Chapter 3

I dialed her number twice, but it went straight to voicemail.

My fingers were trembling from the biting cold. By accident, I tapped the FaceTime button—and to my surprise, the screen connected instantly.

Victoria had both hands clamped onto the steering wheel, her lips pressed into a tight line.

"What is it, Leo? I'm busy right now."

"You just drove right past City Hall! Why didn't you stop? It's almost noon! Don't you know I've been waiting out here the entire morning?!"

Victoria furrowed her brows. Instead of answering, she let out a muffled whimper.

A second later, she cleared her throat, coughing awkwardly.

"Leo, I think I caught a cold. I don't want to get you sick. Let me stop by a pharmacy to grab some masks first."

She looked genuinely distressed. Sweat was beading along her temples, her breathing came fast and shallow, and her cheeks were flushed crimson.

Every few seconds, an involuntary, stifled gasp slipped past her lips.

A sudden wave of worry hit me.

"How about I take you to urgent care first, and then we can head to City Hall?"

Suddenly, the low, deep grunt of a man echoed through the speaker.

"Alright, that's enough—I have to run and pick up those limited-edition dumplings Keith wanted. Just wait for me, okay? I'll be there soon."

"Victoria—"

Did she completely forget that I had already been waiting out in the freezing cold for hours?

The phone was abruptly snatched away. In the scramble, the camera tilted downward for a fraction of a second, and my blood ran ice-cold.

In that single heartbeat, I saw a man's hand resting squarely between Victoria's thighs.

And on that hand... was the wedding band that belonged to me.

The call was abruptly disconnected.

A suffocating chill crept over my entire body, stinging behind my eyes.

My mind reeled, refusing to process what I had just seen. My hands shook violently as I hammered out a message to Victoria.

"City Hall reopens after lunch and closes at five. I'll wait for you."

"Victoria, don't forget what today is. You promised me."

I collapsed onto a concrete bollard by the curb.

My eyes stayed glued to the hourglass that only I could see.

One bar drained: one in the afternoon.

Two bars drained: three in the afternoon.

...

Another bar was nearly empty. Five o'clock was creeping up.

City Hall was about to lock its doors for the day.

My legs had gone numb from the freezing wind, but I dragged myself to the entrance steps. That way, if she pulled up, we could sprint inside before they turned the lights off.

I tried calling her again.

An automated voice coldly informed me that the phone was turned off.

Ping! Ping!

Right as I lowered my phone, a notification popped up.

Keith had posted a short clip in the family group chat on SnapChat.

In the video, Victoria had her hair tied back in a messy bun, tossing a sizzling skillet in the kitchen with a bright smile on her face.

Keith had specifically tagged me:

[Don't worry, Leo! Victoria brought me safely back home. Hurry back for dinner~]

[She made her famous garlic butter shrimp just for us!]

My parents replied within seconds:

[Victoria is an angel! Such an amazing, caring woman!]

[Keith, don't eat too many shrimp, honey. You just got discharged; you need to keep it light.]

Keith posted another quick clip.

Victoria was pouring soy sauce into the pan, laughing warmly:

"Don't worry, Mom and Dad! I made a special low-oil, low-sodium batch just for Keith."

The warm, domestic scene felt like a knife twisting into my eyes.

I was deathly allergic to shellfish. She seemed to have forgotten completely.

We were supposed to get married today. She seemed to have forgotten that, too.

Rain began to pour from the sky without warning.

Through my blurred vision, I watched the final newlywed couple walk out holding their certificate, laughing happily under a shared umbrella.

The lights inside City Hall went dark.

My foot slipped, and I crashed hard into a puddle of freezing water, breaking down into ragged, helpless sobs.

No matter how cold or bruised my body felt, it didn't hold a candle to the agony ripping through my chest.

I cried out hoarsely to the voice in my head.

"They're closed... I can't get married today."

"System... am I going to die?"