Skye's POV

"In just two days, Alanna will be back. Seven years of waiting are finally coming to an end—we can’t afford any mistakes now."

Laughter erupted among the group after Derick’s announcement.

“Marriage? Bro, when Miss Alanna left for abroad all those years ago, you were bawling like a kid at the airport, swearing you’d marry her as soon as she came back.”

“Yeah! Don’t tell me you’ve fallen for the little one now.”

“Seriously, man, jokes are fine, but don’t mess around with marriage. If you do, you’ll have to grovel in Alanna’s ‘hell hath no fury’ zone.”

Derick smirked, unbothered. “Didn’t I already reject her? The only person I’ve ever wanted to marry is Alanna. She’s my dream.”

Hiding in the shadows, I felt tears blur my vision.

So, I had never been a part of Derick’s future—not from the very beginning.

I stumbled away from the scene, the cold night air hitting me like a slap in the face.

'Skye, if love isn’t yours to have, let it go,' I thought to myself in resignment.

Derick didn’t come home until the next morning but left warm Parisian pastries on the table, just like he always did.

When he saw me barefoot, he immediately rushed over and scooped me up, placing me on the couch.

“You never wear shoes. If your stomach cramps up during your period, don’t expect me to help,” he scolded lightly.

I laughed, tucking my feet under a cushion.

Derick knew my cycle like clockwork. Every time the pain made me pale, he’d hold me close, keeping my stomach warm.

But in two days, the person in his arms wouldn’t be me anymore.

When he held out a pastry to me, I shook my head.

No matter how sweet, love that doesn’t belong to you is just an illusion. Like pastries that taste overly sugary, they leave only bitterness behind.

“Derick, my advisor just called for a meeting, and I’m already running late. I’ll eat it when I get back.”

Before he could respond, I darted into the elevator, unable to bear sharing the same space with him any longer.

The moment I realized he didn’t love me, I should’ve understood—I didn’t belong here anymore.

For the first time, I lied to him. The truth was, there were no meetings. Apart from tomorrow’s graduation ceremony, I had nothing left at school.

At the café, I video called my brother.

His job was highly restrictive, and calls or video calls were always strictly scheduled. When he saw me, his first words were: “Are you and Derick now over?”

My brother had strongly opposed my relationship with Derick from the start, though he never told me why. Over time, as I gushed endlessly about Derick’s many virtues, he reluctantly came around.

Years ago, when Alanna invited me to study abroad, I chose to stay in the country for graduate school, unwilling to endure a long-distance relationship.

But I had always dreamed of working in an international lab.

This time, there was nothing holding me back. I was finally free to spread my wings and fly.

“Yeah, Alanna’s coming back,” I murmured, a silent understanding passing between us.

My brother, Piers Alvarez, stared at me through the screen, his expression somber. After a long pause, he finally spoke.

“I'll buy you a ticket for tomorrow, okay?”

Tears streamed down my face as I nodded.

Within three minutes, a flight confirmation appeared on my phone: [July 7th, 12:12 a.m.]

It wasn’t just any date. It was Alanna’s birthday.

Derick was meticulous to a fault. He even marked Alanna’s birthday down to the minute.

I’d once found those numbers written on the cover of a locked journal while tidying up the house. Back then, I thought they were scribbled absentmindedly.

Now I knew—the faded numbers represented seven years of his devotion to Alanna.

From the café window, I watched Derick’s car speed past before I returned home.

Once there, I pulled out my suitcase and started packing.

Skye's POV

Seven years was enough to fill this space to the brim.

It felt like everything here should come with me, yet none of it felt like mine.

But when I opened Derick’s journal, the truth became painfully clear.

The couple’s mugs on the table? They were something he promised to buy for Alanna. The cushions on the couch? They were Alanna’s favorite pattern. The gardenias in the corner? It was Alanna’s favorite flower. Even my toiletries were the same brand Alanna had always used.

I used to think Derick loved me so much that he cared for me in every possible way. But now I realized that all this time, he had only been loving me as if I were Alanna.

I shook my head silently.

If everything belongs to someone else, I might as well leave it all behind.

As I was gathering my documents for leaving the country, Derick came home. He looked exhausted with dark circles under his eyes, his whole body weighed down by fatigue.

Instinctively, he pulled me into his arms, resting his head on my shoulder.

“Skye, what are you looking for?” he asked softly.

“My passport,” I replied without much thought.

Before I could figure out how to explain, he straightened up, went to a drawer, and handed it to me.

“Silly girl, I always keep your things organized. Here.”

In Derick’s mind, I was supposed to stay by his side forever, so it had never occurred to him that I might leave.

I placed the passport into a folder, gently patting his hand.

“You’re already so busy. I feel bad making you help me even more.”

He closed his eyes and buried his face in the crook of my neck, murmuring, “It’s okay. I like doing things for you.”

I smiled faintly, looking at the reflection of this devoted man in the mirror.

Seven years of feelings deserved a proper goodbye. The beginning should always had an end.

“Derick, can you come to my graduation ceremony tomorrow?”

His hands loosened from around my waist, and then, in a sudden move, he pinned me against the dresser.

“Of course. I’ll take you there tomorrow morning,” he replied, his voice filled with affection.

Before I could respond, he leaned in to kiss me.

But I skillfully slipped out of his arms, laughing playfully. “Wait, let me take a shower first.”

Knowing Derick didn’t love me, there was no point in indulging his tenderness any longer.

