When our long-distance relationship finally ended and we were excited to start a life together, my boyfriend enlisted in the army with a dramatic, "Serve the country."

I held on for two years, surviving on nothing but a half-hour call every week.

Then, during a business trip in a foreign city, I saw him. Chand Kimball. The guy who was supposed to be stationed at the border. Instead, he was dressed sharp, escorting a woman into a fancy sports car.

She laughed, her voice carrying in the air.

"Chand, are you still pretending to be the deep, poetic type? Sandra isn’t like the people in our circle. If she finds out you’ve been married for two years and still messing with that little chick on the side, she’ll divorce you."

Chand stepped on the gas.

"Let’s just end it on our anniversary in five days. Sandra's already planning to celebrate with posters all over the city. No way to hide it anymore."

I wiped my tears, pulled myself together and agreed when my mom pushed me to go on a blind date.

But later, I heard Chand walked away from everything, left with nothing, covered in blood, just to get the chance to marry me.

——

The smell of exhaust stung my throat, making me cough. My hands shook as I typed out a message. [When will you be discharged from the army?]

Silence. In the sports car, Chand barely glanced at his phone before tossing it aside. I watched him drive off, my grip tightening on my phone. My chest felt too tight, my breathing unsteady.

I kept sending messages. No response. I scrolled up, staring at the endless green bubbles on my screen.

Over the past two years, I had sent Chand tens of thousands of messages. He had replied to maybe just a few times.

And I had kept going, holding onto those scraps of love, convincing myself they were enough.

I typed "Sandra" and his name into the search bar. The first news article popped up. [A well-known jewelry designer marries the young heir of the Kimball Family! A perfect match!]

The date? The day after I sent Chand off to the army. He got on that train, kissed me goodbye… and then married Sandra Walsh.

The phone rang. I hesitated, covering the screen with my hand before slowly sliding it away. When I saw my mom’s name, my heart turned cold. "Jayla, when are you coming home? How much longer are you going to stay with that man?"

I swallowed hard, my chest tightening. Tears slid down my face, silent and steady. "Mom, I'll come back. I'll do what you want. I'll go on the blind date. I can't do this anymore."

She hung up, satisfied. Meanwhile, I sat there, lost in memories.

For years, I worried about Chand struggling in the army. I saved up, buying him quilts and clothes. He refused them over and over, so I just sent him the money instead.

And now, standing here, I realized everything I gave him over the years wasn’t even worth as much as the watch on his wrist.

The screen of my phone lit up, then dimmed again. I walked back to our rental in a daze, barely feeling my own footsteps.

Under the bed, I pulled out an old cardboard box and opened it. Inside were stacks of letters. I picked one up, then another, reading them over.

From the day we started dating to the day he enlisted to now, we had been together for exactly 1,825 days.

These letters had always made me feel like his love was still with me.

Even when my friend joked that he probably copied them from Google, I told myself Chand just wasn’t good at expressing himself.

I looked around the room. Just a few faded photos on the wall. Years of love and I was the only one holding on.

Then the door opened. Chand walked in, dragging a big suitcase. He reached for my hand, rubbing it gently between his palms, his voice carrying a hint of complaint. "Jayla, I told you I was discharged early. Why didn’t you come pick me up?"

The warmth of his touch made my tears fall before I could stop them. It felt like a dream, a story Chand had spun just for the moment.

And I only had five days left in it because he had already decided how it would end.

I didn’t even have the strength to be angry. I reached out, wanting to touch his face, but my hand dropped weakly. The next thing I knew, everything faded to black.

Somewhere in the haze, I felt Chand tense up. His voice was frantic, calling my name as he carried me out of the house.

When I woke up, the first thing I saw was him gripping the doctor's collar. "Why did she pass out?! If you can't figure it out, get lost!"

I tugged at his sleeve weakly. "Don't… don't make a scene. I'm just exhausted. Haven't been eating much."

