I could clearly feel his hand trembling.

Nathaniel—the man who never flinched even with the sky falling—was shaken.

The last time I saw him like this was when I was being rushed into surgery, my life on the line.

Something about his panic stirred something in me.

“…Okay,” I said at last. “Next Wednesday, I’ll go with you.”

Work had been overwhelming since I took over the company.

But on Wednesday, I cleared my schedule and got into his car early.

He had dressed up—wore the first outfit I ever bought him.

Watching him drive, it felt like a piece of our youth had returned.

Thinking back, I said softly, “You should be the one running the company. It suits you more.”

He smiled faintly. “Today is about you. Just the two of us. Let’s not talk about anything else, alright?”

“Alright.”

I agreed calmly.

But deep inside, a quiet wave stirred.

It had been a long time since I felt this way.

How nice it would be, if things could stay like this forever.

As the car pulled into the Swan Lake Resort, his phone rang.

I glanced at the caller ID.

The contact’s name was “Baby.”

Once upon a time, that name had belonged to me.

Now, it didn’t.

And I already knew who it was.

Nathaniel noticed my gaze and fumbled. “I…”

“Answer it,” I said calmly. “You’re distracted. If you don’t take the call, you won’t be able to focus the whole day, right?”

After a few seconds of hesitation, he picked up.

“Nate, I’m all alone…” Veronica’s voice came through. “Will you come keep me company?”

“I… I’m busy today. I can’t come,” he said.

“But that woman fired me and pushed you out of the inner circle too. Aren’t you as miserable as I am?” she continued, then softened her voice. “Nate, please. I’m so lost without you. I’m afraid I’ll do something stupid. You know I have depression…”

Nathaniel panicked, sneaking glances at me.

My eyes were like ice.

Then Veronica spoke again—her tone low and desperate.

“I know today is her birthday. But if you don’t come… you may never see me again.”

Click.

The call ended.

Nathaniel—usually so calm, so composed—was shaking.

And just like that, the crack in my heart sealed itself shut again. Permanently.

I leaned against the passenger seat and closed my eyes.

“Go. Maybe she really will do something foolish. If you miss it, maybe it’ll be forever.”

“Thank you for understanding. I’ll be back soon,” he said with conviction.

But his words only confirmed my despair.

What I really meant was.

If this is goodbye—it could mean forever.

Forever could be Veronica. Or it could be me. And he chose Veronica.

I got out of the car.

Watched him drive away.

Then whispered to the wind, “There’s no need to come back.”

I spent the whole day alone at the resort.

He never returned.

It wasn’t until late that night that I received a message from him:

[Are you still there?]

[Not at all.]

[Don’t be so cautious. Veronica has depression. I’m just afraid she might do something irrational.]

Nathaniel sent message after message, explaining at length.

But I didn’t bother to read any of them.

He was worried that Veronica might not be able to handle it.

But was he not worried that I might be the one who couldn’t handle it?

He didn’t come back that night.

I shouldn’t have expected him to.

I was the one who couldn’t let go.

But this time was different, it was his choice.

Maybe it really was time for me to let go.

A month later, I secured a massive five-year order for the company from another district.

This deal alone could sustain our operations for half a decade, even without a single new client.

To celebrate, the company threw a party.

No one expected Veronica, who had already been fired, to show up.

Yet she stormed in, grabbed the microphone, stood center stage and glared provocatively at me.

Then she shouted. “Nathaniel! Ivy isn’t worth your love at all!”

Turning to him with desperate affection, she added,

“Promise me. You’ll break up with Ivy. Be with me instead!”

Everyone was stunned.

Some colleagues moved to throw her out, but I stopped them.

I walked up to Nathaniel and said, “Well, since the moment’s already here. Why don’t you just go with her?”

My words shocked the entire room.

Even Veronica stared at me in disbelief.

A heavy silence fell.

I locked eyes with Nathaniel.

His gaze was equally stunned, his expression flickering through disbelief, panic, confusion, fear.

So many emotions in just a few seconds.