My boyfriend Liam said his childhood friend Sarah didn’t have much time left. Her final wish was to be treated like his lover, just once. So he took her to dinner. Stayed overnight. Held her hand. And eventually, slept with her. When I caught them, he wasn’t ashamed. “I just felt sorry for her, I was granting her wish. It doesn’t mean I don’t love you.” I understood— cheating can be forgiven, as long as it’s disguised as kindness. So I turned around—and sat in another man’s arms. Before the wedding, I went to pick up our wedding photos, but the bride in the pictures wasn’t me. It was Liam’s childhood sweetheart. As I stood there, dumbfounded, the shop assistant brought out another stack of photos and apologized: “I’m so sorry, these are your wedding photos.” I stared blankly at the same groom, two different brides, and two sets of wedding photos. In a flash, I pulled out my phone, snapped a picture of Liam and Sarah’s wedding photos, and posted it on social media. With the caption: “A match made in heaven, truly.” Liam called me immediately. “Olivia, are you serious? Sarah just wanted to fulfill a dream by taking wedding photos with me, and you’re being this petty?” I said calmly, “Let’s break up. I don’t want this wedding anymore.” Stepping out of the photography studio, I casually tossed my wedding photos into a trash can. Those were the wedding photos I’d dreamed of for ten years, now just a pile of garbage. Along with them, I tossed in ten years of my feelings. Back home, Liam was already sitting on the couch, looking furious. I ignored him and walked straight to the bedroom. Liam grabbed my arm. “Olivia, what exactly is your problem? It’s just a small thing, why are you making such a big deal out of it, and giving me attitude?” He took wedding photos with another woman and then dared to ask what my problem was. Right. I’d indulged him too much over the years, my boundless tolerance made him think he could walk all over me, that I didn’t even have the right to be angry. I lowered my eyes and said coldly, “No problem. I just find it utterly meaningless now.” Liam’s voice rose, his impatience practically overflowing. “I already explained it to you! Sarah just wanted to fulfill a dream by taking wedding photos with me. You know she has a heart condition and can never get married in her life. I’m the only one she trusts.” I stared at him, stunned. “Liam, let’s break up.” A flicker of panic crossed Liam’s eyes, but he quickly regained his composure. “Olivia, don’t try that with me. I, Liam, have never been threatened by anyone.” “Go apologize to Sarah right now. I’ll let this slide, and the wedding will proceed as planned.” In ten years of dating, this was the first time I felt Liam was truly repulsive. Before, I might have thrown a tantrum over Sarah, but now, it felt completely unnecessary. I ignored him, walked into the bedroom, pulled out the wedding invitations, gently tore them to shreds, and scattered them on the floor. The red paper confetti drifted down like snowflakes. “Liam, I’m not marrying you.” Liam sneered, “Olivia, you said it yourself. Don’t you dare regret it.” Slam! Liam slammed the door and left. I don’t know when Liam started acting like this. Whenever I questioned his behavior, I was met with either accusation or the silent treatment. Maybe he’d always been like this, and my love had just blinded me. Liam didn’t like having his picture taken. Our joint photos during our relationship were few and far between. I had to nag him for ages just to get him to agree to the wedding photos. According to him, taking such things was meaningless; they’d just gather dust at home. I disagreed. I thought even when we were old, looking at them would bring back beautiful memories. I visited countless photography studios before finally choosing a style I loved. During the shoot, Liam was completely uncooperative. He’d complain the clothes were uncomfortable or posing was too tiring. The two-day photo shoot we’d planned was crammed into a single day, leaving two outfits untaken. But who would’ve thought he’d turn around and take a full set of wedding photos with Sarah? Suddenly, I felt incredibly tired, utterly exhausted. I had loved him for ten years, endured him for ten years. Now, I just didn’t want to torment myself anymore.
