Chapter 4
730words
Finding none, he let out a long sigh.
"There's something I never told you. Lina… she's not from this world."
"I know it sounds, but it's true."
"She says she's here to complete a mission. If I don't marry her, she'll die in the most painful way right in front of me."
"We only had a ceremony. No legal marriage."
"Your name will still be on the marriage certificate. Happy now?"
His impatience was palpable the entire time.
I just watched him silently, then gave a calm smile.
"Forget the mission stuff. But can you honestly say your feelings for me haven't changed at all?"
"And can you swear you haven't developed real feelings for Lina?"
Faced with my questions, Leo opened his mouth but nothing came out.
It felt like thousands of needles piercing my heart all at once.
If he'd just denied it, maybe it wouldn't have hurt so much.
I smiled bitterly, barely moving my lips as I looked up at him.
"The moment you removed that tattoo, this was always where we'd end up."
"Leo, you broke your promise."
In the end, Leo only signed the apartment transfer agreement before leaving without another word.
I stood by the window, watching the pouring rain outside, and murmured, "Winter is cold enough already. With this rain, it's going to freeze people to death."
Then I turned and went into the bedroom, pulling out the suitcase I'd already packed.
After all these years with Leo, everything I wanted to keep fit in one small bag.
I smiled bitterly, grabbed a coat from the closet and put it on.
Before closing the door, I took one last look around the apartment filled with memories.
My heart felt heavy and confused.
I knew I'd ever come back here.
Those memories would remain sealed away.
And so, on an ordinary rainy night, wearing an ordinary coat,
I left New York and deleted every way for Leo to contact me.
—
New York winters were just too brutal, so I moved to a smaller, warmer town.
The doctor said my condition still had a chance of improvement, but treatment would be painful and drawn-out.
Being a coward at heart, I chose half-hearted treatment.
The day I was discharged after a week in the hospital, while I was packing, a nurse came in and said, "You have a visitor."
My hands stilled on the clothes.
My heart skipped a beat.
I took a deep breath and followed her out.
After walking down the hall, I saw a familiar face at the nurses' station.
"Long time no see."
Lina smiled and waved at me.
When the nurse said I had a visitor, my mind had raced through possibilities—old friend, classmate, even Leo…
But I never expected Lina.
I turned without a word and went back to my room.
But she followed me anyway, leaning against the doorframe watching me pack.
The whole time, neither of us spoke. When I finally wheeled my suitcase out, she trailed along behind me.
Standing side-by-side waiting for the elevator. She kept glancing at me like she had a lot to say.
Finally, I broke the silence. "Let's get something to eat."
Just as I spoke, the elevator arrived.
Lina seemed surprised by my invitation, a flicker of shock crossing her face.
—
At the restaurant, I ordered first, then passed the menu to Lina.
She waved it away.
"I'm not really hungry."
I frowned and tossed the menu in front of her. "Stop wasting time. Just order."
After we ordered, the private room fell silent again.
I sipped my water while studying Lina carefully.
The first and only time I'd seen her was at her wedding to Leo, and I hadn't really looked at her then.
Sitting here quietly now, I realized she was actually quite striking.
I'm no saint—naturally, I didn't feel kindly toward the woman who stole my man. But then I remembered I was dying.
Sooner or later, Leo would move on with someone else.
What did it matter who it was?
The only thing that really stung was that after eight whole years together, he gave the wedding he never gave me to a woman he'd known for less than half a year.
The thought made my heart feel unbearably heavy.
