Chapter 3

Over the next week, Diana still didn't come home.

But I knew exactly what she was doing. With Ian posting every little detail on

social media, it was impossible not to know.

They soaked in hot springs, looked at the ocean, and took photos together at

sunrise...

Scrolling through my feed, I saw a completely different side of Diana once

again. It turned out she was capable of acting like a normal woman in love.

I hadn't been idle those few days either. There was a lot of stuff in the

apartment, and it took me several days to clear it all out completely.

I also found time to visit my parents, telling them I was heading to a medical

research institute in Milan and that it would be hard to keep in touch for a

while.

My father looked surprised. "Aren't you and Diana getting married soon? Are you

two going to live apart after the wedding?"

My mother looked worried. She grabbed my hand and urged, "Think about this

carefully, Nathan. You and Diana finally made it this far. I'm afraid if you go

off to do medical research, she won't agree. She might even cancel the wedding

and break up with you..."

I understood my parents' concerns.

They had seen my relentless devotion to Diana over the years, and they were well

aware of her coldness toward me. My parents had subtly advised me in the past,

telling me that I didn't hold much weight in her heart and urging me to

reconsider. But back then, I was full of confidence, convinced I could change

her and make her fully accept me. So, they eventually stopped pushing the issue.

But now, the one deciding to cancel the wedding was me.

When I told my parents my decision, they were silent for a long time.

I didn't mention that Diana was already pregnant with Ian's child; I was afraid

they wouldn't be able to handle the blow. I simply told them I wanted to

continue my career in medicine and contribute to the field.

Finally, my father sighed, patted me on the shoulder, and said, "As long as you

won't regret it yourself."

After returning home, I called my best friend, Lucas, to help me throw out all

the boxes I had packed. The cardboard boxes were piled high in the living room,

taking up a huge amount of space.

We went up and down the stairs a few times until we finally dumped all the boxes

into the trash. Suddenly, the apartment felt incredibly empty.

Lucas looked at the bare room, shaking his head in disbelief.

He still remembered how, just two months ago, when Diana finally accepted my

proposal, I dragged him out to drink all night, excitedly telling him my dream

had finally come true.

He couldn't believe that only two months later, I had decided to call it off.

"You're actually serious? I thought you were joking when you said the wedding

was off," he said, staring at me in shock. "I've watched you chase Diana for

years. What the hell happened? Why are you suddenly letting go?"

Maybe it was because I was leaving soon, but I suddenly felt the urge to spill

everything.

I told Lucas everything that had happened over the past month—Diana, Ian, and

the baby.

When I finished, Lucas swore loudly. "You treat her like gold, and she gets

knocked up by another guy right before the wedding, and expects you to just

accept it? What the hell is wrong with her?!"

I looked down, swallowing the bitterness. "Who knows. She says Ian is her

savior, and she's just fulfilling his dying wish."

Lucas's face twisted with anger. "But you're her savior too! How could she do

this to you?!"

I didn't answer.

Five days before the countdown hit zero, I submitted my resignation to the

hospital.

Back then, to stay with Diana, I had given up the opportunity for advanced

medical studies and followed her to Manhattan, becoming an attending physician

just to remain in this bustling city.

When my colleagues saw my resignation, they were all surprised.

"Why are you suddenly quitting, Nathan?"

"You just handed out wedding favors a few days ago. Are you planning to become a

stay-at-home husband?" one colleague joked.

I held my files, smiled faintly, and shook my head. "No. The wedding is

canceled."

When I got home and pushed open the door, I saw Diana and Ian sitting on the

couch, talking in low voices. I hadn't seen her in a week.

Seeing the folders in my arms, Diana subconsciously asked, "What are you doing

with all that?"

I gave a random excuse: "Just some old files I don't need. Bringing them back to

throw away."

Diana nodded, then scanned the room, looking slightly confused. "I’ve only been

gone a week. Why does it feel like there's less stuff in here?"

I took the folders into the bedroom to put them away, replying calmly, "I just

cleared out some things we don't need."

Diana seemed like she wanted to say something else, but Ian interrupted her.

"Nathan, Diana’s been working so hard taking care of me on our trip. Thank you

for letting her take wedding photos with me. You really made my dream come

true." His tone carried a hint of smugness.

"How about I treat you both to dinner? Think of it as a thank you for taking

care of me. I might be a burden to you two for a while longer, so I hope you

don't mind, Nathan."

I had no interest in getting involved in some pointless power struggle with him.

In five days, I’d be completely out of Diana's life. Right now, I just wanted to

wrap things up smoothly so I could leave quickly.

Seeing my lack of reaction, Ian instantly put on a hurt expression.

"Diana, is Nathan upset? I know you guys are getting married, but..."

Hearing Ian's words, Diana frowned immediately. She shot me a look of

displeasure. "Ian genuinely wants to thank us. Why are you giving him attitude?

It's just dinner. It's not like he's going to poison you."

Before I could even speak, Diana had already labeled me the "jealous bad guy."

In the end, I was dragged to the restaurant by Diana.

When the waiter came to take our order, I had barely opened the menu before

Diana spoke up. "Nothing too oily or spicy, and no cilantro in any of the

dishes."

When the food arrived, Diana thoughtfully placed food on Ian's plate, then

pushed a plate of prawns toward me.

"Ian can't eat seafood right now. I ordered this specifically for you."

Looking at the prawns, I suddenly lost my appetite entirely and put down my

fork. "I'm allergic to seafood."

Diana didn't even remember my seafood allergy, yet she knew Ian's dietary

restrictions by heart. She even remembered that he hated cilantro.

Diana froze. When she looked at me, a flash of guilt crossed her eyes. She

quickly ordered a few more dishes.

But I didn't touch my food. I just sat there in silence, quietly sipping my

water.

After dinner, as we walked down the stairs, I got a call from my senior at the

research institute.

"Nathan, the Professor asked me to confirm one last time. Are you sure you're

okay with the standard schedule? This project involves confidential research,

which means you might be cut off from the outside world for a year or two."

My eyes rested on Diana and Ian walking ahead of me. They were descending the

stairs side by side, and Diana was carefully supporting Ian by the waist.

My tone was completely calm. "I'm sure."

My senior breathed a sigh of relief. "That's good. The Professor was worried you

wouldn't be able to bear leaving your wife."

I pulled my gaze away and turned to walk in the opposite direction.

"The wedding is canceled."

"I'm ready to leave."

As soon as the words left my mouth, a confused voice came from behind me.

"Who's leaving?"