On the night my boyfriend confessed his love to me, he gave me a jar containing ninety-nine origami wishing stars. He told me he had seen our future and wanted to make a promise. “Look, El. I’ll trade these ninety-nine wishing stars for ninety-nine free passes. If I ever mess up, you have to forgive me. Deal?” At that time, head over heels in love, I agreed without hesitation. But later, he seemed to have forgotten all about it, too busy sleeping with his assistant. Until there was only one wishing star left in the jar. As my pen hovered over the divorce papers, a familiar voice echoed in my ears. It was nineteen-year-old Ethan. With a choked voice, he whispered, “El, you promised me, didn’t you? In the jar… there’s still one last star left, right?” My phone buzzed with a Snapchat notification from Ethan’s assistant, Chloe. *“Mrs. Vance, Ethan said he’d rather I accompany him to the charity gala tonight. You don’t mind, do you?”* Attached below was a photo. Around Chloe’s neck was a brand-new version of the custom necklace Ethan had given me years ago—now encrusted with diamonds, sparkling brilliantly under the lights. It was at this exact moment that I finally realized: the Ethan of today was no longer the Ethan I once loved. We started with nothing. To fuel his startup dreams, I worked day and night, pouring every single penny I earned into his first project. For seven years, I worked myself to exhaustion, falling asleep on the subway, surviving on cold coffee and energy drinks, and landing in the ER with stress-induced stomach ulcers. That was how we finally built our company from scratch. And Ethan finally succeeded in the business world, becoming the powerful Mr. Vance whom everyone feared and respected. But the things we once dreamed of accomplishing together, he ultimately chose to do with his assistant. I didn’t hesitate any longer. I drafted the divorce papers. Just as the tip of my pen was about to touch the paper, a sudden, ghostly voice rang out next to me. “El, please don’t… there’s still one star left in the jar. You promised to give me one last chance.” Hearing that familiar voice, my entire body trembled. I turned my head. Nineteen-year-old Ethan was standing right beside me. His figure was faint, translucent, and he was wearing the simple white shirt I had bought him with my part-time tutoring money. He looked exactly like he did in my most cherished memories. I looked at him, and a bittersweet smile tugged at my lips. “Okay. Just one last chance.” Suddenly, my phone rang. “Eleanor! Chloe said the diamond necklace she was supposed to wear tonight suddenly went missing. You must have stolen it after the charity auction last time!” “Bring your old one to the gala right now. I don’t care how you do it, but I want to see that necklace around Chloe’s neck in thirty minutes!” I pressed the speakerphone, and Ethan’s cold, demanding voice echoed through the quiet room. I looked at the nineteen-year-old Ethan beside me. His fists were clenched tight, his young body rigid with anger. “How could he accuse you like that…” But on the other end of the line, twenty-seven-year-old Ethan’s voice grew even colder. “The gala starts at eight. Get moving now.” The nineteen-year-old Ethan reached out and swiped the screen, hanging up the phone. I said softly, “That’s the ninety-ninth time, Ethan. The very last wishing star.” I drove to the luxury hotel where the gala was being held. The grand ballroom was dazzling, filled with wealthy guests chatting and laughing. I spotted Ethan immediately—he was holding Chloe’s waist, talking smoothly with several business tycoons. Chloe was wearing a stunning burgundy gown, but her neck was bare. I walked up to them. Ethan turned around, his brows instantly knitting together. “Why are you dressed like that?” he whispered sharply, looking at my simple casual clothes with clear irritation. Chloe said softly, “Ethan, don’t blame Eleanor. She probably didn’t have time to change into a gown…” Ethan cut her off, looking directly at me. “Where is the necklace?” I pulled the small velvet box from my bag. A flash of smugness crossed Chloe’s eyes. She reached out to take it. “Thank you so much, Eleanor. I’m just borrowing it for tonight…” Just as her fingers were about to touch the box, I let go. The velvet box hit the ground. The necklace slid out, making a sharp clinking sound against the polished marble floor. “Eleanor!” Ethan growled. Several nearby guests turned to look at us. Nineteen-year-old Ethan stood by my side, his eyes instantly turning red. “El, don’t… that’s the necklace I gave you…” But twenty-seven-year-old Ethan barked, “Pick it up!” I looked down at the necklace on the floor. It had rested against my heart for seven years, keeping me company through every dark, difficult night. When Ethan made his first major profit, he had held this very necklace and told me: *“El, when I make it big, I’m going to buy you a diamond one.”* He did buy one. But the diamond one was meant for Chloe’s neck—though it had “disappeared” tonight. What a coincidence. “No need,” I said, turning on my heel. “I don’t want the one on the floor anymore.” “Eleanor!” Chloe whimpered behind me, her voice cracking. “Please don’t be mad. It’s all my fault…” ***
