Chapter 2

Over the phone, Sean was silent for several seconds.

"...Are you serious? You used to love Celine so much that you gave up so many good opportunities for her, so how could you suddenly—"

Keith smiled and shook his head. "I don't love her anymore."

After hanging up, he leaned against the car window and closed his eyes.

Almost everyone had known for years just how much he loved Celine.

He had loved her so much that he'd lost all sense of self, lowering himself to the point of humiliation.

But now, he was tired.

Loving someone whose heart would always belong to someone else was exhausting.

When he was 18 and in his freshman year of college, he saw Celine for the first time at the freshman awards ceremony.

It had been a beautiful, sunny day. Celine stood onstage in a simple white shirt and black trousers, carrying herself with an air of effortless grace. She was the kind of exceptional young woman everyone admired.

Almost every guy in the audience blushed at the sight of her. Keith was one of them, but none of them had a chance of getting close to her.

Everyone knew that Celine only had eyes for Quinton, the guy she had grown up with. No matter what trouble Quinton got himself into, Celine always defended and indulged him.

That was why everyone said she was hopelessly in love with him.

Keith had secretly loved Celine from afar for just as long as she had loved Quinton.

That continued until Quinton called off his wedding to Celine time and again.

The first time, he said he wasn't ready to get married so young.

The second time, he claimed to have cold feet.

The third time, he said he didn't think Celine loved him enough.

By the ninth time, Quinton called her from abroad on the eve of their wedding.

"Celine, I've thought about it, and I've decided that having my own freedom is more important. Let's put the wedding on hold for now. I'm going to spend a few years traveling abroad first."

Celine didn't chase after him.

She was depressed for a while, but she eventually began going on the blind dates her family arranged for her. She met one man after another, but none of the dates ever led to a second meeting.

Keith's heart raced when he heard about it.

He pulled some strings and managed to get himself set up on a blind date with Celine.

On the day of the blind date, Keith—on some strange impulse—chose to wear an outfit identical to one Quinton used to wear. Just as he'd expected, Celine froze the moment she saw him.

After staring at him for a long while, she said, "Let's get married."

Keith's heart, which had been pounding with excitement, suddenly sank. Even though her eyes were fixed on someone beyond him, he still nodded.

He loved Celine so much that he wanted to stay by her side even if she didn't return his feelings.

After they married, they treated each other with courtesy and respect.

Celine was good to him in many ways. She never spared any expense on him and always gave him the respect and consideration expected of a wife.

However, Keith knew that wasn't love.

Celine never initiated any physical intimacy with him. The only time she would lose herself and throw her arms around him, calling him "Quinton", was when he wore clothes similar to Quinton's.

Every time, Keith pretended not to hear her.

And so, five years passed.

Keith thought they could go on living like this indefinitely.

But then, one day, Quinton came back.

It so happened that Keith was having a bout of stomach trouble at the time. The pain came on so suddenly and intensely that he clutched his abdomen and tried to call an ambulance.

But before he could, Quinton showed up at his door.

"I take it you're Keith." Quinton looked him up and down disdainfully. "I heard you took my place while I was away."

Not only was Keith pale from the pain, but he was also too weak to argue with Quinton. All he wanted was to get to the hospital as quickly as possible.

He tried to walk around Quinton, but the latter blocked his way.

During the confrontation, Keith finally lost his patience and shoved him.

Quinton stumbled backward, hitting his head against the doorframe. Blood immediately began streaming from the wound.

That very night, Celine locked Keith in the confinement room.

His stomach hurt so badly, as though a knife were twisting inside him. He pounded on the door and called out repeatedly, "Celine, please help me!"

But no one came.

Keith curled up on the floor in agony until the pain finally caused him to pass out.

By the time he woke up, he had already undergone surgery at the hospital.

Celine stood beside the bed, looking at him with guilt in her eyes.

"This was my fault. I'll make it up to you once you're discharged. But if you hadn't pushed Quinton, I wouldn't have locked you up. He has a blood-clotting disorder, and that one shove nearly cost him his life. I panicked in the moment. I can make it up to you."

Keith smiled, tears streaming down his face.

It was the first time he had ever cried in front of Celine, and also the last time.

After that, he changed.

He secretly filed for divorce and applied for an overseas assignment through his company.

Whatever happened between Celine and Quinton no longer mattered to Keith, because he didn't love her anymore.