**Chapter 1** In the quiet coffee shop, my friend looked at me, utterly stunned. “Liam, are you really just leaving Aria and moving abroad?” I set down my spoon, my voice flat. “We’re already divorced.” “Divorced?!” My friend, Leo, was completely blindsided by such explosive news. The next second, he was already rushing to my defense. “Aria actually agreed? You were so good to her these past three years, you could have melted a stone! Does she really have no feelings for you at all?!” I gave a small smile, my eyes flickering. Honestly, I don’t even know if she agreed. Half a month ago, when I handed her the divorce papers, she was on the phone, signed them without even listening to me, and just rushed off. She never even asked about it afterward. Now, I just need to wait another two weeks, and I’ll get the final divorce decree. Then I’ll be free. Just as I was about to speak, a soft female voice came from behind us. “Are you two done chatting?” Both guys turned around to see Aria, dressed in a sleek black skirt suit, her long legs striding towards us. Leo, still seething, was about to confront her. “Aria, Liam just said you two were divor…” “What are you doing here?” I gently patted Leo’s hand, shaking my head at him, cutting him off just in time. “Looks like it’s going to rain later. I just happened to be passing by and thought I’d pick you up.” Only then did I manage a small smile. After bidding Leo goodbye, I grabbed my bag and left with her. On the drive back, the rain softly pattered against the car, but inside, it was eerily quiet. Facing me, the husband she’d married by a twist of fate, Aria’s lips parted slightly a few times, as if she wanted to speak, probably to find some topic of conversation. But then she must have remembered she hadn’t been home in half a month. After a long silence, she finally spoke, as if something just clicked. “Liam, what was that document you had me sign half a month ago?” It took her this long to ask? Right, she’s been so wrapped up with Caleb lately, why would she care about such minor things? I gave a wry smile, about to speak, when Aria’s phone rang again. “Aria, I drank too much, my head hurts so bad. Can you come pick me up?” Hearing the slightly whiny, almost flirtatious tone from the other end, Aria’s long, slender knuckles tightened on the steering wheel, turning white, and her expression immediately darkened. “Caleb, I’ve told you many times, I’m married.” A brief silence, then, “So what if you’re married? I was supposed to be the groom at that wedding, remember?” That careless tone clearly infuriated Aria. For three years of marriage, I’d only ever seen her cool and composed. This was the first time I saw her lose control. She slammed on the brakes, the car screeching loudly against the pavement. “So, where were you?!” The other end of the line immediately went silent. A moment later, the voice on the phone sounded choked, “I’m sorry. I won’t bother you again.” The call ended abruptly, but Aria’s face didn’t clear; it grew even darker. Her fingers drummed on the steering wheel. After a long pause, she finally gave in completely, typing out a few words with a resigned air. “Send me the address.” After getting the address, she looked at me, her face full of apologies. I knew what she was going to say, so I cut her off. “Go on, you have something to do. I’ll just grab a cab home.” Seeing me open the car door and put up my umbrella, Aria still felt a little guilty. She said softly, “I’ll come back to you once I’m done.” I nodded. Standing in the rain, watching her drive away, complex emotions swirled in my eyes. This was my seventh year of loving Aria. I still remember the first time I fell for her at first sight in the dance studio. She was wearing a practice skirt, her body swaying gracefully, single-handedly becoming the provincial dance champion, a true icon who captivated the entire audience. Beside me, a fanboy screamed, eager to tell a newly arrived classmate about her. “That’s Aria Hayes from the Computer Science department! Total campus celebrity, from the prominent Hayes family in the city!” Too bad this campus queen only had eyes for Caleb Davies, her childhood sweetheart. They’d been together for years. She would spend a fortune for Caleb, booking an entire amusement park just to surprise him for his birthday. She’d humble herself, begging him to get back together in front of the whole school, just because someone had confessed to her and Caleb, being childish, had intentionally blocked her on SnapChat. She’d wait in the snow until her hands were frostbitten, even if Caleb had ditched her to play basketball with his buddies, and she’d never complain… Throughout my four years of college, I heard countless stories of Aria and Caleb’s romance. I always thought I’d be like an NPC in a romance novel, just witnessing their happily ever after. Until two years ago, when Aria, fresh out of college, was eager to marry Caleb. I wasn’t invited, but I went to that “wedding of the century” anyway, as a classmate. The ceremony had already begun, but Caleb still hadn’t shown up. Aria was frantic, calling him ninety-nine times, only to