I pulled out my phone and saw Sarah’s social media post. “Everyone, please don’t misunderstand. Big Brother Liam just sympathized with my poor health, which is why he took wedding photos with me. We’re just good friends, really.” The sickly sweet fake innocence was practically dripping off her post. Soon, several mutual friends of Liam and I started sending me messages. “Olivia, you shouldn’t bother with Sarah. Liam is just taking care of her. Everyone knows Liam only has eyes for you.” “There’s absolutely nothing going on between Sarah and Liam. They grew up together; don’t overthink it, okay?” “Liam just feels too sorry for Sarah. His true feelings are for you. Don’t take it out on Sarah.” I let out a bitter laugh as I read those messages. It just showed how much sway Sarah had, sickening me while making me out to be the jealous, petty one who couldn’t tolerate her. But it didn’t matter. I didn’t want Liam anymore, let alone these outsiders. I blocked everyone who had sent me messages, one by one. Next, I called the wedding planning company. The person on the other end was very enthusiastic: “Miss Olivia, your wedding plan has been revised according to your requests. When would you like to come in to finalize it?” I said blandly, “No need. My wedding is canceled. I apologize for all your work on the plan; you can keep the deposit.” From start to finish, Liam had shown no interest in the wedding. Whenever I asked for his opinion, he’d just say a wedding was a meaningless performance. For Sarah, it was “fulfilling a dream.” For me, it was “a meaningless performance.” What a double standard. Hanging up the phone, I let out a long breath. It turns out letting go of a fixation wasn’t that hard after all. Marrying Liam and starting a family had always been my dream. My family wasn’t well-off, so I got a part-time job in the campus cafeteria during college. Liam often came to my serving window. He said I was always generous with portions, making sure everyone got a full plate. I smiled and gave him an extra scoop of rice and a bit more soup. Later, Liam told me to quit, saying he could work part-time to support me. I laughed, calling him silly, wondering why I’d quit such a good job. We made a pact: every month after payday, we’d go out for a big meal. The rest of the money, we’d save. Every time we saved a sum, Liam would happily hug me. “Olivia, I’m one step closer to marrying you.” Those days, though poor, were filled with sweetness and hope. Now, we had enough money, but we detested each other. Liam sent me a message: “Friends’ dinner tonight. Get ready and come over.” “Sarah wants to explain things to you herself.” Explain what? To gather a bunch of people as Sarah’s advocates, just to criticize my pettiness again? I wasn’t that desperate. “Can’t make it, busy.” I refused directly. I wasn’t lying to Liam; I truly was busy, packing my things. This apartment was Liam’s; it was his pre-marital property. Since we were breaking up, I naturally had to move out. We’d lived together for too long, accumulated too many things. I needed to buy some large boxes. As soon as I stepped out, I ran into Liam. “Where are you going?” Liam grabbed me. “To buy some things.” I turned sideways, trying to leave quickly. Liam pulled me directly into his car. “Stop being dramatic. All our friends are here tonight, and you’re the only one missing.” The ride was silent. I was fiddling with my phone, but then I noticed the passenger seat floor mat had been replaced with a cartoon design. Sailor Moon, of all things. Liam saw me staring at the floor mat and said, a little sheepishly, “Sarah said my car was too boring, so she took the liberty of changing the floor mats.” I glanced at Liam’s feet; his side also had cartoon floor mats. Ever since Liam bought this car, he’d never allowed anyone to decorate it freely. I once bought a few cute ornaments for the passenger seat, and he’d immediately thrown them out. “Putting these things in a perfectly good car really cheapens it.” After that, I never bought any car decorations again. It seemed it wasn’t the ornaments that cheapened things, but me. Realizing this, I actually found it a little laughable. “Hm, they’re nice.” Liam opened his mouth, as if to say something, but ultimately said nothing. He just floored the gas pedal. I knew Liam was angry. He thought I was being petty and jealous again. In the past, I would have argued with him, but every argument always ended with my compromise. So, why bother making myself unhappy? When we arrived at the restaurant, before I even got out of the car, Sarah practically fluttered over like a butterfly, the small, delicate lucky bracelet on her wrist swaying and glinting under