Chapter 1

"Blair, I'm very pleased with your performance."

"I booked the best revolving restaurant in the city to celebrate your birthday. But my sports car only has room for two."

Lance glanced at me casually.

"You can get there on your own."

I sat in the backseat of my car and watched as Lance drove away with Aurora.

My phone vibrated in my palm again.

Another message from my father appeared on the screen.

"The marriage has been arranged. The wedding will take place in three days."

I stared at the message for a moment.

Then I turned off my phone.

Outside the window, rain poured down.

The neon lights blurred into hazy circles of color against the glass.

And suddenly, all the pain I had carried alone over the years came rushing back.

The pressure from my family.

The judgment and misunderstanding of others.

My grandfather's final wish before he died...

There had been too much.

So much that I had spent countless nights unable to sleep.

Eventually, sleeping pills became the only way I could force myself to rest.

My family had never approved of my relationship with Lance.

But I had fought for us.

I had done everything I could to make sure Lance never had to bear any of that pressure.

I wanted him to marry me without worrying about my family or anything else.

Lance knew none of it.

And recently, I had thought I could finally see a light at the end of the tunnel.

Because Lance had told me he had a surprise prepared for my thirtieth birthday.

I thought he was going to propose.

But reality had slapped me hard across the face.

Everything I had hoped for was crushed beneath Lance's feet.

All because he wanted to make Aurora laugh.

I never went to the revolving restaurant.

Instead, I went home.

To the apartment Lance and I shared.

A candlelit dinner was waiting on the dining table.

The candles had already burned halfway down.

Every dish.

Every dessert.

Even the birthday cake...

I had reserved and customized them months in advance.

The entire wall was covered with balloons.

In the middle, they formed two words.

MARRY ME.

I had spent the entire day decorating the apartment.

Anyone with eyes could tell what this was.

It was a carefully prepared proposal.

I had originally planned that even if Lance didn't propose to me tonight, I would propose to him.

I sat quietly on the couch, and watched as the food slowly turned cold.

My phone vibrated several times. I didn't answer a single call.

Then the front door suddenly slammed open.

"Blair! What the hell are you throwing a tantrum for? Aurora and I are waiting for you at the restaurant to celebrate your birthday, and you—"

Lance's voice abruptly stopped at the sight of the living room arrangement.

He stood frozen in the doorway, shock filled his eyes.

For a long time, he couldn't say a word.

I calmly walked past him.

I turned on the lights.

Then I blew out every candle.

One by one.

After that, I picked up the dishes from the table and dumped all of the food into the trash.

I was about to throw away the cake when Lance rushed forward and grabbed my wrist.

"Blair, wait."

His voice was suddenly panicked.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know you had prepared all of this for tonight..."

He swallowed.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

On top of the cake stood two candles.

The number 30.

Their flames flickered softly.

But all they did was remind me of one thing.

I was thirty years old.

And I had waited for Lance for thirteen years.

My gaze slowly shifted toward the small ring box on the table.

Inside were a pair of matching rings.

I had designed them myself.

I still remembered how nervous and excited I had been when I placed that box on the table earlier.

Back then, my heart had been filled with anticipation.

I had foolishly believed that once tonight was over...

We would finally belong to each other.

We would finally have a future.

I had thought we would spend the rest of our lives together.

Tears filled my eyes.

But when I spoke, my voice was calm.

"It's okay."

I paused.

"It doesn't matter anymore."

And it was true, it didn't matter anymore.

He had turned my dignity and my love for him into a joke, just to make someone else laugh.

I picked up the ring box.

Then, step by step, I walked toward the open window.