"Eva Morton, you left without saying goodbye, and now you're back?"

I had barely taken my seat when someone mocked me.

I glanced over at Shaun Coleman not far from me.

A cold smile played on his lips as he twirled his glass in a manner that kept others at a distance.

He hadn't even looked up since I entered.

Bitterness welled up inside me as I replied, "I had no choice."

I had returned to deal with a copyright dispute; otherwise, I wouldn't have come back at all.

I quickly downed a shot of strong liquor.

The burning sensation of alcohol coursed down my throat and seared through my chest, making me cough violently.

I hadn't expected that just dropping by a friend's bar would lead me to encounter Shaun.

Back then, we had a passionate and well-known relationship.

At least, I was passionate enough.

On his birthday, instead of receiving my gift, he got my breakup notice.

[Let's break up. Being in a relationship with you was a reckless gamble that I lost. I'm tired of it, tired of acting.]

The reckless gamble was true, but being tired was not.

I had hoped he would beg me to stay, but he hadn't.

Shaun was too proud. Even when we became a couple, I had to take the initiative.

I had watched him walk away, his proud back making me laugh and cry before I left the country.

That departure lasted five years.

During those years, we cut off all contact, and this was our first meeting since.

Everything took me by surprise.

Many of those present were Shaun's friends.

They didn't like my answers and began to tease me.

I was made to drink one glass after another, and my face turned red from the alcohol.

When I could hardly stand anymore, Shaun suddenly laughed, and the lively atmosphere quickly cooled.

Lost, I looked over at him. For a moment, he seemed like the fragile boy I remembered. Maybe I was too drunk to control my smile.

Shaun looked away from me and leaned back in his seat. The shadows of the booth enveloped him, making it difficult to see his expression.

His tone was cold when he finally spoke. "Five years apart, and your acting skills haven't improved at all.

"This time, how do you plan to act?"

He was an elite lawyer, and his words were icy and cutting.

I sobered up, suppressed my laughter, and fought back my tears. I retorted, "We broke up long ago, Mr. Coleman. Can it be you can't let go?"

After five years, I no longer knew how to talk nicely with him.

His face grew even colder. Everyone looked at me, then at him, but no one dared to intervene.

In the standoff, his phone rang, and the gentle voice of a woman came through.

"When will you be back?"

"Wait for me at home. I'll be back soon."

His impatience was instantly gone, and his eyes were filled with tenderness. It felt like a punch in the cheat, causing me a lot of pain.

It seemed like everyone else had moved on.

Only I remained in the same spot.

Shaun hurried away, and I sighed with relief, leaving the bar and lighting a cigarette outside.

The summer night wind blew away my annoyance.

In the swirl of smoke, memories of the past hit me.

When I first entered college, I fell in love with Shaun at first sight.

He was a top student, reserved and noble. He became an obsession I thought about day and night.

I heard that Shaun liked delicate women, so I tried to act delicate in every way.

Under my persistent pursuit, Shaun agreed to be my boyfriend.

Three years into the relationship, most of the time it was me taking the initiative. He was reserved to the point that even intimacy had to start with me.

Only when I provoked him did he lose his composure and teach me a harsh lesson.

Throughout this lukewarm relationship, I never felt his love.

Later on Shaun's birthday, I discovered my brother's diary hidden at the top of the bookshelf.

He had hidden it so well that even when the police came to investigate earlier, they couldn't find it.

The person my brother used to bully turned out to be Shaun.

This reality hit me hard.

I no longer hoped for his love.

Even being in the same space with him made it hard for me to breathe.

The weight of the past was too heavy, and I found myself immersed in memories, unintentionally falling into a warm embrace.

It startled me.

But before I could jump away, the person spoke.

"Why are you alone here?"

It was Wilbert Porter, my brother's friend. He was a rich kid from Mistwood and also my nominal fiancé.

His voice was deep, his chest pressing against my back intimately. I was uncomfortable and struggled to free myself from his embrace.

After ensuring a safe distance, I replied softly, "It's stuffy inside. I came out for some fresh air."

He paid no attention to my resistance. Behind his glasses, his eyes held a gentle smile that made me feel even more guilty.

During those years abroad, I owed much to his care, which helped me stand firm.

But I couldn't give him what he wanted.

"Saw him?" he asked.

I bit my lip, surprised that he brought up Shaun himself.