the lights. “Sister Olivia, you’re here!” Sarah intimately linked her arm through mine; anyone watching would have thought we were close sisters. We barely settled down. Sarah, acting like the hostess, began to address the others: “Everyone, please make yourselves at home. Big Brother Liam is treating us tonight, so don’t be shy.” That “Big Brother Liam” nickname made my stomach churn. Sarah raised a glass of wine to me, apologizing: “Sister Olivia, Big Brother Liam and I really didn’t have any other intentions with the wedding photos. I just wanted to experience wearing a wedding dress. You know I can’t ever get married because of my heart.” As she spoke, tears welled up and rolled down Sarah’s face, making her look utterly pathetic. The others started to chime in: “Exactly, Sarah is just a kid at heart. Olivia, don’t hold it against her.” “Sarah’s so considerate. Olivia, just drink it. You two will still be good friends afterwards.” Everyone stared at me, as if refusing Sarah’s apology would be a crime. I looked at Liam. His arms were crossed over his chest, his head down, wearing an expression of smug confidence. He was signaling that I had to drink this wine, whether I wanted to or not. Sarah’s wishes were his wishes. He was certain I wouldn’t dare publicly embarrass him. I smiled faintly, taking the glass from Sarah.
“My dear sister, since you’ve already taken the wedding photos, why don’t you stand in for me at the wedding too?” “If you’re going to experience it, go all out. Just taking wedding photos is so boring, isn’t it?” Sarah’s face instantly flushed a furious crimson, stammering, unable to form a coherent sentence. Liam stood up to shield Sarah: “Olivia, if you have a problem, direct it at me. Don’t pick on a young girl like Sarah.” “She’s not as venomous as you, and not as petty.” Ten years of our relationship, and to Liam, all that was left of me was venom and pettiness. Even though I’d already decided to sever ties, Liam’s words still pierced me deeply, like a thousand tiny cuts. My hand trembled uncontrollably. I took a deep breath to steady myself. I turned to Liam. “Do you think you’re some kind of saint? You’re old enough to know better, still playing that sickening ‘big brother, little sister’ act? Don’t you find it disgusting?” I poured the entire glass of wine over Liam’s head. “You said I was petty? Well, today I’ll show you what true pettiness looks like.” Liam wiped his face, his eyes wide with disbelief. I grabbed Sarah, ripping the lucky bracelet from her wrist. “If I’m not mistaken, this bracelet was mine, the one I got for you. You almost died in that car accident years ago, and I traveled all over just to find this lucky bracelet for you.” “Then you told me you lost it. Turns out you gave it to Sarah.” “Is this how you trample all over my sincerity?” I practically screamed the words. All the grievances of the past few days exploded out of me. My chest heaved violently. Everyone present was too stunned to utter a sound. Liam’s face, which had been contorted in anger, instantly deflated. He quickly stammered an explanation: “Olivia, it’s not what you think. Sarah had a heart attack and was in critical condition. I was afraid she wouldn’t make it, so I gave it to her…” “Enough.” I cut Liam off. Painful memories assaulted me one after another. Ever since Sarah returned, the cracks in my relationship with Liam had grown wider and wider. Sarah’s issues always took precedence over mine. On my birthday, one call from Sarah was enough to pull Liam away. During our vacation, Sarah claimed her heart hurt, and Liam abandoned me, buying a plane ticket to rush to her side. Even when my mother passed away, Liam stayed with Sarah at the hospital. I was consumed by grief, but Liam lightly dismissed it: “She’s already gone. What good would I do there? But Sarah only has me.” We had reached this point because the final straw had fallen, breaking the camel’s back. I picked up the bracelet, tracing its surface with my fingers, then, with a sharp movement, I smashed it onto the floor. Liam tried to grab it, but he was too late. The delicate silver bracelet bent and scratched, just like my relationship with Liam at that moment. I lifted my face, wiped away my tears, and forced a bright smile. “Everyone, Liam’s and my wedding is canceled. From now on, Liam and I are completely done, separate paths, no looking back.” Someone tried to intervene and mediate. I glared, my face dark. “If anyone else speaks up for Liam or Sarah, don’t blame me for ignoring our past acquaintance and turning my back on you completely.” From their messages trying to dissuade me, to orchestrating this dinner to support Sarah, I realized these people