Chapter 2

After leaving the reception, I sent my resignation letter to my company.

The HR department sent a reply almost instantaneously.

[Are you sure you want to resign? Should I inform Ms. Quentin?]

[There’s no need to tell her.]

The HR department did not push the matter.

[Alright. It’s too late now, so you can settle all the paperwork tomorrow morning at the office.]

After responding, I went home to pack my luggage.

My phone buzzed.

Vanessa had tagged me in the four-person WhatsApp group named: Chester’s Recovery Plan.

[Have you gone off in a huff again, Joshua? Chester has been looking forward to getting married to Aria for ages. We didn’t want him to be disappointed, so we planned this fake wedding for him.]

[We were afraid you’d be sad, so we lied to you about it.]

Emery chimed in pleasantly.

[That’s right. Chester got amnesia because he saved you, you know. Don’t be so petty about this.]

Aria’s reply was short.

[Be good. We’ll have an even bigger wedding when it’s our turn.]

I had gotten such a promise countless times.

When we were supposed to go on our pre-wedding vacation, Aria had gone with Chester instead. Aria had then said she would bring me even farther abroad next time.

When she bought a new place that ended up as theirs, Aria had said she would buy an even bigger marital home for us.

I waited and waited, but all I got were crushed dreams.

I was done waiting.

With a single tap on the screen, I left the WhatsApp group.

I turned back to packing.

From under the bed, I took out a journal. It was a journal Aria had filled with memories of our relationship together.

I flipped through and found the record for the third day after Chester moved into our new house.

Worried that Chester would get the wrong idea, the three of them had thrown away the photos of me and Aria, along with souvenirs that had our names engraved on them.

All my memories with Aria had been thrown away.

Only that journal was left, hidden away in secret.

It became the cure for my suffering throughout countless difficult nights.

But I would have no use for it from that moment onward.

I dumped the journal into the trash.

When I turned around, I noticed that the roses planted out on the balcony had been swapped for Chester’s favorite sunflowers.

The originally plain walls had been plastered with stickers.

All the marks of my existence here had been subsumed by Chester, little by little

After looking through the house while packing, I realized that my items barely fit half the luggage bag.

I let out a bitter laugh.

Before I could zip up the luggage, the door opened.

Four people came in.

Chester wobbled as he was helped in by Aria.

Vanessa made sure Chester did not hit his head on the doorframe, while Emery was carrying various bags.

When they saw me, the smiles slid off their faces.

Aria let go of Chester and tried to explain things.

“Chester drank too much from his joy, so I could only help him back here.”

Chester raised his head. His tone was displeased as he said, “Hey, I’m your husband, Aria! Why are you worried about him misunderstanding things?”

After saying that, Chester made to kiss her. Instead, he stumbled into her embrace.

Aria let out a resigned chuckle.

“Alright, you drunkard. You’re the boss, okay?”

Chester let out a huff and pointed at me.

“You’ve been staying in my house for months, Joshua. It’s not so convenient for you to stay since Aria and I are married now. You should move out.”

What a joke.

Aria and I had bought that house three years ago.

I had decorated it myself.

Chester had only lived here for a few months, but he really thought it was his house.

My expression darkened, and Vanessa quickly tried to play mediator.

“It’s hard to get a place so quickly, Chester. Joshua’s so hardworking, you can consider him a housekeeper.”

Emery nodded.

“You’ll be busy after just having gotten married too, so it’ll help if he’s here helping with your household chores. Isn’t that right, Joshua?”

Aria looked at me with a challenge in her eyes.

She meant to warn me against saying what should not be said.

Everyone looked at me, waiting for me to force a smile and go along with everything as I used to.

I simply laughed.

“No need for all that trouble. I’m leaving right now.” After saying that, I turned, pulling my luggage behind me as I went.

The three of them were stunned for a moment.

Aria subconsciously moved to pull me back.

Behind her, Chester dry heaved.

Aria panicked and immediately turned to help him into the bathroom.

Vanessa and Emery raced after them worriedly.

One patted Chester’s back while another held out some toilet paper. Another of them was making a cure against all that drinking.

I was left alone, the person who was always invisible in that group of five.

I let out a bitter laugh.

Dragging my luggage behind me, I left without looking back.