Chapter 4 Leaving Without Looking Back

I went home and packed my bags.

Nicholas did not come home that night.

By sunrise, he and Chelsea had both posted the same photo on social media. They were standing on a mountaintop with their arms raised toward the sunrise, looking happier than ever.

Chelsea had captioned hers, "A new beginning with him," followed by a heart emoji.

Nicholas' caption was a little different. "Some people are worth staying up all night talking to and watching the sunrise with. Others…"

The comments were full of congratulations. Everyone seemed thrilled that they were finally making their relationship official.

I had spent most of the night crying, but when I washed my face that morning, I was surprised by how calm I felt. I looked exhausted in the mirror, my eyes swollen and red, yet the posts did not upset me as much as I had expected.

I even liked both of them, just like everyone else.

Then, I left my keys by the front door, took my suitcase, and went to the office to finalize my resignation.

As I entered the building, I saw Nicholas and Chelsea coming downstairs to greet a group of investors. I tried to slip past without drawing their attention, but she spotted me and stepped into my path.

"Paige, meet me on the fourth-floor terrace tonight. I think it's time we cleared the air."

As she spoke, she casually lifted her hand, showing off a brand-new ring on her middle finger.

I glanced at Nicholas and noticed a matching ring on his hand. He must have realized what I was looking at, because he immediately slipped his hand into his pocket.

I turned back to Chelsea and nodded as I thought, 'Sure, bitch. There are a few things I want to get off my chest, too.'

…

After work, I booked a train ticket back to my hometown before heading up to the fourth-floor terrace.

It was strangely quiet when I arrived.

Chelsea was nowhere to be seen.

As I walked toward the middle of the terrace, I wondered why she had asked me to meet her there.

Before I could look around any further, the lights suddenly came on.

Strings of decorative lights illuminated the entire rooftop, revealing a flower-covered stage with a huge photo of Nicholas and Chelsea hanging above it. Almost immediately, coworkers emerged from every direction, waving glow sticks and cheering.

I barely had time to understand what was happening before Chelsea appeared in a wheelchair, with one of our colleagues pushing her toward the stage. Someone else brought Nicholas over, and soon people surrounded them, cheering as though they were about to witness a marriage proposal.

I had thought I was finally past being hurt by anything Nicholas did, but seeing that stage brought back memories I was not ready for.

One of my coworkers nudged me excitedly. "Paige, we really have to thank you! That ridiculous proposal story you posted on the forum gave us the perfect idea for tonight!"

I looked at her, unable to believe what I was hearing.

That story was not something I had made up.

It was one of the most precious memories of my life.

Three years earlier, Nicholas had thrown himself in front of an out-of-control car to save me. He had suffered several shattered ribs, while I had ended up with a broken leg.

After we were discharged from the hospital, he had rented an entire campground and spent three days decorating it with help from his friends. When everything was ready, he brought me there and proposed in front of the people closest to us.

His ribs were still healing, and even breathing caused him pain. Yet he stayed on one knee for more than forty minutes, crying as he looked up at me.

"Paige, we weren't even afraid of dying. So, what could stop us from being happy together?"

I had been crying so hard that I could barely answer him.

At the time, I had believed him completely. We had survived something that could have killed us both, and I could not imagine anything else being strong enough to tear us apart.

However, I knew better now. Happiness was like a sandcastle. You could spend forever building it, only for a single wave to wash it away.

It took three years for everything between us to fall apart.

I looked toward the stage and found Nicholas watching me. When our eyes met, he silently mouthed, "Don't get the wrong idea. It's just for fun."

Then he turned back to Chelsea, took her hand, and slowly lowered himself onto one knee.

Following the script someone had prepared, he said, "Chelsea, I'm sorry I didn't take better care of you today. You got hurt on your very first day working with me."

He paused, then continued, "I promise I'll never let anyone hurt you again."

The crowd immediately began cheering even louder.

"Kiss her! Kiss her!"

"Come on, Nicholas! Give her a kiss!"

Nicholas hesitated. For a moment, he looked uncomfortable with all the attention, but then he stood up and kissed Chelsea gently on the forehead.

The terrace erupted in applause.

I watched them for a moment, then turned around and left. Everyone was so caught up in the celebration that no one noticed me leave.

…

Not long after, I sat on a train headed for my hometown.

I watched the city disappear through the window as the train gathered speed. Nicholas was somewhere back there, surrounded by people who believed he and Chelsea belonged together. Meanwhile, I was finally leaving behind the life I'd spent three years building with him.

For the first time, we were going our separate ways.

As I sat there, I remembered what he had said when he proposed.

"We weren't even afraid of dying. So, what could stop us from being happy together?"

He had been right. If I had been brave enough to face death, surely I could find the courage to leave him and build a happier life for myself.

Just then, my phone started buzzing.

The first message was from Nicholas. "Why did you quit your job?"

Another arrived almost immediately. "Are you still mad at me? I already told you it was all a misunderstanding! Why won't you just listen?"

I did not reply.

More messages kept coming, and with each one, he grew increasingly frustrated.

Then, another notification appeared. "Where's all your stuff? Paige, where the hell did you go?"