As I walked out of the ballroom, nineteen-year-old Ethan rushed to follow me, gently tugging at my sleeve. His fingers felt ice-cold, and his voice was thick with tears. “El… the wishing star… let’s use it to get the necklace back, okay?” “That’s our necklace… the one I saved up to buy you…” I looked into his clear, bright eyes—they were filled with the absolute sincerity and heartbreaking pain of a nineteen-year-old boy. “If we use it, the jar will be empty,” I said. “This is your last chance.” He nodded without a second thought, tears welling up in his eyes. I fell silent for a moment, then turned back toward the ballroom. Peeking through the cracked door, I saw Chloe leaning close to Ethan’s ear, whispering something. Her hand was playfully sliding down his tie, her body pressed entirely against his. Ethan was laughing. It was a laugh I used to know so well—full of indulgence and affection. The nineteen-year-old Ethan beside me froze completely, his face turning pale as a sheet. I pushed the door open. The two of them instantly pulled apart. A flicker of panic crossed Ethan’s face, quickly replaced by annoyance. “Why are you back again?” I didn’t say a word. I walked straight up to them. Chloe’s high heel was stepping right on the chain of my necklace. “Excuse me,” I said coldly. Chloe shrank back slightly toward Ethan, her voice turning incredibly soft. “Eleanor, please don’t misunderstand. I was just comforting Ethan… he was really stressed out…” Ethan grabbed my wrist, his grip so tight it hurt. “Apologize to Chloe.” I looked into his eyes, then looked at the nineteen-year-old version of him. The nineteen-year-old Ethan’s lips trembled. He couldn’t speak, only shook his head desperately. “I’m sorry,” I said quietly. Then I bent down and pulled the necklace out from under Chloe’s shoe. The delicate chain now had several deep, ugly scratches, looking incredibly battered under the bright lights. “Oh, Eleanor, I am so, so sorry…” Chloe murmured, but I clearly saw the fleeting, triumphant smirk on her face. I didn’t look at either of them again. Clutching the scratched necklace in my hand, I turned and left the ballroom. This time, I didn’t look back. Walking down the long hotel corridor, nineteen-year-old Ethan walked silently beside me. Only when we reached the parking lot did he speak, his voice raspy. “El… tomorrow…” “I know,” I interrupted. “Tomorrow is the day we promised to get engaged.” His eyes lit up for a fraction of a second, then quickly dimmed. “Six years ago, on our first anniversary,” I said softly, “you said that no matter if we were rich or poor, on Valentine’s Day six years later, you would propose to me.” “Where?” he asked, his voice filled with cautious hope. “The place we first met,” I said. “The park near campus.” Nineteen-year-old Ethan’s eyes filled with tears, and he blinked hard to keep them from falling. “Will you go?” he asked. “Yes,” I said. “I will be there, and you will be there too.” He looked like he wanted to say something, but in the end, he only gently squeezed my hand—though I couldn’t feel any physical warmth from him. That night, I put the scratched necklace into my bedside drawer. The damage on the chain was painfully visible under the lamp. Nineteen-year-old Ethan sat on the edge of my bed, watching me for a very long time. Finally, he said, “El, do you know how I’m able to see the future?” I didn’t answer. “The night you confessed to me, I made a wish upon a shooting star to see our future,” he whispered. “But my mind can’t retain the details. I won’t remember everything until midnight tomorrow.” “So tomorrow night,” he looked at me, a tear finally sliding down his cheek, “he is going to regret this so much.” “But his regret is going to be too late, isn’t it?” I remained silent. Outside the window, the city lights burned endlessly into the night. ***
However, none of us expected that twenty-seven-year-old Ethan would actually show up at that park. But he wasn’t there to keep his promise to me. “Eleanor! You actually tracked me here? Wow, you’re unbelievable!” The park meadow where we had once promised to get engaged was now beautifully decorated. Fairy lights hung from the trees, a white marquee tent was pitched on the grass, and a champagne tower sparkled in the twilight. And in the center of the crowd stood twenty-seven-year-old Ethan. Even when he saw me, he didn’t let go of Chloe’s hand. *Ninety-nine chances are officially gone, Ethan. I just burned the last wishing star.* I whispered to myself. Beside me, nineteen-year-old Ethan pulled at my sleeve in absolute despair. “El… El, please don’t be like this. Maybe… maybe he set this all up for you. Let’s go closer and see, okay?” His young voice was practically begging. But the twenty-seven-year-old Ethan’s voice was ice-cold. “Eleanor, get over here right now!” I turned my head and gave nineteen-year-old Ethan a gentle, comforting look, then stepped forward. “Eleanor! What more do you want?” Ethan demanded angrily the moment I approached. “You ruined Chloe’s necklace, and I let it go. Now, just because I’m throwing her a birthday party at the place we first met to make up for it, you’re here to ruin that too?!” “Not at all,” I replied smoothly. “I just came to visit an old spot. If you don’t mind, I’ll find a place to sit by myself.” I shrugged, looking completely indifferent. Ethan seemed choked by my calm reaction, his face twisting in frustration. Ignoring him, I took nineteen-year-old Ethan’s cold hand and led him to a wooden bench nearby. I whispered comforting words to him, but the boy just kept his head down, his shoulders shaking slightly as he wept silently. Seeing that I wasn’t causing a scene, twenty-seven-year-old Ethan finally let his guard down. He even went so far as to openly hold Chloe close, murmuring sweet nothings in her ear. Watching them, my heart felt completely numb. I simply held nineteen-year-old Ethan’s cold, weightless hand. As time ticked by, night fell completely. As Valentine’s Day drew to a close, a fleet of drones took to the sky, spelling out “Happy Birthday” in glowing letters. The fairy lights illuminated the entire meadow, turning it into a dreamland. I reached into my bag and pulled out a watch I had prepared long ago. Inside the case, a small inscription was engraved: *“To Ethan—May our time always be in sync. El, Feb 14.”