receive a text from Caleb saying he didn’t want to get married so early and had already left the country. That day, Aria’s patience finally ran out. She no longer tolerated his tantrums; she simply grabbed the microphone. “Today, I, Aria Hayes, have decided to choose a new groom. Is there any single gentleman interested in stepping forward?” I, usually quiet and unnoticeable, felt my heart pound in my chest. I knew too many people liked Aria, so the moment those words left her lips, I immediately stood up. That day, I put on that ill-fitting suit and married the woman who couldn’t even remember my name. For the next three years, we lived together respectfully, without incident. Until a little over a month ago, when Caleb returned. Watching Aria, resisting him yet drawn to him, I knew my grand delusion was over. I had to give that position back. Fulfill her undying devotion. And finally free myself. In the pouring rain, I sent Aria a text message. “That document you asked about? It’s in the glove compartment on your passenger side. If you want to know what it is, just open it.” **Chapter 2** It was half an hour later, and I was already home, when Aria finally replied with a single sentence. “No need. Whatever you had me sign, it wouldn’t be anything to harm me, naturally.” That meant she wasn’t going to look. Right, she was in a hurry to pick up a drunk Caleb; how could she have time to read it? Even if it was within arm’s reach. The rain poured all day, only stopping the next evening. I stayed home, silently deleting all our “couple” posts from every social media platform. After cleaning out my SnapChat stories, I exited the app and immediately saw Caleb’s new nine-photo grid on Ins. They were photos of him relaxing on a yacht, each angle perfectly chosen to show a woman’s slender hand. I knew it was Aria, and I knew Caleb was doing it on purpose. But now, I didn’t care about such trivial things. I turned off my phone, got up, and went into the kitchen to make myself a salad. Just as dinner was ready, Aria suddenly came home. Seeing the cake in her hand, I paused for a moment. “You don’t usually like desserts, do you? Why the sudden cake?” Aria walked over, saw my dinner, and frowned slightly. “It’s your birthday today, did you forget? Why are you eating something so simple?” I froze. My parents divorced when I was four or five, leaving me with my grandmother. When I was fifteen or sixteen, Grandma passed away, and I was on my own; I never celebrated birthdays again. But in the three years I’d been married to Aria, she remembered every single year, always rushing back to celebrate with me, no matter how busy she was. When I traveled, she’d worry about my safety and even pick me up from the airport. If there was a thunderstorm, she knew I was scared and would gently hold me close… I thought these unintentional acts of care and affection meant she loved me. Then, on our wedding anniversary a month ago, Aria canceled our pre-booked candlelight dinner, claiming something came up at work. Feeling disappointed, I was called to a bar by Leo to bring him a jacket, and that’s when I unexpectedly ran into Caleb. He was completely drunk, clinging to the person who was supposed to be working overtime at her company, refusing to let go. Aria’s face was grim as she angrily pulled him off. “Caleb! Stop being such a pain in the ass and let go! What do you think I am? Some toy you can pick up and toss aside whenever you feel like it?” Caleb wasn’t listening to a word she said. Stubbornly, he used the hands she’d just pushed away to wrap around her waist again. Over and over, tireless. Finally, Aria gave in, defeated. She stood there, her gaze lowered, filled with a suppressed love as she looked at him, her voice dripping with surrender. “Caleb, what am I ever going to do with you?” In that moment, the bag in my hand dropped to the floor. So many images flashed through my mind: those hands tightly clasped through a crowded street, the umbrella tilted in the heavy rain, the figure kneeling in a graduation gown, proposing… Every scene was proof of Aria’s singular love for Caleb. I had witnessed those moments myself, so I couldn’t deny the truth. Even after three years of marriage, even after I became her husband, even after I’d had a tiny bit of her favor. I couldn’t deny it. To be precise, whatever kindness Aria showed me was just something I’d stolen from Caleb while he was temporarily out of the picture. I clutched at that tiny bit of sweetness, convincing myself I had everything. But in reality, I’d never truly had her, not for a single second. So, looking at the number 24 on the cake, my heart felt nothing. I just bowed slightly and politely said, “Thanks.” Aria lit the candles and gave a soft smile. “Liam, we’re married. Don’t use such formal words as ‘thanks.’ Make a wish.” I nodded, about to get up, when Aria’s phone rang. Seeing her subtly trembling eyes, I guessed who was calling and sat back down. And just as I expected, a minute later, the call ended, and Aria left. Listening to the car’s engine fade into the distance outside the window, a bitter smile touched my lips. The room was dark, and the flickering candlelight cast my lonely shadow onto the wall. I pressed my hands together and made my twenty-fourth birthday wish. “In this new year, I will no longer love Aria Hayes.” **Chapter 3** Three days later, it was the college reunion. I arrived and found Aria there too. She was surrounded by everyone, but the moment she saw me, she walked straight over and sat beside me. With the two of us sitting together, the atmosphere in the private room became a little strange. I knew it was because of me. After all, in the eyes of these college classmates, I’d only married Aria to climb the social ladder, so they all looked down on me. But I didn’t care about their malicious speculation. I just sat there quietly, poker-faced. The class president, who arrived late, carried a large cardboard box and greeted everyone. “Today’s reunion is for two reasons: first, to catch up, and second, that ‘Letters to Your Five-Years-Ago Self’ activity we did? Well, it’s time to open them up and see what we wrote!” Everyone immediately swarmed forward, chattering excitedly. “Let’s make it interesting! Everyone randomly picks one to read aloud!” “Great idea! Let me go first!” The most outgoing guy in class squeezed into the crowd and was the first to draw a letter. A few people who didn’t know what was going on urged him on. He quickly tore open the envelope, cleared his throat, and unfolded the letter. “ ‘To my future self, five years from now, how are you? I’m writing this letter to you under the sunlight right now. I don’t know what scene or mood you’ll be in when you read this, but I want to convey my current feelings to you.’ ” After the first paragraph, the entire room fell silent, and everyone’s gaze shifted to me. Aria, who had been on her phone, also looked up, her expression one of surprise. My usually impassive face, thinking of the letter’s contents, instantly dropped. The guy glanced at me, then continued reading with a smirk. “ ‘This year, you’re 19, a sophomore, and you’ve fallen for Aria Hayes. But she doesn’t know, and even if she did, it wouldn’t matter, because she already has someone she loves. Your secret affection is destined to be unrequited.’ ” “ ‘You might ask me, if it’s destined to go nowhere, why won’t I give up? I want to tell you that what I love is her fearless youthful charm, amidst the cheers of thousands. It’s her unintentional kindness when she picked up my fallen book in the evening breeze. It’s her polite and sincere demeanor, even when she’s turning down a confession.’ ” “ ‘It was me whose neck ached from secretly turning to look at her during every weekly morning assembly. It was me who braved a thunderstorm to secretly put medicine in her drawer when I heard she was injured dancing. It was me who filled an entire diary page with her name. Maybe she’ll never remember me, not even once, but that’s okay. Because unrequited love is always a private battlefield.’ ” After the letter was read, the entire room was silent. Aria, in particular, stiffened. Suddenly, she remembered that unforgettable wedding, and the figure who had stood up without hesitation amidst a sea of strange glances, walking resolutely to her side. Only now did she finally understand why I had married her. It wasn’t to climb the social ladder, as others had claimed. It was simply because I had secretly loved her for many years. In that instant, her long-dormant heart inexplicably began to race. On impulse, she wanted to ask all the questions that had been suppressed deep within her, but before she could, Caleb’s phone call came through. “Aria, I’m stuck downstairs at the club, blocked by a few creditors…” Before he could finish, Aria’s face changed. She bolted up and rushed downstairs. The moment she saw the menacing group of men, she immediately started swinging. Fueled by anger, she hit them hard and heavy, knocking one out cold with just a few punches. The group who had followed her quickly shielded Caleb behind them. He cried, claiming the tattooed man had touched his hand. Hearing this, Aria grabbed an iron bar from nearby and brought it down on the thug’s hand. A bloodcurdling scream echoed through the air. I rushed downstairs and witnessed that scene. Seeing the right hand, bleeding profusely and almost certainly broken, I froze. Instinctively, I looked up at Aria, but only saw her shielding Caleb as they left. The person who had just been so fierce and decisive now wore a gentle expression, softly cooing to him. This was a level of concern I had never received. I lowered my eyes, hiding my emotions, and gave a self-deprecating laugh. Then I quietly turned and went home. Aria didn’t return until dawn. Seeing me sitting silently on the sofa, she finally remembered to offer a brief explanation. “Liam, today… they’re all classmates. I couldn’t just ignore Caleb’s situation.” I had no desire to call her out. I just softly hummed in response, grabbed my pajamas, and went into the bathroom. Half an hour later, I came out, drying my hair, and saw Aria holding my phone, her expression slightly odd. “Liam, why did you buy a plane ticket?”
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