Sophie seemed to derive amusement from tormenting me; whenever misfortune befell me, it seemed to bring her joy. Today, she kept me extraordinarily busy, from morning till night, leaving me no respite, not even a moment to catch my breath. Though irritation simmered within me, I was helpless, bound by circumstance.

That morning, Lucas appeared once again at her office, impeccably dressed in a tailored suit, his hair perfectly styled, and a bouquet of radiant roses cradled in his hands. As soon as he entered the building, he headed straight for Sophie's office. By chance, I was present there as well, and I couldn't suppress a disdainful sneer.

Lucas knocked on the door, and Sophie's melodic voice echoed from within. "Come in."

He opened the door, his face plastered with a sycophantic smile. "Good morning, Sophie."

Sophie looked up, her gaze cool and detached, lacking any trace of enthusiasm. "What is it?"

Lucas quickly stepped forward, offering the flowers to her with a flourish. "Sophie, I specially selected these for you. I hope you like them."

Sophie furrowed her brow, not reaching for the bouquet. "Thank you, but I don't need them."

Undeterred, Lucas pressed on. "Sophie, I've made a reservation at Xingyue Restaurant for tonight. Would you join me for dinner?"

Sophie paused in thought for a moment, then cast a fleeting glance in my direction. I hastily lowered my head, pretending to be occupied, though inwardly I muttered, Why is she looking at me? What does this have to do with me?

Turning back to Lucas, Sophie finally consented, "Alright."

At her words, Lucas's face broke into an exultant smile. "Wonderful, Sophie! I'll make sure everything is perfectly arranged."

As I listened from the side, a sense of discomfort grew within me. I couldn't fathom why I felt this way, perhaps it was because these past days of pretending to be her boyfriend had given me an unrealistic sense of hope. But Lucas had been pursuing her for years—this was no secret in the office or among their social circle. I couldn't understand why Sophie had never accepted him, whether due to family reasons or some other, as evidenced by the public proposal I had witnessed not long ago.

Watching Lucas leave the office in triumph, my frustration deepened. I couldn't understand why Sophie had agreed to his invitation. Had she developed some affection for him as well? The thought made my fists clench in quiet agitation.

Before the end of the workday, Sophie called me over. Meeting my gaze, she said, "You don't need to drive me tonight. Just go back to the hotel, get your things, and either cook or dine out." A tinge of disappointment was evident in her eyes.

Although a sense of loss washed over me, I masked it with forced nonchalance. "Alright, Sophie."

After leaving the office, I had no desire to go to her place. Instead, I returned to the hotel. After finding a small noodle shop and having a bowl of noodles, my mood was far from light. Perhaps Sophie played a part in it, but more so, it was Celeste. As I passed by the administration department earlier, I overheard them discussing Celeste. I lingered deliberately, only to learn that she had resigned and left Eldoria. The news struck me like a bolt from the blue, leaving me frozen in place.

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

As I walked along the street, my thoughts turned to Celeste, and my heart grew heavier. Though Elena had told me that Celeste had personally ended things, with recorded proof to corroborate it, I still couldn't let go of the emotions I harbored for her. After all, aside from Sophie, Celeste had been the first person I had truly loved. In truth, I longed to tell her, I love you.

I took out my phone and dialed her number, but once again, it was as unreachable as ever. Undeterred, I dialed again and again, each time hearing the same cold recorded message: "The number you have dialed is unavailable. Please try again later."

With each repetition of that impersonal tone, my heart sank deeper into despair. I couldn't understand why she had become so resolute, denying me even a single opportunity for an explanation.

Could it be that she harbors no lingering affection for us? Do the beautiful moments we once shared together mean nothing to her? Has she truly erased all the memories we created?

I aimlessly walked along the riverbank where we once spent time together, my heart a tumult of confusion. Memories flooded over me like an unstoppable tide, submerging my thoughts. I remembered our first stroll by the river, her shy smile like a flower blooming in the spring sun. We walked slowly along the water's edge, the breeze caressing her hair, a scene so beautiful it seemed to captivate my very soul.

I recalled the time we watched the sunset together, the evening glow painting the sky, reflecting on her face. She leaned against my shoulder, and in that moment, I felt like the happiest person in the world. But now, all of that was nothing but a distant memory. She had vanished from my life, leaving no trace behind.

I couldn't accept it. I simply couldn't. I needed to find her, to ask her why she had chosen to treat me this way.

I lingered by the river for what felt like hours, until night fell and the city lights began to twinkle. The lights along the water reflected in the rippling surface, sparkling but failing to dispel the darkness in my heart. I sat on a bench by the river, staring blankly at the flowing water. Not far off, a figure in a white dress stood by the railing, gazing out at the river. That flash of white reminded me of Celeste—her long hair, her silhouette—all so familiar. Perhaps I was just yearning for her so much that I saw her everywhere.

She had been there for quite a while. Was she also heartbroken? Or struggling with work? I felt an impulse to approach her, to ask her. As we both faced similar heartaches, I stood and walked toward her. She seemed to sense something, turning her head to look at me. It was uncanny—this wasn't just someone who resembled Celeste; this was her! I froze, and Celeste stared back at me in stunned silence, no doubt just as surprised to find me there.

Before I encountered her, I had wanted to speak my heart to her, but now, seeing her in front of me, the words seemed to stick in my throat. I knew her so well, yet now she felt like a stranger.

"Celeste..." I finally broke the silence.

"What are you doing here?" We both asked in unison.

Silence fell between us once again. I stared at her, a mix of emotions swirling within me. Her eyes still glistened with tears, a clear sign that she, too, had been through turmoil.

"Celeste, is what Elena said true?" I finally gathered the courage to ask.

Suddenly, two streams of tears fell from Celeste's eyes. "Yes, it's true."

"Celeste, are you truly willing to let go of our love?" I asked, my voice aching with pain.

"Ryan, love is not enough; we need a life, too. I cannot be so selfish," she replied, her voice tinged with resignation and finality.

"Celeste, I truly don't understand. Why didn't you talk to me about this? Why let someone else tell me?" I said, my emotions running high, confusion and anger flooding my heart.

She scoffed coldly, "She's an outsider? Ryan, are you still trying to deceive me?"

"Deceive you?" I was taken aback. "How have I deceived you?"

"Enough," she said, her tone sharp. "I too bear some blame. I should have told you about our marriage conditions. That's my fault. But you shouldn't have kept it from me. You have a fiancée your parents arranged for you. What were you planning to do? Were you hoping to have it all?"