All Chapters of Her Homecoming Is Our Farewell: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

Even now, Yuliana remembered the flutter in her heart when she first saw Charlie eight years ago. On her very first day of college, she had watched him at the podium, delivering a speech on behalf of the student council, and fell for him instantly.Bathed in the glow of the spotlights, he was impossible to ignore. Countless women in the freshman class were infatuated with him, and Yuliana was no exception.Charlie was the scion of the prestigious Zimmer family, blessed with striking looks and a lineage most people could only dream of.Yet, despite the endless line of admirers trailing him, his heart belonged solely to his childhood sweetheart, Alyssa.They had been together for years, and Charlie's devotion to her was the stuff of campus legend. He once spent a fortune lighting up the sky with fireworks in the heart of the city just to celebrate her birthday.He was fiercely protective, too. The first time he ever lost his composure and got into a fistfight was when jealousy fla

A week later, Yuliana attended her college friend Bella Harper's wedding as a bridesmaid.Everyone from their department had been invited, including Charlie.As usual, he was the center of attention, surrounded by a crowd of old classmates. But the moment he spotted her, he immediately broke away and made his way over."That bridesmaid dress really suits you," he said.Yuliana gave a faint smile in response.The surrounding crowd cast strange, sideways glances their way as they stood together.Yuliana knew it was all because of her. To their old classmates, she was a social climber who had only married Charlie for the Zimmer family fortune. They looked down on her for it, but she didn't care about their malicious assumptions. Instead, she focused all her energy on ensuring Bella had a perfect wedding.Finally, the ceremony reached its finale, and it was time for the bouquet toss. While every other woman hoped to catch that symbol of happiness, Yuliana remained still.She had

After a morning of commotion, Alyssa offered to pick up the tab for lunch.Charlie didn't even stop to think before turning her down. "Don't bother. If you've had your fun, just go home."But Alyssa had no intention of listening. Ignoring his protest, she grabbed Charlie by the arm and started hauling him toward the door.His friends, afraid he wouldn't go, made sure to pull Yuliana along with them.They drove to the beach, where a party was already in full swing. Between the roaring bonfires and the blaring music, the shoreline was teeming with life.The pounding bass of the heavy metal music made Yuliana's heart race, leaving her feeling unwell. She slipped away from the noise to a quieter stretch of sand, sitting in silence as she stared out at the endless ocean.Charlie noticed her discomfort and walked over, intending to give her a slice of cake.Yuliana saw him approaching and reached out to take it, but he brushed past her, weaving through the crowd toward Alyssa instead.

It wasn't until the morning of the third day that Charlie finally drifted back to consciousness.Even before he opened his eyes, he was mumbling Alyssa's name in a daze. Probably caught in a nightmare, he suddenly jolted awake, his forehead slick with sweat."Alyssa… How is she?"His mind was so consumed with thoughts of Alyssa that he failed to notice the dark circles under Yuliana's eyes—evidence of two sleepless nights spent watching over him.Yuliana nodded, her voice hoarse. "The doctor said she's out of danger. She just needs a few months to recover."Her voice faltered. "But your hand…"At her words, the crushing weight on Charlie's chest finally lifted.He dismissed her concern, saying, "My hand doesn't matter. As long as she's safe, I'd pay any price."Still, he was too worried to rest. Despite his weakened state, he tried to force himself out of bed to see her. However, the moment his feet touched the floor, his body went weak, and he collapsed.Yuliana couldn't ho

Charlie drove straight to the hospital.It was the day Alyssa was being discharged. Since she had just recovered, he was worried she'd struggle with things around the house, so he decided to move into her place for a few days to take care of her.On the way, he stopped by her favorite bakery and picked up a slice of her favorite cake.As he was heading up the stairwell, he brushed past a man. He caught a glimpse of a bracelet on that man's wrist. It looked strikingly familiar, almost an exact match for the one Alyssa wore.A flicker of doubt rose in his chest, but before he could dwell on it, a woman called out from inside the hospital room."Charlie? Is that you? Come in!"The moment Alyssa saw him, her face lit up with a radiant smile.She munched on the cake while chatting and joking with him. Seeing her in such good spirits, he decided not to press her with questions.Perhaps it was just the same style. That kind of bracelet was popular everywhere.Around noon, Alyssa's pa