He let out a slow breath, finally relaxing. Then the door handle turned. A woman stepped in, her hair flawless, her expression puzzled. "Chand, who is this?"

His fingers slipped from mine. I recognized her immediately. Sandra Walsh. The famous jewelry designer. My boyfriend’s wife.

I forced a small smile. "Oh, I fainted on the street. This gentleman was kind enough to help me."

Sandra's face eased. She nodded, then left. For the first time, I hated how sharp my eyesight was. Because in her hand, I had seen it clearly, a pregnancy report.

Chand hesitated, looking at me. "Jayla, why didn't you ask me?"

I shook my head with a soft smile. "I trust you have your reasons."

If this was all a dream, I might as well let it stay a beautiful one until the end. Chand brought over a bowl of chicken soup, blowing on it before leaning in. When he moved, the couple’s ring on his necklace shifted.

In the sports car earlier, his neck had been bare. I met his eyes and smiled. "Chand, thank you."

He tilted his head slightly, confused.

‘Thank you for the performance. Thank you for staying in character,’ I thought without saying it.

A knock at the door broke the moment. "Mr. Kimball, your wife is ready for her prenatal check-up," the nurse said.

Chand stiffened. He turned to me slowly. I yawned, rolling onto my side. "I'm so sleepy, Chand. Let me nap for a bit."

He exhaled in relief, pressed a kiss to my forehead and left quietly. The second the door closed, warm tears slid down my face, soaking the pillow.

I couldn't hold them back anymore. I got up and followed him out. At the corner, Sandra's voice was sharp. "How much longer, Chand?"

Chand sounded tired. "Just a few more days, Sandra. Wait for me. I'll explain everything."

Sandra flung a stack of papers at Chand’s face, her voice dripping with disdain. "So this is why you keep such a clean image, because you’ve got a thing for side chicks. She couldn’t even afford a toilet in our house if she worked her whole life. She doesn’t deserve you."

The papers scattered everywhere. My eyes landed on them and for a moment, I forgot how to breathe. Page after page, filled with details of our past. Photos. Memories. Proof of a love I thought was real.

I saw us back in college, working part-time, splitting an ice cream, laughing like we had the whole world ahead of us. Now, the sweetness was gone, washed away by the truth.

Chand said nothing. Sandra was already gone. He crouched down, picking up the papers one by one, his fingers lingering over an old photo of us.

I turned and rushed back to the hospital, my pulse pounding. But Sandra was waiting for me. She tossed a bank card and a pregnancy report onto the floor. "I’m having his baby. So do us all a favor, stay out of our lives."

She crossed her arms, smirking. "You’ll never make this kind of money in your lifetime. Take it and walk away. Consider it payment for the years you wasted."

My fingers curled around the card, my voice barely a whisper. "Fine."

The moment she left, I pulled out my phone, typed up my resignation and hit send.

That night, Chand showed up at the hospital, packing up my things like nothing had happened. He draped his coat over my shoulders, his voice softer than I had ever heard. "Layer up, you’ll catch a cold. You scared me, you know?"

"When you fainted today, I kept thinking... is this how you've been living all these years without me? I’m such an idiot. I should've thought about you more. Maybe I never should've joined the army," Chand murmured.

I squeezed his hand and shook my head. "No, I’ve always supported your choices." Even the choice to leave.

Back home, exhaustion pulled me under. Somewhere in the fog of sleep, I heard Chand’s friends talking. "Damn, man, how do you live in a tiny place like this?"

"I heard you're calling it quits. If you are, let me take over. Girls are easiest to get when they're hurting."

"Yeah, I haven't tried the whole 'pure love' thing yet. Might be fun for a change."

The sharp scent of cigarettes drifted through the room. Chand ran his fingers through my hair. "Go ahead. Try if you think you can take her from me."

His hand stilled when he felt the dampness on my face.

Panic flashed in his eyes as he pulled me close, brushing his lips against my tears. "Jayla, what's wrong?"

