The CEO

Mom seemed genuinely surprised. She was never fond of Jared Hammond, but she knew how much I loved him. If he hadn't broken my heart the way he did, I would've never let him go so easily.

Dad, who was also a professor, spoke up. "If you've decided to end it, at least talk it through with him. It's best to part on good terms."

I swallowed the bitterness rising in my chest and shook my head.

Just last week, while I was still in the hospital, Elsie Sandberg posted on Instagram. "A spontaneous getaway, all thanks to Professor Hammond's generous sponsorship."

The photo showed two suitcases side by side—one black, one pink. I recognized the black one right away. It was the limited-edition celebrity collab that I'd given Jared for his birthday this year.

I called to confront him, but he brushed me off. "Elsie's thesis focuses on traditional tapestry weaving. It's recognized as an intangible cultural heritage. I just took her to Saffbury for some research. As her advisor, I'm responsible for guiding her."

Right on cue, Elsie's voice drifted through the phone. "Professor Hammond, could you grab me a towel?"

Jared responded to her coolly, completely unfazed.

In the end, he said something that sounded like he was trying to soothe me, or maybe just looking for a way to justify what he'd done. "Willow, if it hadn't been for you back then, Eleanor would still be alive. Everything I'm doing now is helping you make up for what you did."

His words pierced straight through me, suffocating me. Even now, he was still holding onto the delusion that I was the one who got his first love, Eleanor Sandberg, killed.

If that's the case, why did he choose to date me in the first place? Was it just to waste three damn years of my life?

Every message I sent, demanding to know why, never reached Jared. I stared at the single gray checkmark after each message, and my vision started to blur.

He'd blocked me, just to keep me from ruining their little vacation.

I even begged his friend to call him for me, but all I got back was this. "Tell Willow to quit making a scene. Elsie's thesis is important. It affects her grad school admission. Once this trip's over, I'll give Willow the proposal she's been hoping for."

But he was wrong. No one would wait around forever.