Too Late for Forever

The awkward moment passed quickly, and everyone soon went back to enjoying the party.

I laughed and joked along with them, genuinely happy for the two stars of the night: my best friend, Zoe Cole, and her boyfriend.

The teasing had started earlier when, halfway through the party, Lucas Brent suddenly dropped to one knee and proposed to Zoe.

That left only Felix Foster and me as the last two in the group with no signs of marriage after all these years.

During one of the games, Zoe changed seats and sat beside me, quietly squeezing my hand under the table.

I gave her a small reassuring smile.

Back then, among all of us, Felix and I had been the first couple to get together. Everyone thought we would also be the first to get married.

However, six years had passed, and somehow we were still only boyfriend and girlfriend.

…

By the time the party ended, most of our friends had already left. Only Felix, Zoe, Lucas, and I stayed behind.

Zoe pulled me into a hug and whispered softly into my ear.

"Sara, no matter what happens, don't wrong yourself for someone else."

I hugged her back and smiled. "I won't."

After watching Zoe and Lucas leave, I turned to follow Felix to the car.

He was staring at his phone without even looking up.

"Lacey's still at the office working overtime. Her phone died, so she can't call a car. I'm going to pick her up."

I nodded. "Okay."

I slipped my phone back into my pocket.

The moment he mentioned Lacey's name, I had already instinctively taken out my phone to book a ride home.

Luckily, by the time he finished speaking, I had already gotten a car.

He glanced at me. "You drank quite a bit tonight. Go home and get some rest. I'll head out first."

I answered with another "Okay."

When his car passed by me, I deliberately stepped farther away so I wouldn't get hit by the exhaust.

A little while later, I got a message from him. A voice note.

Usually, I would have immediately taken out my earbuds just to hear his voice.

However, tonight, I felt too tired. I just converted it to text.

[I'll go home after I drop her off. Don't overthink it.]

How rare.

In the past, whenever he left me behind for Lacey, he never bothered offering any reassurance afterward.

I replied with: [ok]

The chat box showed "typing…"

However, in the end, he did not send anything.

I did not care either.

Ever since making that decision earlier tonight, I had felt an unfamiliar sense of relief.

For years, because of Lacey–Felix's childhood friend–I had been anxious, insecure, constantly second-guessing myself.

I had fought with Felix over her more times than I could count.

However, every time, he would only look at me coldly.

"Are you done yet? I treat Lacey like a younger sister. Her parents entrusted her to me, so of course I take extra care of her."

"I hired her because she's genuinely capable. Don't make everything sound so dirty."

"If that's how you insist on thinking about me, there's nothing I can do."

Over and over again, always the same lines.

I practically knew them by heart.

…

When I got home, I did not wait for Felix. I went straight to bed.

Just like I expected, he never came home that night.

I already knew he would not.