Chapter 2

So every year, while I spent my birthday alone, he was celebrating Quinn's with her.

"Mr. Feinn really goes all out, and that's not even everything. He books an entire fireworks show every year, just for Ms. Bayer's birthday."

As soon as she finished speaking, golden sparkles burst into the dark sky.

Everyone in the restaurant looked up to watch.

Watching the dazzling display, I felt as though the whole evening was a cruel joke.

A couple of days earlier, I had seen online that the restaurant had a fireworks show.

I had eagerly booked this table with the hope that Alex would spend my birthday with me for once.

I had never imagined that the fireworks I was so excited to watch with Alex were a birthday surprise he had arranged for Quinn.

Fireworks continued to burst overhead.

As the crowd cheered, Alex slipped an arm around Quinn's waist.

He leaned down and kissed her forehead.

With the fireworks lighting up the sky behind them, they looked like the perfect couple.

Without a flicker of emotion, I took out my phone and snapped a picture.

The server beside me glanced at it and murmured admiringly.

"They look so beautiful together every time. I've saved photos of their birthday celebrations over the past four years."

As she spoke, she opened the photo gallery on her phone to show me.

Four years of fireworks, flowers, and evenings devoted entirely to Quinn. Every photo captured another romantic moment between them.

I looked through the photos and complimented the server.

"You're a great photographer. They really do look like the perfect couple. Would you mind sending me all of these? I want to show my boyfriend."

She glanced at the empty seat across from me and immediately understood. She nodded eagerly.

"Of course."

Once I had received all the photos, I put my phone away, stood up, and thanked her before leaving the restaurant I had been so excited to visit.

Alex happened to glance up and caught sight of a familiar figure walking away.

He froze, suddenly uneasy without knowing why.

Before he realized what he was doing, he had let go of Quinn's hand.

Quinn gave him a concerned look.

"What's wrong?"

Alex smiled and shook his head.

"Nothing. Did you enjoy your birthday celebration?"

I hailed a cab and headed home.

I had made a bet with my mother. If Alex did not propose within five years, I would come home and marry the man she had chosen for me.

He was the son of one of her friends. We had met a few times as children. I remembered liking him.

My mother was right. A man who really loved you would never keep you waiting that long.

If he kept refusing to marry you, he either did not love you or wanted someone else.

I had never believed her before. However, after five birthdays without him, plus those photos of him celebrating with Quinn, I had no choice but to believe it.

All those years of waiting and being let down only proved that Quinn was the one he put first.

He knew what women liked and what I wanted. He just did not care enough to give it to me.

Back at the apartment, I opened my suitcase and began packing my belongings.

I gathered up all our couple-themed decorations, photos, and other keepsakes from the past five years.

I packed his personalized gifts separately from the birthday presents Quinn had rejected.

Then, I contacted an auction house on my phone and arranged for them to pick up the items the next day.

I would auction it all off for charity and erase every reminder of our relationship.

That evening, Alex came through the door and found me packing.

"Babe, you're cleaning on your birthday? You work too hard."

He opened his arms, expecting me to rush into them as I always had.

As he stepped closer, I caught the overpowering scent of a sickly sweet perfume.

I took a few steps back.

"This perfume is too strong. Stay away from me."