By the time I came out of the bathroom, he was already fast asleep, snoring loudly. It seemed planning for Alanna’s return had completely drained him.

The next morning, Derick was up early.

When I was ready, I found the breakfast table covered with all my favorite dishes.

As I watched him bustling around the kitchen, I noticed a hint of nervousness in his movements.

Of course, he was nervous—today was the day Alanna, the person he’d been waiting for, finally returned. Who wouldn’t be?

Seeing me frozen in place, he walked over and tapped my forehead lightly.

“Silly girl, hurry up and eat, or you’ll be late.”

I nodded, sitting down to quietly share what I knew would be our last breakfast together.

When we stepped out, Derick grabbed my hand.

Before I could react, a diamond ring slid onto my finger.

“Skye, congratulations on your graduation,” he said with a smile.

The diamond sparkled brilliantly under the light, but I didn’t feel a thing. I simply said, “Thank you,” with polite indifference.

I wasn’t going to keep playing the role of the devoted couple with him anymore.

Because once again, he wasn’t proposing to me—he was practicing for Alanna.

Last night, I’d seen the messages in his “proposal planning” group chat.

[Derick, if you’re nervous, practice with your girl at home a few more times.]

[Yeah. After all, those two seemed to have the same taste in everything.]

[Derick, do a trial run with Skye tomorrow morning. You can’t mess this up—especially after buying a diamond worth a fortune. But if Alanna rejects you, don't worry, it won't be a total waste as your girl would surely love it.]

Skye's POV

That morning, when Derick slipped the ring onto my finger, I finally understood—it was all part of their plan.

Every gift he had ever given me was something Alanna had rejected first.

Seeing the hopeful look on Derick’s face fall to disappointment oddly made me feel a sense of satisfaction. Still, I suppressed my laughter and glanced at my watch, pretending to check the time.

“Derick, if we don’t leave now, we’re gonna be late.”

Only then did he grab his car keys and pull me along in a rush.

When I got into the passenger seat, it was obvious he had cleaned the car thoroughly. Every trace of me had been erased.

Arriving at the entrance to the ceremony hall, I stepped out of the car. Derick then handed me my bag and finally said his fake excuse, “Skye, I have something at work this afternoon, so I’ll send my assistant to pick you up, okay? But I’ve already booked that restaurant you’ve been talking about all week. Let’s celebrate there tonight.”

I smiled politely. “Alright. Goodbye, Derick.”

Then, without looking back, I walked toward the hall.

Every time he had dropped me off before, I was the one watching him leave. This time, I wanted him to watch me walk away.

Why waste emotions on a man whose heart wasn’t with me anymore?

The graduation ceremony went as expected. I chatted and took photos with teachers and classmates, savoring those last moments before saying goodbye. By the time the sun dipped below the horizon, it was over.

Afterward, I handed a deliveryman a gift box to pass along for me, hailed a cab, and headed to the airport.

The airport was bustling, filled with people saying goodbyes and welcoming loved ones. But I was alone, heading to a foreign country with no one to see me off.

Just then, I spotted Derick and Alanna from a distance.

They looked stunning together—a picture-perfect couple that naturally drew attention. Like lovers reunited after years apart, they held each other tightly.

I watched as Derick presented a bouquet of vivid red roses to Alanna while the latter covered her face, crying. Derick then fumbled to comfort her.

Loving someone was a chaotic mess in itself.

But while my heart had gone still, Derick’s was still in a storm.

I was letting go of seven years of happiness, and he was stepping into seven years of love.

Watching their retreating figures, I waved at them, saying my silent goodbye.

Goodbye, Derick, we'll never meet again.

As I prepared to board, my phone buzzed with a message from an unknown number.

[Skye, I’m back. Thank you for taking care of Derick for me.]

Attached was a photo of Alanna and Derick locked in a passionate embrace.

Despite reading such a provocative message, I didn’t reply and simply turned off my phone instead.

As the plane took off, I caught a glimpse of the illuminated words on a high tower below: [Happy Birthday, Alanna.]

Derick had declared his love to the entire city.

By now, he was probably proposing to her.

I smiled faintly. Derick, may we both get what we wish for.

When I landed with the sunrise, I pulled out my phone to call my brother, only to find my notifications flooded with missed calls and messages—all from Derick.

I thought his heart and mind would be entirely focused on Alanna. Why would he care about me anymore?

If I’m cutting ties, I’ll do it cleanly.

With that thought, I turned off my phone again and switched to the backup one I had prepared in advance.

Third Person's POV

Meanwhile, Derick held the ring Skye’d sent him through the deliveryman, his hands trembling.

His friends tried to console him, urging him not to waste any more time.

“Derick, take the ring and go!”

“Come on, man, stop shaking and hurry up!”

“Are you now having second thoughts about giving the ring to her?"

But despite their urging, Derick still stood frozen, staring at the ring.

Alanna noticed something was off and walked over, smiling as she linked her arm with his.

“Derick, I’ll accept it. I came back to marry you, remember? You don’t have to be nervous.”

But just as she finished speaking, Derick abruptly pulled his hand away.

“Alanna, it’s late. You’re still jet-lagged. Why don’t you rest for now?” Derick said before abruptly turning and rushing out of the room, leaving behind an awkward silence.

For the first time, Derick drove home at breakneck speed. He couldn’t wait—he needed to confirm his suspicions immediately.

When he burst through the door, he called Skye's name over and over, but no one answered.