I never expected the once-proud Dylan to look so haggard in just over a month.Perhaps it was because of the car accident.“So quick to find a replacement, huh?” Dylan glanced at Ethan with a sneer.“Lydia has broken up with you. She’s my girlfriend now. Please don’t bother her again,” Ethan said, stepping between Dylan and me.“She’s been with me for seven years. Our matters have nothing to do with an outsider like you.”Dylan circled Ethan, then took out a diamond ring and handed it to me.“Lydia, come back to me. I’ve prepared your wedding dress and this ring. Let’s get married right away.”He spoke so earnestly, so gently, that for a moment, I almost believed the Dylan who had grown tired of me was just a bad dream.“But it’s too late, Dylan,” I said tersely. “A shattered heart can’t be pieced back together.”“We’ve already broken up. Give it to Sarah or Lisa instead.”“I know you’re still mad at me. I’m really sorry. This time, I’m serious. Let’s get married. I promise to spend th
“The doctor said he shouldn’t be discharged yet, but he insisted on coming to give you these jewelry pieces. He even had a diamond ring custom-made for you.I’ve never seen Dylan put so much effort into any woman. You’re truly special to him!” His assistant said. I pushed away the bag. To me, they were far less valuable than a simple necklace worth 500 yuan.“I don’t want to be special. I want loyalty, someone irreplaceable, someone who is the only one!”As I spoke, I glanced at Ethan.Ethan met my gaze with understanding and determination, then firmly held my hand.“But you are Dylan’s only one right now. That Sarah…” Dylan’s assistant hurriedly tried to explain.“Enough!” Dylan snapped, cutting him off with a cough.“I think you should take Dylan back to the hospital. He doesn’t look well. I’ll cover the cost of his treatment,” I said politely to his assistant.The emotions Dylan had been holding onto crumbled entirely.His expression as he looked at me was one of utter sorrow.If i
The wedding made me incredibly nervous."Olivia, do my dark circles look really bad?" I asked anxiously. "I shouldn't have stayed up late drawing illustrations the past few days.""You look beautiful! Stop worrying!""What does the wedding dress even look like? I think I gained weight this month—what if it doesn’t fit?"A month ago, Ethan promised to make me a special wedding dress.But I hadn’t seen it until now."The dress will be here any moment!" Olivia reassured me with her usual calm confidence.Just then, a few kids from the orphanage carried the wedding dress into the dressing room.When I saw it, my mouth fell open.It was unlike any wedding dress I’d ever seen. The white skirt was decorated with colorful drawings—childlike and innocent."Um... it’s really unique!" I struggled to find the right words."The kids from the orphanage helped make it," Olivia explained. "Those drawings are their blessings for you."Tears welled up in my eyes. I remembered the day I left Dylan. He ha
I had been with Dylan for seven years and had planned to propose to him on his birthday.Since I had to pick up the ring I had designed, I arrived late to his birthday party.They were in the room, and I was about to go in when I overheard a conversation between him and his friends through the crack in the door."Why isn’t Lydia here yet?" Someone asked."She’d better not come. She’d just ruin the vibe," Dylan said casually, sipping his beer."You don’t know how lucky you are! She’s got a face as stunning as a movie star.""It’s not just her face; her body’s even hotter than the porn stars on OnlyFans!""Even if she’s a goddess, once you’ve seen her sitting on the toilet seat straining, her face all red, you won’t be able to get it up anymore." Dylan shrugged."If you’re not into her anymore, let me take a chance, let me make a move…”"Oh? You like Lydia?" Dylan turned to his friend and said, "If you really wanna do it, I can give her to you. I’m bored with her anyway.""Come on, Dylan
I returned to my apartment and pulled out the wedding suit I had tailored for Dylan. In a fit of rage, I tore it to shreds.Then I opened the closet and gathered all the jewelry Dylan had given me over the years.Logging onto a second-hand trading website, I listed everything for sale.Within hours, the items were sold one after another. I donated all the proceeds to the orphanage where I had lived as a child.My friend Olivia called shortly after, her voice filled with gratitude. “Lydia, thank you for your donation. It’s truly a lifesaver.”“No need to thank me,” I replied calmly. “It’s all money from a scumbag, so I spent it with a clear conscience.”The sum was insignificant compared to Dylan’s extravagant lifestyle, but for the orphanage, it could provide the children with a brighter future. A bitter smile crossed my face as I wrestled with mixed emotions.“Did you and Dylan... fight again?” Olivia asked cautiously.“We broke up.”“You’ve broken up a hundred times before.”“This t
Ethan drove me back to the hotel.On the way, he started reminiscing about our childhood.“Do you remember that time when you tried to save a stray cat from the sewer and almost fell in yourself?”“Of course I remember! Then you hid the cat under your shirt and brought it back, only to get scolded.”“And there was another time we snuck out at night to catch fireflies and ended up being punished to clean the toilets the next day.”“It seems like we always got into trouble together.”“No, it was always you causing trouble, and I had to take the blame for it. I’ve never met a little girl as mischievous as you were.” He giggled. “Hahaha... Well, I’ll treat you to a meal sometime to make up for it,” I said with a grin.“Deal!”The atmosphere in the car grew lighter and more cheerful.It felt like riding a time machine, traveling through the rain back to my childhood, leaving behind the tears and heartbreak of the past few days.Before I knew it, we had arrived at the hotel.I unbuckled my