I curled into him, voice barely above a whisper. "I dreamed you didn't want me anymore."

His body went rigid. His throat bobbed as he swallowed hard. "Are you hungry? Let’s go eat something."

His deflection told me everything. My grip on his sleeve tightened. "Can I have a meal with your family?"

Silence stretched between us. He just stared, completely unprepared for the question.

Then, we went out. Stopped at the supermarket, I loaded the cart with fruit and gifts. Chand tried to stop me, but I stubbornly shoved everything into the car.

Then we pulled up to a modest little house. His parents were warm, welcoming, their faces lighting up at the gifts.

Chand busied himself in the kitchen while I sat with his mom, listening to childhood stories about a boy who grew up running barefoot through the countryside. Not the Chand I knew. Not the one who was all sharp suits and expensive cologne.

We ate, talked, watched TV, just like a normal family. Then his phone rang. Urgent. He stepped outside to take the call. I followed, pretending to wash fruit.

His voice was low but firm. "Sandra, stop pushing me. I’ll just tell her my parents don’t like her and then I’ll end things."

Sandra’s voice dripped with sarcasm. "Since when do you need a whole dramatic setup just to break up?"

The fruit slipped from my hand, landing with a soft thud.

Chand hung up, turned to me and grabbed my hand. Without thinking, he brought my bleeding finger to his lips, sucking on it like it was second nature.

It was something I had taught him years ago. Some habits never fade. The sharp clatter of a knife hitting the cutting board snapped me back. Chand guided me to the sofa, making sure I was settled before heading back to the kitchen.

My phone buzzed. [Didn’t you take the money?! How am I supposed to raise this baby without him?! Will you only be satisfied if I die?]

The words felt like a vise around my chest, squeezing the air out of me. How did my love end up hurting someone like this?

Chand walked back over, pressing a strawberry against my lips. "What’s wrong?" His voice was soft but laced with concern.

I shook my head. He wiped away a stray tear with his thumb, frowning.

"Are you getting emotional because of your period? You’ve been crying a lot lately." Then he smiled a little. "I won’t let you cry anymore, alright?"

Later, after we left his so-called parents' house, I hesitated at the door, watching it close behind me. If only this was where the story ended.

Chand dropped me off so I could prep for my interview. Then my phone buzzed again and somehow, I ended up at the bar.

Through the crack in the door, I saw Chand’s broad shoulders. Sandra was on his lap, her clothes slipping off, her cheeks flushed.

I remembered when I was the one under him, when he was rough, impatient, leaving me too sore to move. When I whined that I was exhausted, he would just kiss my back and murmur “I love you” over and over again.

But now, he was slow. Careful. Like she was something fragile. Sandra moaned, threading her fingers through his hair as his lips pressed against her collarbone.

The room was filled with soft gasps and rustling sheets. I tore the necklace from my neck, the sharp edge digging into my palm. Blood dripped onto the floor.

Chand looked up at her. “Why are you so nervous? How could some disposable trash compare to you?”

Sandra spotted me first. She took Chand’s hand, her expression unreadable. "Chand, do you remember this moon tattoo?"

He smiled. "Of course, it’s my name."

Sandra lifted her wrist, revealing a sun tattoo. “Yeah. We were made to orbit each other.”

Years ago, Chand had traced his tattoo with a smile, his voice soft. “Jayla, you’re my moon. Always shining, always mine.”

The phone slipped from my fingers and hit the ground with a sharp clack. Chand froze. He shoved Sandra aside and stepped into the hallway, his eyes landing on the necklace I had dropped.

Something about it gnawed at him, familiar, but wrong. He reached into his pocket and pulled out its missing half.

His eyes widened. Then he saw the blood. He fumbled for his phone, calling me. A cheerful ring. Then the cold, mechanical voice of an automated response.

Sandra said something, but he wasn’t listening. Then, shouting from the hallway. "A girl just got hit by a car! She went flying!"