Chapter 1

Erin Greer's smile froze.

Mark Levine stared at me. He crumpled the prenatal test report in his hand, leaving deep creases across the paper.

The others fell silent briefly before someone chuckled.

"Richard, you've gotten better at controlling your emotions this year. You don't even smash things anymore."

"Erin, you've trained him well, huh?"

Erin covered her mouth with a hand, as if she couldn't hold back anymore. "Alright, that's enough."

Mark's brows instantly relaxed, and he laughed so hard his shoulders shook. "Richard, I'm sorry. Was my acting really that convincing?"

He flipped the report to show me that it bore someone else's name.

The group burst into laughter.

Erin reached out to take my ring. Her voice carried its usual nonchalance. "Your reaction is pretty good today, but taking off your ring is a bit much."

I pulled my hand away, and hers froze midair as she frowned. "Richard Topp."

She only called my full name when she was upset with me.

Mark walked over and placed his arm around my shoulders. "Richard, don't be mad. We put a lot of effort into this. We just wanted to make your anniversary feel a little more special."

I shook him off.

He froze for a moment before whispering, "Did I go too far? I can apologize."

Erin glanced at him, her tone indifferent. "What are you apologizing for? It's not like this is the first time he's seen us act like this."

Then, she took the ring, wiped it clean, and handed it to me. "Put it back on. Stop making a fuss. Everyone's watching."

The others chimed in.

"Richard, don't be a party pooper."

"Yeah, Erin loves you so much. This is just a joke."

"You act like this every year, but in the end, nothing ever comes of it."

Mark let out a sigh and spoke up for me, "Erin, don't be too harsh on Richard. He's been wanting to start a family with you. Maybe this hit a nerve."

Erin looked at me immediately. There was a hint of reproach as well as a familiar touch of impatience in her eyes. "Mark didn't know. Don't lash out at him."

I let out a small laugh. So, they all knew I would be hurt. They just thought that, after I was done licking my wounds, I would go back to Erin anyway.

Erin placed the ring in my palm and lowered her voice. "It's our anniversary today. Don't make a scene and ruin it."

I placed the ring on the table again. "Erin, I'm serious."

Her face hardened. "What do you want?"

I picked up my jacket from the back of the chair as Mark hurried to stop me. "Richard, where are you going? You haven't cut the cake yet."

I stared at the cake with seven candles atop it. Beside each of them sat a photograph.

One was from three years ago, when I stood at the doorway of the private room, my eyes red.

Another was from two years ago, when I signed the divorce papers.

The third was from last year, when I stood beside Erin and Mark as the best man at their fake wedding.

They took pictures of me at my most humiliated moments and turned them into a keepsake.

Erin followed my gaze, her expression shifting slightly. "That was just something Mark put together on a whim. He didn't know it would bother you."

Mark immediately put on an innocent look. "Sorry. I thought it was okay because these were all the memories you two shared."

I nodded and grabbed the middle photo.

In it, my head was bowed, my fists clenched, while Erin stood behind me with a bright smile.

I turned it facedown on the table. "Take your time reminiscing."

Erin finally stood up and clasped my wrist. "Richard, think carefully before you walk out that door."

I lowered my eyes to look at her hand. "I've thought it through."

The private room door opened. A waiter stood outside with the actual anniversary cake, staring at us awkwardly.

Written across the cake were the words, "Wishing Mr. and Mrs. Topp a lifetime of happiness together."

Erin still hadn't let go when Mark whispered, "Erin, he's not really going to divorce you, is he?"