Just after I hung up on Dylan, my phone chimed with Ethan’s name on the screen.“Lydia, didn’t you say you’d treat me to dinner?”“Sorry, I… I picked up some freelance work and have been busy rushing to finish illustrations,” I stammered on the phone.“No matter how busy you are, you still need to eat dinner, right? Are you free tonight?”“Sure. What do you like? I’ll make a reservation!”“I’ve already taken care of it. Just show up tonight.”“Alright, then… see you tonight.”I hurriedly ended the call, my cheeks burning.The wild scenes from that night flashed through my mind. Even now, closing my eyes, I could still smell the scent of Ethan’s cologne.I didn’t know how to face him since we lost control that night. That’s why I hadn’t reached out.What exactly was my relationship with Ethan now?A mistake?Friends with benefits?I shook my head, telling myself not to overthink it for now.Ethan is very handsome and humorous. When I’m with him, I feel relaxed and happy—that’s enough, i
Before I could process it, my phone rang again. I hesitated for a few seconds before finally getting out of bed and answering the call."Lydia, it’s me. Dylan met with an accident. Please, come back and see him."I recognized the voice. It was Dylan’s assistant. "If he’s been in an accident, take him to the hospital. Why are you calling me? I’m not a doctor.""The accident happened after he left your apartment. Not finding you there, he lost control of his emotions. He’s unconscious now, and is serious. Are you really this heartless?"I paused, recalling the image of Dylan’s bloodied face in that photo. "Send me the address," I replied after a moment and hung up. "What’s wrong?" Ethan draped a small blanket over my shoulders and hugged me from behind, rubbing his chin against my neck.I told him about Dylan."Will you come back… after you go?" He asked. "Are you asking if I’ll get back together with Dylan?""Will you?"I turned to face him and shook my head."But you still care ab
The wedding made me incredibly nervous."Olivia, do my dark circles look really bad?" I asked anxiously. "I shouldn't have stayed up late drawing illustrations the past few days.""You look beautiful! Stop worrying!""What does the wedding dress even look like? I think I gained weight this month—what if it doesn’t fit?"A month ago, Ethan promised to make me a special wedding dress.But I hadn’t seen it until now."The dress will be here any moment!" Olivia reassured me with her usual calm confidence.Just then, a few kids from the orphanage carried the wedding dress into the dressing room.When I saw it, my mouth fell open.It was unlike any wedding dress I’d ever seen. The white skirt was decorated with colorful drawings—childlike and innocent."Um... it’s really unique!" I struggled to find the right words."The kids from the orphanage helped make it," Olivia explained. "Those drawings are their blessings for you."Tears welled up in my eyes. I remembered the day I left Dylan. He ha
“The doctor said he shouldn’t be discharged yet, but he insisted on coming to give you these jewelry pieces. He even had a diamond ring custom-made for you.I’ve never seen Dylan put so much effort into any woman. You’re truly special to him!” His assistant said. I pushed away the bag. To me, they were far less valuable than a simple necklace worth 500 yuan.“I don’t want to be special. I want loyalty, someone irreplaceable, someone who is the only one!”As I spoke, I glanced at Ethan.Ethan met my gaze with understanding and determination, then firmly held my hand.“But you are Dylan’s only one right now. That Sarah…” Dylan’s assistant hurriedly tried to explain.“Enough!” Dylan snapped, cutting him off with a cough.“I think you should take Dylan back to the hospital. He doesn’t look well. I’ll cover the cost of his treatment,” I said politely to his assistant.The emotions Dylan had been holding onto crumbled entirely.His expression as he looked at me was one of utter sorrow.If i
I never expected the once-proud Dylan to look so haggard in just over a month.Perhaps it was because of the car accident.“So quick to find a replacement, huh?” Dylan glanced at Ethan with a sneer.“Lydia has broken up with you. She’s my girlfriend now. Please don’t bother her again,” Ethan said, stepping between Dylan and me.“She’s been with me for seven years. Our matters have nothing to do with an outsider like you.”Dylan circled Ethan, then took out a diamond ring and handed it to me.“Lydia, come back to me. I’ve prepared your wedding dress and this ring. Let’s get married right away.”He spoke so earnestly, so gently, that for a moment, I almost believed the Dylan who had grown tired of me was just a bad dream.“But it’s too late, Dylan,” I said tersely. “A shattered heart can’t be pieced back together.”“We’ve already broken up. Give it to Sarah or Lisa instead.”“I know you’re still mad at me. I’m really sorry. This time, I’m serious. Let’s get married. I promise to spend th
