Chapter 5

Willow's name flashed across my screen again and again.

I stared at it, almost amused by the irony.

Of course Jayden had gone running to her, and of course she'd come after me demanding an explanation. I knew exactly how this would play out.

And yet, when her call finally came through, all I felt was a deep, bitter disappointment.

I let the phone ring until it stopped.

Then I calmly blocked her number, powered off my phone, and set it aside.

For the next three days, Willow seemed determined to punish me with silence.

She didn't come home, call, or send a single message.

Jayden, meanwhile, kept posting updates about their fun online.

"Checking out the new art museum. Having a beautiful woman by my side definitely turns some heads." The photo showed Willow in profile, listening to him with a soft, almost tender expression.

Then came another post.

"Late-night dinner. Someone insisted this steak place was amazing. We waited two hours and nearly starved, but it was totally worth it."

In the photo, Willow was holding a fork to his mouth, feeding him the first bite.

I scrolled through the pictures, one after another.

By then, something inside me had gone completely numb. It felt like I was watching someone else's life—one that had nothing to do with me.

Still, I left a comment beneath his post.

"You two look so sweet."

Meanwhile, I focused on packing my things.

A few days later, I pulled my suitcase out of the house and headed to a college friend's wedding.

When I arrived at the hotel, I paused outside and took a deep breath.

The bride had been Willow's college roommate, and she was also a close friend of both Jayden and me. So I was certain that Willow and Jayden would be there.

The moment I stepped into the ballroom, several former classmates gathered around me.

"Caius, where's Willow? I thought you two were coming together. It's been years since we've all been in the same room."

I forced a smile. "She'll be here. Just... not with me."

They immediately noticed that something was off. The atmosphere turned awkward, and no one dared to ask another question.

Just then, a commotion stirred near the entrance. Willow had arrived.

She stepped into the ballroom with Jayden on her arm. Her eyes met mine for barely a second before she looked away, her expression cold and indifferent—as if I wasn't even there.

She went straight to the table, pulled out a chair for him, and asked gently, "Are you tired? Do you want some water?"

Jayden glanced over at me before deliberately pulling away from Willow.

"Hey, don't cling to me like that. Caius is watching. He'll start giving me a hard time again."

Willow gave a cold laugh. "Just ignore him. He's being ridiculous."

The conversation at the table died instantly.

One by one, our friends exchanged awkward glances, clearly unsure of what to say.

I sat there feeling like everyone was staring at me. Finally, I stood and smiled at the group. "I'm going to the restroom."

I splashed cold water on my face, trying to clear my head.

Then the door swung open.

Jayden stepped inside and caught my eye in the mirror.

"Caius, you've been lucky your whole life, but that's all you've got going for you. You're not better-looking than me, and your family isn't anything special. So how did you ever manage to end up with someone like Willow?"

He stepped closer, his voice dripping with mockery. "Good thing she ended up choosing me anyway."

I stared at him for a moment before pulling the divorce papers from my bag and laying them across the counter.

"You want her?" I asked quietly. "Fine. She's yours."

Jayden froze. Then he snatched up the papers, glanced over them, and let out a mocking laugh.

"You couldn't compete with me, so now you're pretending to just hand her to me?" He sneered. "That's pathetic."

He took the papers and stormed out, slamming the door behind him.

I took a moment to collect myself. I had planned to say goodbye to everyone and leave.

But as I approached the private dining room, I heard the bride's hushed voice from inside.

"Willow... does Caius know what happened back then?"