Wilbert knew something about what happened between me and Shaun.

Wilbert and my brother were classmates. During those years abroad, I often subconsciously mentioned Shaun.

I had even indirectly tried to find out the truth about the bullying.

Unfortunately, Wilbert knew little about it, and he had a distant relationship with Shaun. I had to give up.

Facing his question, I could only nod and change the subject.

"Just had a drink, feeling a bit tired. I think I'll head back. Tomorrow, I have to visit my parents in my hometown."

I came here today because the bar owner was Wilbert's friend. He arrived late, and that was how I ended up meeting Shaun and the others.

Wilbert didn't insist, and he drove me back home.

He offered to accompany me to visit my parents.

But I wasn't ready. I blurted out, "No need."

Realizing my reaction was too intense, I awkwardly looked out the window, unable to meet his gaze.

The atmosphere became awkward. After a minute, Wilbert reached out and patted my hand. "It's okay. I can wait."

His words eased my tension considerably, and I thanked him softly.

Our old house was located downtown, and we arrived quickly.

After my brother's death, my parents moved back to their hometown. I was living in the old house alone.

The residents were mostly elderly people. They slept early, and there were hardly any people on the streets now.

Wilbert originally planned to escort me into the compound, but his friend was urging him, so he had to leave.

After bidding him farewell, I walked slowly towards the apartment building alone.

This road carried so many memories of my childhood. My brother used to love snatching candies from me. Dad would lift me onto his shoulders and spin around in circles, and then there was Shaun.

Each beautiful memory seemed like it was just yesterday.

Tears unexpectedly rolled down my cheeks. I quickly looked up to hold them back, only to see Shaun standing there in the dim streetlight.

His sudden appearance jolted me back to the winter vacation of my senior year.

Shaun had traveled across the city, riding buses for a long time, just to come see me.

It was snowing heavily that day, and here we were standing under this same streetlight.

He had teased me, saying I looked like a little old lady with gray hair. I jumped into his arms, brushing snow all over him.

"Does this count as us growing old together?" I asked eagerly.

His eyes had sparkled brightly at me, like they were filled with stars. I had thought I owned him.

Unfortunately, in the river of time, those stars gradually dimmed, leaving only darkness. I had lost the most precious thing after all.

A moth made a sudden thud against the lampshade, pulling me back from my memories.

Shaun was looking at me.

After what seemed like a century, we spoke at the same time.

"Why are you crying?"

"What are you doing here?"

There was a moment of awkwardness in his expression, but he quickly regained his composure and replied, "I'm here to pick up some documents from a client who lives here."

I nodded, confirming to myself that he wasn't here to see me, strangely not disappointed.

"Missing my brother," I replied.

"You have a brother? I haven't heard you mention him before," he said, surprised.

My brother's death was not glorious. The whole city had been in an uproar back then, but the school, for privacy reasons, hadn't disclosed much.

Since then, our family rarely mentioned him, not out of shame but fear of sadness.

Now it seemed that Shaun didn't know at all that I was the sister of the person who bullied him.

I dared not to continue chatting. He had always been sensitive, and I was afraid of what he might find out, so I said goodbye to him and walked away.

A moment later, footsteps behind me made me think he had gone. Turning back, I bumped into him.

The strange smell of tobacco stimulated my nasal cavity.

Years passed, and Shaun, who had a cleanliness habit, learned to smoke.

In a panic, I pulled away and tried to walk away, but Shaun suddenly reached out, pulling me into his arms.

"Eva, do you want to come back to me?"

His voice was deep and as intoxicating as wine.

My heart raced so fast that I felt dizzy. A surge of impulse gathered in my mouth, ready to burst out, when Wilbert's text came in.

[Have you arrived home?]

Instantly, I deflated like a balloon that had lost its air, rapidly shrinking and cooling down.

"Shaun, I..." Before I could finish, I sniffled and hurriedly used a tissue to wipe it, feeling embarrassed.

He didn't laugh at me, but instead raised his hand to gently stroke my back. His voice was soothing, but I could feel his tension.

"You don't have to rush to give me an answer. You..."

His words were interrupted by a sudden exclamation.

"Eva?"

I was startled by this familiar voice and hastily broke free from Shaun's embrace.

As we both turned to look outside, we saw Wilbert standing there with a dark expression.

Shaun's hand was still half around me in a hug.

And I was surprised by Wilbert's return.