had never truly considered me a friend. They were Liam’s friends, Sarah’s friends, but not mine. Amidst everyone’s shock, I grabbed my bag and walked out. This whole dinner was a trap, a setup. I hadn’t eaten a thing, yet I felt nauseous enough to vomit. Liam chased after me from behind. “Olivia, are you really breaking up with me?” Did this man still think I was just playing games with him? I looked at him as if he were an idiot. “What else? Should I let your dear sister experience being the bride at our wedding too?” Liam’s expression visibly tensed, and then, as if realizing something, he embraced me. “I’m sorry, Olivia. I really lost my sense of proportion this time, and I hurt you.” “I promise it won’t happen again.” Liam’s body warmth radiated through me, so familiar. I used to love it when Liam held me; it made me feel so safe. But he hadn’t held me like this in a long time, so long that his scent felt almost foreign to me. Every time I tried to get close to him, he’d always make excuses about being busy or tired. Now, however, his embrace felt suffocatingly tight, making it hard to breathe. I struggled to break free. “Liam, honestly, there’s no need for us to stay tangled up like this.” “I’m setting you free. And in return, you set me free too.” Liam froze, stunned. He hadn’t expected my resolve to be so absolute. He tried to reach for me again, but Sarah, who had rushed out, called him. “Big Brother Liam, my heart hurts so much! I can barely breathe!” Liam looked back at Sarah, his eyes filled with undeniable panic. Wanting to quickly escape his grasp, I urged him, “Go check on Sarah! A heart attack can be fatal!” Liam, as if given permission, sprinted towards Sarah. He didn’t forget to yell back at me, “Olivia, I’ll come home to you after I’ve settled Sarah!” I quickly left, heading back to the apartment—Liam’s apartment, to be precise. After buying a few large cardboard boxes, I started packing my belongings. Ten years of dating, five years of cohabitation. The apartment was filled with Liam’s things and mine. We’d planned to redecorate before the wedding, but Liam was always busy and didn’t like anyone touching his things, so it was postponed. Now, it saved me the trouble. Once I moved out, the place would be empty. A quick clean-up, and it would be ready for a new occupant. I opened the closet; the tie and suit I’d bought for Liam for the wedding were still unopened. After a moment’s thought, I tossed them into a trash bag. Since he hadn’t used them, they were technically still my property. On the desk in the study was the only photo Liam and I had together. Liam hated having his picture taken; I had to resort to threats and bribes to get him to pose for this one. Looking at Liam’s stiff, unnatural expression in the photo, it was truly an eyesore. I casually tossed it into the trash can. There were also the uniquely shaped dishes I’d bought, which Liam had never used. And the plush toys in the living room, which Liam disliked because they shed, all piled in a corner. All of it, gone. Between throwing things out and packing, the large apartment quickly emptied, leaving no trace of me behind. I called a moving truck. As I left, the long-held weight in my heart lifted. The evening breeze blew past, and even my pores seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. “Driver, to Silverwood Apartments.” When we arrived, Ryan, my former junior from college, was already waiting downstairs for me. “Ryan, I’m so sorry to trouble you with moving things so late at night. I’m really pressed for time; I’ll move out as soon as I find my own place.” Ryan’s face was slightly flushed: “It’s my honor to help you, Olivia.” “You can just stay here from now on. My family has plenty of apartments; it’d be a waste for them to sit empty.” In just a few moments, Ryan had helped me move my things into the apartment. When I called him for help, he hadn’t asked why I was suddenly moving out in the middle of the night; he just told me not to worry. I was grateful that Ryan was so considerate of my dignity at that moment. “Ryan, thank you.” Ryan scratched his head, a little embarrassed. “If you want to thank me, then treat me to dinner. Your cooking is amazing, Olivia.” “Absolutely,” I readily agreed. Over the years, to take care of Liam, I had painstakingly honed my cooking skills. He was a picky eater with a sensitive stomach, especially particular about food. To find the perfect dishes for him, I had learned so much, even studying under renowned chefs. Now, thinking about it, it all seemed a bit ridiculous. He barely came home a few times a month, and most of the meals I cooked ended up in the trash. All my efforts were just self-deception.