The next morning, I booked a flight and rushed to the hospital, where Dylan was admitted.When I reached the door of his ward, I saw him lying quietly on the bed, with Sarah by his side.Strangely, the sight didn’t sting. Instead, it brought a sense of relief.I didn’t enter the room. Instead, I spoke to the doctor to confirm if his injuries were life-threatening or not and left. In the days that followed, I occasionally thought of Ethan. I wanted to talk to him but put my phone down every time I picked it up to call. I couldn’t muster the courage to do it. I didn’t want to hurt him.One afternoon, as I stared at Ethan’s WhatsApp profile picture, Olivia called.She invited me to the orphanage’s Christmas event next week. I understood her intentions—she was worried I’d feel too lonely spending the holidays alone after breaking up with Dylan.I prepared a lot of gifts and painted some watercolor pictures.What I didn’t expect was to run into Ethan at the Christmas event. I wanted to ta
Before I could process it, my phone rang again. I hesitated for a few seconds before finally getting out of bed and answering the call."Lydia, it’s me. Dylan met with an accident. Please, come back and see him."I recognized the voice. It was Dylan’s assistant. "If he’s been in an accident, take him to the hospital. Why are you calling me? I’m not a doctor.""The accident happened after he left your apartment. Not finding you there, he lost control of his emotions. He’s unconscious now, and is serious. Are you really this heartless?"I paused, recalling the image of Dylan’s bloodied face in that photo. "Send me the address," I replied after a moment and hung up. "What’s wrong?" Ethan draped a small blanket over my shoulders and hugged me from behind, rubbing his chin against my neck.I told him about Dylan."Will you come back… after you go?" He asked. "Are you asking if I’ll get back together with Dylan?""Will you?"I turned to face him and shook my head."But you still care ab
Just after I hung up on Dylan, my phone chimed with Ethan’s name on the screen.“Lydia, didn’t you say you’d treat me to dinner?”“Sorry, I… I picked up some freelance work and have been busy rushing to finish illustrations,” I stammered on the phone.“No matter how busy you are, you still need to eat dinner, right? Are you free tonight?”“Sure. What do you like? I’ll make a reservation!”“I’ve already taken care of it. Just show up tonight.”“Alright, then… see you tonight.”I hurriedly ended the call, my cheeks burning.The wild scenes from that night flashed through my mind. Even now, closing my eyes, I could still smell the scent of Ethan’s cologne.I didn’t know how to face him since we lost control that night. That’s why I hadn’t reached out.What exactly was my relationship with Ethan now?A mistake?Friends with benefits?I shook my head, telling myself not to overthink it for now.Ethan is very handsome and humorous. When I’m with him, I feel relaxed and happy—that’s enough, i
Ethan drove me back to the hotel.On the way, he started reminiscing about our childhood.“Do you remember that time when you tried to save a stray cat from the sewer and almost fell in yourself?”“Of course I remember! Then you hid the cat under your shirt and brought it back, only to get scolded.”“And there was another time we snuck out at night to catch fireflies and ended up being punished to clean the toilets the next day.”“It seems like we always got into trouble together.”“No, it was always you causing trouble, and I had to take the blame for it. I’ve never met a little girl as mischievous as you were.” He giggled. “Hahaha... Well, I’ll treat you to a meal sometime to make up for it,” I said with a grin.“Deal!”The atmosphere in the car grew lighter and more cheerful.It felt like riding a time machine, traveling through the rain back to my childhood, leaving behind the tears and heartbreak of the past few days.Before I knew it, we had arrived at the hotel.I unbuckled my
I returned to my apartment and pulled out the wedding suit I had tailored for Dylan. In a fit of rage, I tore it to shreds.Then I opened the closet and gathered all the jewelry Dylan had given me over the years.Logging onto a second-hand trading website, I listed everything for sale.Within hours, the items were sold one after another. I donated all the proceeds to the orphanage where I had lived as a child.My friend Olivia called shortly after, her voice filled with gratitude. “Lydia, thank you for your donation. It’s truly a lifesaver.”“No need to thank me,” I replied calmly. “It’s all money from a scumbag, so I spent it with a clear conscience.”The sum was insignificant compared to Dylan’s extravagant lifestyle, but for the orphanage, it could provide the children with a brighter future. A bitter smile crossed my face as I wrestled with mixed emotions.“Did you and Dylan... fight again?” Olivia asked cautiously.“We broke up.”“You’ve broken up a hundred times before.”“This t
I had been with Dylan for seven years and had planned to propose to him on his birthday.Since I had to pick up the ring I had designed, I arrived late to his birthday party.They were in the room, and I was about to go in when I overheard a conversation between him and his friends through the crack in the door."Why isn’t Lydia here yet?" Someone asked."She’d better not come. She’d just ruin the vibe," Dylan said casually, sipping his beer."You don’t know how lucky you are! She’s got a face as stunning as a movie star.""It’s not just her face; her body’s even hotter than the porn stars on OnlyFans!""Even if she’s a goddess, once you’ve seen her sitting on the toilet seat straining, her face all red, you won’t be able to get it up anymore." Dylan shrugged."If you’re not into her anymore, let me take a chance, let me make a move…”"Oh? You like Lydia?" Dylan turned to his friend and said, "If you really wanna do it, I can give her to you. I’m bored with her anyway.""Come on, Dylan