* I handed the watch to nineteen-year-old Ethan and said softly, “Ethan, would you marry me?” His nineteen-year-old eyes blinked hard, trying desperately to hold back his tears. “Are… are you still willing to marry me?” “Of course. I will always love the version of you that stands before me right now.” I looked into his eyes with absolute sincerity. The light in his young eyes was the only thing I had ever truly loved. After what felt like an eternity, he nodded vigorously. He reached out and gently slid the scratched necklace back around my neck. “El, I do. I do.” I smiled, my heart feeling a strange sense of peace, and squeezed his hand. And at that exact moment… The midnight bells began to toll. Nineteen-year-old Ethan began to dissolve into countless glowing specks of light, vanishing right before my eyes. My tears finally broke free, cascading down my face. “Goodbye, my beloved Ethan.” Right then, a sharp, mocking female voice rang out from behind me. “Ethan, look at Eleanor. She looks so pathetic sitting there all alone, talking to thin air. I’m so glad I have you by my side.” I turned around. Sometime during the countdown, Chloe had led Ethan right behind me. Standing at an angle where Ethan couldn’t see, her face was twisted in a triumphant sneer. But Ethan was staring at me, tears streaming silently down his face. ***
I gave them a cold, blank stare, turned around, and walked away. The nineteen-year-old Ethan was never coming back, and I had absolutely no reason to have anything to do with these two ever again. But before I could take two steps, Ethan’s voice cracked behind me. “El… wait. Don’t go.” Perhaps because that old nickname still held a tiny bit of weight in my heart, I actually stopped to see what else he could possibly say. Seeing me stop, a look of desperate hope flashed across Ethan’s face. “El, I’m sorry. I forgot… I forgot everything. I’ll have them plan a proposal right now, okay?” “El, I was wrong. Please, forgive me.” His words only made me want to laugh. It was pathetic. Even while begging for my forgiveness, his hand was still holding Chloe’s. Noticing my gaze, he seemed to realize what he was doing and quickly flung Chloe’s hand away. Ethan tried to run after me, but Chloe grabbed his arm, whispering something to him, making him hesitate and halt his steps. I didn’t care what he did or said anymore. The moment nineteen-year-old Ethan disappeared, my connection to this man was severed forever. When I got home, I lay in bed, tossing and turning, unable to sleep. To be honest, ending a seven-year relationship like this… no matter how strong you try to be, there is always going to be an empty ache in your chest. After staring at the ceiling for an hour, I remembered that I hadn’t signed the divorce papers yet. I got out of bed, flipped to the last page, and signed my name. I would let my lawyer handle the rest tomorrow. Since Ethan was now a multi-millionaire, and I didn’t want a single penny of his assets, getting a quick divorce would be incredibly easy. Thinking of this, I sat back in my chair and let out a long sigh. On my desk was a photo of Ethan and me from college. Whenever I used to feel exhausted and ready to give up, I would look at this photo to find my strength. In the photo, we were wearing cheap, simple clothes, with no fancy jewelry or expensive watches. But we looked so genuinely happy. Now, we had all the money in the world to do whatever we wanted, but our love was completely dead. I had personally designed this entire house exactly the way Ethan had once dreamed of. A cozy bedroom in warm tones, a minimalist modern living room. And countless little decorative pieces we had talked about years ago. But after we bought the house, the number of times Ethan actually came home could be counted on one hand. I used to tell myself he was just too busy with work and that I needed to be understanding. Now I realized he had plenty of time—he just chose to spend it with Chloe. Thinking about how hard I had worked over the last seven years without taking a single day off, a sudden wave of energy washed over me. “Why am I sitting here crying? I have my own money now. I should go enjoy my life!” I muttered to myself. On an impulse, I booked a flight to Bora Bora departing in two hours. I packed my bags packed in less than thirty minutes, locked up, and drove to the airport. Before leaving, I changed the passcode to our smart lock. Ethan had plenty of penthouses to stay in anyway; he didn’t need this house. Just as my car pulled out of the driveway, a heavily drunk Ethan stumbled up to the front door.
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