Liam’s call came in. I hung up, and it rang again. For the first time, Liam’s calls felt annoying, and I prepared to turn off my phone. But I accidentally pressed “answer.” “Olivia, where did you go? Don’t scare me. Give me an address; I’ll come find you.” Liam’s voice clearly showed panic. Ryan, who was still organizing my things, paused his movements when he heard the call. “If you have nothing better to do, go find a new hobby, maybe take up gardening or join a book club, don’t follow me around like a stalker. I have my own life to live.” Liam fell silent. On a holiday night that year, Liam said he was busy working overtime. I was home with a severe cold and fever, unable to get up, and called Liam, asking him to buy me medicine. But I had clearly seen Sarah’s social media post: “Everything’s great, thanks to Big Brother Liam for taking me to see the holiday lights.” On the other end, Liam’s breathing grew heavy. A few seconds later, he managed to squeeze out a few words: “I’m sorry, Olivia.” I snorted. “No need. Liam, we’re over. Please don’t bother me again.” Click. I hung up and blocked Liam. Seeing me hang up, Ryan slowly walked over to me. “Olivia, are you serious?” I looked up. “When have I ever not been serious?” Ryan mused, “Leaving the wrong person is progress. Congratulations, Olivia, you’re embracing a new beginning.” All these years, my focus had been solely on Liam, and I’d grown distant from old friends. It was rare that Ryan still remembered our past campus friendship. “Come over for lunch tomorrow. I need to celebrate properly.” Ryan smiled like a kid. “Then I’m in for a treat!” The next day, I spent the entire morning cooking a table full of dishes. I hadn’t eaten properly these past few days, and my stomach was empty. Ryan also brought a bottle of fine red wine. Once seated, Ryan looked at the feast and asked, puzzled, “Olivia, are you into healthy eating lately?” I glanced at the spread, realizing all the dishes were light and mild. For years, to accommodate Liam’s sensitive stomach, I’d given up spicy and rich foods. The dishes I learned were all mild, and now it had become a habit when I cooked. I chuckled self-deprecatingly. “It’s just habit after so many years. Next time, I’ll make something with different flavors for you.” Ryan’s brow subtly furrowed. “Do you cook often at home, Olivia?” I nodded. “Then why bother? Tonight, I’m taking you out for a big dinner.” Ryan’s tone left no room for argument. This kid was starting to get a bit of a CEO vibe now. That evening, Ryan mysteriously led me to a private dining restaurant. “Olivia, this place is pretty exclusive; not many people know about it or can get in.” “The food is amazing. Eat as much as you want and relax.” I definitely needed to relax my tense nerves these past few days. As dish after dish of tempting, colorful food arrived, I didn’t hold back and started eating heartily. Seeing me enjoy my meal, Ryan smiled. “Order more if you want. Tonight, you just need to eat well and feel good.” A sour and spicy tripe soup was especially authentic, and I wanted another bowl. But my spoon slipped, falling into the bowl, splashing soup all over my face and clothes. Ryan quickly reached for napkins to wipe my face. Just as I was about to take them to wipe myself, I heard a familiar female voice.
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