.

At the agreed time, Elmer did not come to pick me up. Instead, an intern from his department came. The young man who had not graduated from college shared his admiration for Elmer with me in a simple mind.

“Mr. Elmer is really amazing. Not only is he a good doctor, but he is also very considerate to his girlfrined.”

Seeing me looking at him sideways, he seemed to be encouraged. “Yesterday, his girlfriend just had her period and he rushed her to the emergency room. I have been with him for two months and I have never seen him so flustered. The doctors in the emergency room can’t speak after being yelled at by him. He stayed with his girlfriend all night, rubbing her hands, rubbing her belly and feeding her brown sugar ginger tea. Such a loving and considerate man. I am so happy. They will get married next week, lovers finally get married.”

He said a lot and finally realized that I was too silent.

“Miss, are you his sister?”

I turned my head and looked at the glass window. My empty face was cut into pieces and mottled by the streetlights outside the window.

I replied lightly, “Yes, I’m his sister.”

Near the box, I stood at the door and heard people shouting “Kiss, kiss, kiss”.

The intern helped me open the door.

Two figures were shrouded in the middle of the light and shadow, facing each other, just a millimeter away. Elmer noticed me and suddenly turned his face.

When the kiss fell on his cheek, he met my calm gaze.

And I clearly saw the regret that flashed in his eyes.

He stood up quickly and nervously took my hand. “Erin, we were just playing dare, I…”

I interrupted with a smile. “I believe you.”

He hesitated and put his arm around my shoulder in a panic. “You all should stop making trouble. If you scare my baby, I will punish you.”

Melissa stood up. She was wearing a tight suspender skirt and walked over with a swaying curve.

“Long time no see, Erin. I heard that you and Elmer are getting married.”

Before I answered, Elmer blurted out, “No.”

Melissa covered her mouth and laughed with an ambiguous meaning. Everyone looked at each other and soon someone changed the topic and started playing again.

Elmer looked at me nervously and wanted to say something, but I had already walked to the corner and sat down.

He followed me and poured me juice, but his eyes were always glued to Melissa, who was drinking with someone not far away.

Until the juice overflowed, I was about to remind him.

He suddenly stood up and grabbed Melissa, who was about to take off her clothes after losing a dare game.

“Are you crazy? Do you know what you are doing?”

Melissa shook off his hand and raised her lips, half drunk and half awake. “What does it have to do with you? Who are you to me? Don’t you know I’m single now? Don’t even mention taking off clothes. As long as I want, I can find anyone to have sex with…”

They made a lot of noise and everyone around them subconsciously quieted down. Rolf drunkenly bumped Melissa with his elbow.

Seeing that she was about to fall, Elmer hugged her in his arms without thinking.

Melissa suddenly struggled and burst into tears. “Let me go, since you don’t want me, don’t bother me. I don’t need your pity.”

Elmer’s face was full of heartache that he couldn’t hide and he said loudly with red eyes, “Who said no one wants you? I want you! I only want you!”

Melissa was stunned for a moment and soon shook her head and cried, “You lied to me, you are going to get married soon; you don’t want me. I will find a man now, whoever wants me, I will sleep with him.” She staggered out.

Elmer’s face was livid and he couldn’t bear it anymore. He went forward and picked her up horizontally and left the box quickly. Most of the people at the scene were Elmer’s friends and former classmates.

They seemed to be used to such scenes. They sighed for a while and then played by themselves. No one remembered that Elmer had a forgotten girlfriend sitting in the corner. Only the intern looked at me awkwardly and helplessly. “Mr. Elmer’s girlfriend, are you okay?”

I guess I must look very embarrassed now, which made him look like he was about to cry. I pulled the corners of my numb mouth, but I couldn’t smile, so I had to leave alone.

But just as I walked out of the box, someone suddenly covered my mouth and nose and dragged me back.

Fear made me struggle desperately. The other party was surprisingly strong and the stench of the breath made my hair stand on end.

“Melissa really didn’t lie to me. This delicate skin and tender flesh look so strong.”

I was pushed into an empty box randomly. My hands and feet were numb, looking at the man who pounced on me, I bit my tongue hard to wake up, picked up the ashtray on the coffee table and threw it at him.

“Fuck, you dare to attack me as a prostitute. You are a slut who has been played by a man, pretending to be a chaste heroine.”

He wanted to pounce on me, but there was a sound of something smashing at the door.

The man shuddered, covered his forehead, cursed and ran away.

I forced back my tears, pressed my trembling arms and left the box without stopping.

At the corner of the stairs, Melissa stood there leisurely.