Sophie's tears cascaded down like scattered pearls, her voice filled with desperation and plea. "Ryan, can we speak with Elena? I will give her everything—anything—if you don't marry her. Please, just say yes!"

I shook my head, my heart breaking with each word as I replied, "Sophie, I am unworthy of your love. I am sorry. You should hate me; I am nothing but a scoundrel." With those words, I slapped myself hard, the searing pain on my face pale in comparison to the anguish in my soul. "I'm sorry. Please, take care of yourself."

I turned away from the office, each step feeling like a weight pressing down on my heart. Behind me, Sophie's heart-wrenching cries echoed through the silence: "No…." Her voice seemed to tear at the very fabric of the world, but I knew—I could not turn back.

"Ryan, you bastard!" Sophie's voice lingered in my ears, "Why must you be so cruel? Why make me love you, only to push me away?"

I paused, my mind racing with unsaid words, but none could escape. I knew this was my fault—my inability to face the truth, my choice to run away. I took a deep breath, moving forward, each step leading me closer to the abyss.

"Ryan, can you truly bear this?" Sophie's voice pierced the air once more. "Can you bear to watch me suffer?"

I closed my eyes, striving to block out her voice. I knew that if I turned back, I would falter, that I would lose the resolve I had summoned. I could not afford that. I had to keep moving.

"Sophie, you'll find someone better," I whispered in my heart, "You have a career, and you will find love. I am truly a bastard. I am so sorry. I am so sorry."

After leaving the company, I felt as though I had been drained of all life, aimlessly wandering with nowhere to go. I didn't want to return home, didn't want to face anyone. My heart felt suffocated, crushed beneath an insurmountable weight. My steps led me without direction, and eventually, I found myself at my father's grave. It was almost laughable—Elena had paid for the funeral. I bought a bottle of white wine outside and offered three cups to my father. Kneeling before the grave, my tears finally flowed uncontrollably.

"Dad, why is it that everything I do seems to be wrong?" I choked on my sobs, my voice echoing in the desolate graveyard, filled with sorrow.

Raindrops began to fall from the sky, soft and steady, mingling with my tears. My clothes were soon soaked, but I had no desire to move. Sophie, why did you have to say it? Why did you have to fall in love with me? If you hadn't spoken those words, if you hadn't loved me, wouldn't we both be spared this pain? Why give me hope?

Suddenly, the rain above me ceased. I looked up, only to realize that the rain had not stopped, but a person was standing by my side, holding an umbrella to shield me from the downpour. Tears streamed down her face, her eyes filled with concern and sorrow.

"Elena, why are you here?" I asked, surprised, my voice trembling.

"Ryan, please stop," she said gently, her voice soft but firm, as though pulling me from the depths of despair. "Your father may be gone, but you still have your mother—and you have me."

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I wanted to stop Elena from calling me father, mother, but what could I say now? Social debts, money, all of it had entangled me in a way I couldn't escape. Elena believed I mourned only for my father, but she didn't understand that I was mourning not just for him, but for my foolish youth, for the love I had lost.

"Elena, do you know? I truly feel like a complete failure," I said with a bitter smile, my gaze vacant. "I don't even have enough money to buy my father a proper grave. My life is a mess."

"Ryan, please don't say that. You're simply facing some hardships," Elena said softly, gently patting my shoulder. "Everyone has their low points, but that doesn't mean you'll remain there forever."

"But I truly don't know how to move forward," I muttered, my voice barely audible as I lowered my head.

"Do you remember when you used to say you wanted to be a great scholar?" Elena smiled faintly, attempting to console me with memories. "Back then, you were so strong, so confident."

"That was just a childish fantasy," I sighed, gazing vacantly out the window. "Reality is always harsh."

Elena's voice came from behind me, tinged with a trace of reproach, but more so with concern. "But you can't give up on yourself just because reality is cruel." She moved closer, gently placing her hand on my shoulder. "You still have many opportunities ahead of you. You're still young, with countless possibilities."

I shook my head bitterly, a shadow of desolation passing through my eyes. "Possibilities? I have nothing left. What possibilities could there be?"

Elena's gaze was unwavering, like a warm ray of sunshine piercing through the clouds in my heart. "Ryan, do you know? Sometimes, losing something is necessary to help you find what truly belongs to you," she said, her voice soft yet filled with strength. "You cannot allow a single failure to define your entire life."

I spread my hands helplessly, my voice laden with despair. "But I honestly don't know how to go on."

Elena took a deep breath, as though gathering her words. "Earlier, your boss, your ex-girlfriend, Sophie, called me," she paused, watching my reaction closely.

I froze for a moment, furrowing my brow. "Sophie? What did she want from you?"

Elena's voice came slowly, almost calmly. "She asked me to give you up, promising that if I did, she would give me her company." There was a hint of mockery in her tone. "She also said she loves you so much that if you told her you loved her, she would sacrifice everything."

I was stunned, a flood of complicated emotions swirling inside me. "So, how did you respond to her?"

A glimmer of determination flashed in Elena's eyes. "I told her that I love Ryan as well, and my love is no less than hers." Her voice held a note of confidence. "If she can give up everything to love you, why can't I? She loved you for seven years, but I've loved you for more than ten! What do you think, Ryan?"

I stared at her, a thousand conflicting emotions coursing through me. "I will marry you."

A fleeting sadness crossed Elena's eyes, but she quickly concealed it. "I've loved you for over ten years, yet you don't love me—I know this," her voice carried an unyielding tone. "But I also know that I will make you see me in a new light, make you slowly fall in love with me. I won't let you go to her, or anyone else. No one will take you from me."

I took a deep breath, an unexplainable feeling rising within me. "Elena, I will marry you." I repeated the words, as though making a vow to myself.

A soft tenderness flickered in Elena's eyes as she gently took my hand. "Ryan, I understand your heart. I know it's not with me right now, but I will wait for you."

I lowered my head, warmth and guilt swelling within me. "Elena, I'm sorry, I..." The words caught in my throat, unsure of how to continue.

Elena gently shook her head, interrupting me. "Ryan, there's no need to apologize. I know how you feel, and I understand that you need time." Her voice was firm yet compassionate. "I will stay by your side, walking with you through this difficult time."