Chapter 3

After a night of quiet grief, I thought that was our last meeting. But fate, it seemed, had a cruel sense of humor. The very next day, I ran into him again at the hospital.

He was supporting a beautiful woman, her stomach slightly rounded, as they waited in line outside the OB-GYN clinic.

My mind went blank, my heart seized up. Before I could even react, my body moved on its own. I quickly backed away, hiding behind a wall.

Peeking through the crack, I saw Liam, tall and broad-shouldered, his profile still impossibly handsome. The woman beside him was graceful, with just a slight bump showing, her skin glowing with health. They looked perfect together.

I clutched my chemo schedule and turned to the correct floor.

I’d never made a mistake before, but today, a cruel coincidence had led me to this sight. Perhaps the universe was telling me my choice had been right, my decision not wrong.

It was good. His happiness was exactly what I wanted, wasn't it?

I wiped away my tears and took a deep breath.

After my chemotherapy, I walked towards the hospital exit in a daze. Suddenly, someone came out of a side corridor and bumped into me. I steadied myself and looked closely. It was Liam, and the pregnant woman beside him.

He carefully steadied the woman, then looked at me with a frown of blame.

“Watch where you’re going.”

*But she bumped into me, didn’t she?* I thought indignantly, biting my lip so hard to keep from losing control in front of him.

I didn’t want to prolong the encounter, so I mumbled an apology and turned to leave. But the woman spoke softly, “Liam, it was my fault. I wasn’t watching. Why are you blaming her?”

Liam shot me an icy glance. “I was afraid she’d try to make a scene.”

My heart tightened.

The woman gave Liam a gentle, chiding look, clearly disapproving. “This lady looks very kind. How can you say that? Apologize to her.”

Liam looked at me with a half-smile, saying nothing.

I awkwardly waved my hand, indicating it was fine, and quickly bolted out the door.

Only once I was far away did I let out a heavy breath. Seeing the man I loved with his wife, showing such affection to her while giving me a cold shoulder – the feeling was unbearable. Most painful of all, I had once seen and felt his tender gaze, imagined our married life, a life with children.

No, stop thinking about it. I slapped my cheeks, trying to clear my head.

But just as I started to feel a little clearer, sadness overwhelmed me again as I scanned for a rental bike.

From a distance, I saw Liam helping the woman into a car. Unlike the luxury sports car from last time, this one was different, more practical and comfortable, likely for the pregnant woman. But it was just as high-end.

Liam carefully placed his hand on the door frame, shielding her head so she wouldn't bump it. Once she was settled, he gently closed the door and walked around to the driver’s side.

I watched, numb with sorrow.

Suddenly, Liam looked up in my direction. Though he was far away, I still ducked my head like I'd been caught doing something wrong, scanned the code, and cycled away.

It was almost eight in the evening when I returned to my apartment. I looked at the ghost of a woman staring back at me from the mirror, and forced a strained smile.

My last three months. I didn’t want to give up.

Even if I had no family left in this world.

I cooked myself a hearty dinner, ate until I was full, tidied up my apartment, and went to bed promptly at ten.

Usually, it took an hour or two of pain before I could fall asleep, but tonight my body was unusually calm. Perhaps the universe was finally taking pity on me.

That night, I had a dream I hadn't had in ages. I dreamed of freshman year, when I saw him, tall and handsome, at orientation and instantly fell for him. I launched into a relentless, borderline shameless pursuit.

He went from being completely indifferent to slowly getting used to my presence. At his big lecture classes, his roommates, who used to just watch our little drama unfold, started saving a seat next to him for me. And he, well, he never said anything, but he knew.

One time, I skipped his early morning class, choosing to sleep in my dorm.

He texted me, *What happened? Why aren't you here?*

I was in such a deep sleep that I didn't hear several messages come in.

After class, he called. I answered, groggy and my voice thick with sleep, clearly having just woken up. He got so angry he hung up without saying a word.

Later, I learned from his roommates that because I hadn't shown up or replied to his texts, he thought something had happened to me. He was distracted throughout class, and even his favorite calculus professor publicly scolded him, saying he shouldn't let love interfere with his studies. "How could the top student, the absolute academic superstar, be derailed by a clingy groupie?"

He snapped back at the professor, his face tight with anger, right there in front of everyone: "She's not a groupie. She's my girlfriend."

After class, he immediately called me, worried sick, only to find out I was just sleeping.

He was in a silent huff for ages after that, refusing to talk to me.

Later, on a walk, I said, “Didn't you say I was your girlfriend? Why are you giving your girlfriend the cold shoulder?”

He just glanced at me, neither denying nor confirming.

I puffed out my cheeks, pretending to be annoyed, and loudly declared, “Since you're not denying it, you're my boyfriend starting today!”

He didn't argue. He looked calm on the surface, but the flush creeping up his ears gave him away.

Seeing his eyes filled only with me, I felt a rush of heat and leaned in to kiss him.

It was early March, the air just turning warm. A crescent moon hung above, mirroring his surging, yet restrained, affection. The willows by the road were just budding, fragile and new, just like our love.

After a moment of stunned surprise, he held me tight and said seriously, “I’ll never let go of you, and you must never leave me.”

I nodded vigorously in his arms.

He always kept his word. For the next seven years, he cherished me, indulging my every whim.

But I was the one who broke my word.