The Hidden Secrets

The next morning, Luke was gone, leaving only a text with an address.I arrived at the restaurant, but he wasn't there yet. His friends greeted me warmly, knowing me as Mike's niece but not as Luke's girlfriend."Ada, come and sit." They waved me over. "Spill some dirt on Mike."My stomach twisted as I feared they had started to suspect our relationship."You live with Luke," one said, leaning in. "You've met his girlfriend, right?"I nodded, my mind racing. That was clearly probing."His first love's back in town," another said. "Let's make a bet on when he is going to dump his current girl."The words hit me like a blow, but Josh Morgan didn't hold back. "I give it two weeks. He's been with her for four years, after all."Another guy scoffed, "Four years, and he never introduced her to us? I say one week.""Three days," another bet.Josh turned to me. "What do you think?"I squeezed my hands under the table, forcing myself to stay composed, but each bet chipped away at the

I held up the unopened invitation. "My wedding. Wanna see it?"Luke gaped, then laughed, "Who else would you marry besides me?"He brushed the invitation to the floor."You..."I looked up at him, but he went quiet, frowning at his phone. His hand twitched, and a few seconds later, he finally lifted the phone to his ear. His lips pressed into a thin line, but there was still a flicker of hope in his eyes."I'm not coming," he said.Amanda said something on the other end, and he pulled away from me. "Where are you?"He rushed out, slamming the door. The cold air hit my face, matching the chill in my heart.Luke was usually so calm and gentle, but coldness was hidden behind his façade. It turned out he could be flustered and desperate. He was just alive only with Amanda.I guessed that was what love looked like.That evening, Josh called, his voice frantic. "Come to the bar. Some guy is hassling Amanda, and Luke is drinking himself sick over it."I hesitated but went.When I

Luke had crushed the invitation and cast the matter aside.He paused when he saw me inside. I turned away, unwilling to see his face.Amanda whined in his arms, "My feet hurt. These heels made them swell."He glanced at her ankles, red from her shoes, but he barely noticed my leg in a cast when he walked in and said, "Check her first."I glared. "Don't push it!"The doctor glanced at Amanda's feet. "Medical resources are for real injuries. Find another doctor."Amanda hid her frustration. "It's not that bad. I can wait..." Before she could continue, Luke stopped her and gently set her on the next bed. Then he made a call.Soon, the doctor apologized, "Sorry, I'll take you to another doctor."I realized Luke had pulled strings behind it, but instead of arguing with him, I took a deep breath and left with the doctor's help.I glanced at Luke, who remained composed. "A lesson will teach you where you went wrong."I walked away without responding. Soon, another doctor cast my

My parents stifled laughs, helping me toward the exit."Thanks, Shane," Robert said. "You can go ahead with your business. We'll catch up later."They seemed to be quite familiar with the captain, Shane Santana. That explained his help.After dinner, Mike sensed my bad mood and suggested taking me somewhere."Where to?" I asked. "Why so secretive?""Don't ask. It'll ruin the surprise," he replied.I slumped in the seat. "Mike, please don't tell Luke about my marriage."He frowned, gripping the wheel. "Did you bully you? Argh. He was a cold fish back in school. If he doesn't look out for you, I'll go deck him.""Just don't tell him," I repeated.Mike grinned, not thinking much about it. "Forget that. We're going to the biggest zoo. You'll love it.""A zoo?" I blinked.My college research was zoology. Animals were my weakness.Once we got there, I saw my favorite alpine ibex and got so excited that I soon lost sight of Mike. As I searched for him, my nose bumped into a solid

Luke rushed home and retrieved a necklace.At the hospital, Amanda's feet showed only slight swelling.He tossed the necklace into her lap and said, "You saw my girlfriend. Take this back now."It was their old promise token, a relic from a time when youth made their differences irresistible. But maturity had taught him that true love was built on steady companionship, not fleeting passion.Amanda looked up, her eyes brimming with calculated vulnerability. "At least, wait until my feet are healed."He paused, believing it was a mess I caused. He felt obligated to resolve it. He sat down and said, "Fine. But once you're better, you need to go."Amanda propped her feet on the bed, her fingers tightening around an earring she held. She had thought this would be easy, but clearly, Luke was still holding onto me.They sat in silence, each lost in their own thoughts.Luke checked his phone but saw no messages from me. Then he recalled my coldness the other day, as if I were truly lea