**Chapter 1** Five years of dating, and my lawyer boyfriend had canceled our wedding 52 times. The first time, his female intern messed up some paperwork at the firm, and he rushed back, leaving me stranded on the beach for an entire day. The second time, in the middle of the ceremony, he learned that the same intern was being harassed by another lawyer. He left to help her, abandoning me to become the laughingstock of our guests. After that, no matter when or where I planned the wedding, Chloe always seemed to find some trouble that only he could solve. Finally, my heart turned into a barren wasteland, utterly devoid of hope. That was the day I finally decided to break free. But the day I moved out of Newport, he went insane, searching for me everywhere. … Today was the fifty-second time Daniel and I were supposed to get married. This time, I hadn’t invited anyone outside of our immediate families. I was burning up with a fever, yet I was the one confirming details with the wedding director. He didn’t even spare me a glance, let alone a word of concern. Instead, in the groom’s dressing room, he was meticulously massaging Chloe’s ankle. She’d apparently twisted it rushing over. My parents saw him and just shook their heads, their eyes full of pity for me. “Look at how many times you’ve put yourself through this, Ellie! Has he ever truly cared about your feelings?” Everyone knew how much this wedding meant to me, how desperately I wanted it to finally be perfect. But as the ceremony time drew near, Daniel, who should have been standing at the altar, canceled our wedding yet again. I bolted out, desperation clawing at my throat, but he caught my arm, his grip firm and unyielding. “Chloe’s ankle isn’t getting any better, I need to take her to the hospital.” “Let’s just cancel this wedding too. Next time, I promise, next time I won’t leave halfway through.” With that, he forcefully pulled his hand from mine, helped Chloe into the passenger seat, and sped away. Five years of dating. This was the fifty-second time he’d canceled our wedding because of Chloe. In the past, I would have erupted into a furious argument, demanding to know why he always had to leave in the middle of our wedding. But this time, I stood quietly, a gentle smile playing on my lips. “It’s okay, Chloe’s ankle really can’t wait.” Daniel paused, a flicker of surprise in his eyes, as if my easy agreement had caught him off guard. “It’s best that you understand. I’ll bring you a strawberry cake from your favorite place tonight.” I simply hummed in response, watching him roll up the window and drive off instantly. The moment his car was out of sight, my smile vanished. He’d forgotten. I hated strawberries. I hated cake. The person who loved strawberry cake wasn’t me. A long time ago, he’d bought one to cheer me up. Not wanting to disappoint him, I’d forced myself to take a bite, stifling my nausea. Later, I told him how much I disliked strawberries and cake. He’d immediately pulled out his phone, making a note in his memo app, vowing he’d never forget. Just one year later, “never” had already passed. The scorching sun overhead burned my skin, but my heart remained frozen solid. I let out a bitter laugh. After announcing the wedding cancellation, I publicly shredded the wedding dress I’d worn for fifty-two rehearsals. I knew then that five years of a relationship should be shredded along with it. **Chapter 2** In the end, my parents stayed behind to persuade me. “How about you come back to New York City with us, sweetie?” This wasn’t the first time they’d tried to convince me to return. I slumped onto a chair, looking up into my parents’ hopeful eyes. They were the founders of the largest law firm in New York City. It was their influence that led me to pursue a career in law. Originally, they had planned for me to gain experience at their firm after I grew up. But I met Daniel during grad school and followed him to Newport. He came from humble beginnings, and he absolutely hated it when anyone mentioned my affluent family background. So, for five years, I had never told him about my family’s true standing, letting him believe I, too, was from a modest background. Over those five years, I grew from a junior lawyer to a well-known one. Daniel and I won the firm’s annual bonus three years in a row; everyone joked that we were “the firm’s golden couple.” Our lives were getting better and better. I thought he wouldn’t mind now, but I never found the right moment to tell him. Lost in thought, I sighed. Ultimately, there wouldn’t be a need to tell him anymore. “Okay, I promise.” My parents’ eyes lit up. They tightly clasped my hands. “Good girl, your mom and dad will book your flight. We won’t let you suffer here any longer!” After settling my parents, I returned home. The entire house was as desolate as ever. I casually cooked a bowl of noodles and then opened Ins, only to see Chloe’s latest update. The picture showed her in a figure-hugging tracksuit, posing intimately with Daniel in a series of selfies. “Tricked my mentor into playing ball with me when he was supposed to be getting married! He was a little annoyed, but I told him we’d have dinner at my place later, and he cheered right up, hee hee.” Seeing that post, I involuntarily gagged. I knew he wouldn’t be coming home tonight, just like all the times before. Thankfully, we hadn’t legally tied the knot. Now, I wouldn’t have to compromise myself anymore. The next morning, I packed my luggage and headed to the law firm to resign. Given my excellent performance, my boss was trying to persuade me to stay. As we were talking, Daniel walked in, carrying some files. My eyes flickered to him, catching sight of a hickey on his neck and a distinct peach scent clinging to him. He’d clearly had a wild, indulgent night. He used to despise me leaving any marks on him, claiming it affected his professional image. So, even in moments of passion, I’d try my best to restrain myself, or just grip the bedsheets. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to be marked; he just didn’t want *my* marks. Not from me. As soon as he entered, my boss sighed and spoke. “Perfect timing. You can talk some sense into your girlfriend. She’s resigning. Did you two have a fight?” “It has nothing to do with him.” “You’re resigning?” Both voices spoke at once. In my peripheral vision, I saw his eyes fixed on me, his lips pressed into a thin line. “See? You *were* angry about me canceling the wedding yesterday, weren’t you?” My boss, sensing the tension, discreetly left, giving us space. The moment the door closed, he stepped closer, confronting me. “I already told you, Chloe hurt her ankle, that’s why I canceled. Why are you being so petty?” I tried to keep my voice calm, looking up and lying. “I’m not angry. I’m resigning because I’m tired. I want to go on vacation and get some rest.” He crossed his arms, frowning in confusion. “If you want a vacation, just take your annual leave. Resigning so suddenly will make people think you have a problem with Chloe. How is a young girl like her supposed to work at the firm if you do that?” He’d forgotten. I’d used up all my annual leave this year, wasted on every single wedding he’d canceled. But all he worried about was what Chloe would do at the firm. A profound sadness washed over me. I redirected my gaze to the hickey on his neck, saying nothing. He noticed, instinctively covering his neck. “It’s just a mosquito bite, don’t overthink it.” I was somewhat surprised. He wasn’t arguing with me; he was actually trying to explain himself. But it was such a clumsy excuse. The old me might have actually believed it. I nodded, still silent. Daniel exhaled, relieved, assuming my anger had subsided. He smiled, slinging an arm around my shoulder. “That’s more like it. Being magnanimous is what makes a great lawyer.” “Don’t bother with resigning. How about I take you to Moonlight Restaurant tonight? Consider it my apology.” I remained silent. He took my quietness as acceptance. The intention I’d had to properly say goodbye to him was now suppressed. I no longer wanted to tell him about my move to New York City. “Mentor!” Chloe burst through the door without knocking. Daniel flinched, immediately letting go of me. Chloe smiled apologetically. “Oh, sorry to interrupt your date, Mentor and big sister! But I really can’t help it, I just don’t understand this case at all…” Daniel turned away from me without a second glance, walking straight to Chloe, taking the files from her hand, and bending down to patiently ask her what she didn’t understand. Chloe deliberately leaned in intimately. The two of them whispered together right in front of me, forming a world of their own, shutting me out completely. Then, Chloe linked arms with Daniel and led him out. As she closed the door, she glanced back at me, a triumphant, challenging smile on her face. Bang. The empty room echoed only with my breathing. The next second, the elegant bracelet he’d given me on our one-year anniversary, the one he’d said symbolized a lifetime of completeness and harmony for us, slipped from my wrist and shattered into countless pieces on the floor. There was no discernible reason for it to fall. I stood in silence for a long moment. Then, ignoring the sharp sting as shards bit into my skin, I carefully gathered the fragments, along with the last vestiges of my lingering affection for him, and threw them all into the trash. **Chapter 3** After firmly submitting my resignation to my boss, I went back to my desk to hand over my remaining work. Maya, the colleague I was handing over to, was usually quite close to me and seemed genuinely sad when she heard the news. “Ellie, are you really leaving?” she asked, her voice tinged with regret. “If you go, then I’ll be stuck watching those two disgusting people flaunt their affair in front of me every single day!” Following her gaze, I saw Daniel explaining a case to Chloe. Chloe seemed a little upset, perhaps Daniel had mildly scolded her. To cheer her up, Daniel conjured a Cartier bracelet from somewhere. She immediately beamed and slipped it onto her wrist. It was only then that her eyes met mine, and she stood up, flustered. “Ellie, there’s nothing going on between my mentor and me! This is just a regular bracelet!” Her words instantly drew everyone’s attention, their eyes flitting between her and me. Five years of dating, and Daniel had never given me anything expensive. And just like Daniel, everyone thought I was so naive, straight from the sticks, that I wouldn’t even recognize a designer brand. They all felt sorry for me. Even Maya, standing beside me, seethed with indignation on my behalf. “You two are still together, aren’t you? They’re practically playing you for a fool!” I pressed her hand, shaking my head repeatedly, signaling her not to start an argument. Then I looked back at Chloe. “That bracelet is beautiful. It suits you well.” Chloe, not seeing me lose my temper, seemed a little unwilling to let it go and continued. “No, really, Ellie, it’s just a normal bracelet. Please don’t be angry.” I just found it baffling. Angry? There was no need. I had plenty of bracelets like that, though they were all back home in New York City. Daniel heard her and stood up, frowning as he admonished me. “Ellie, don’t be so dramatic.” I sighed, shaking my head. “I’m really not angry. You two should stop making wild assumptions about me.” My tone was calm, which seemed to surprise Daniel. He then snorted. “You’d better not be.” He pulled Chloe down to sit beside him. Maya couldn’t help but ask me. “Are you just going to let them off the hook?” I shrugged, continuing to organize my files. “Yeah, well, as far as I’m concerned, I’ve already broken up with him, unilaterally.” Fifty-two canceled weddings. Not a single successful one. I was utterly exhausted. After work, Daniel, for once, came over to my desk to help me pack up. “Let’s go. I made an 8 o’clock reservation at Moonlight Restaurant. We’ll get there just in time.” Then his eyes drifted to my bare wrist. He froze, a hint of panic in his voice as he asked. “Where’s the bracelet I gave you?” “I was worried about breaking it, so I took it off and put it away at home.” He visibly relaxed, smiling at me. “You used to wear it every day. Why the sudden urge to keep it safe now?” Before I could come up with another lie, Chloe jogged over and stopped beside us. “Mentor, I’m all packed up!” Daniel’s attention was immediately drawn to her. He nodded, gesturing for her to wait in the car. I watched Chloe walk directly to the passenger seat and settle in. In five years of dating, I had never once sat in that seat. He always said that seat was reserved for his future wife, the woman who would truly be his partner. Meeting Chloe’s provocative gaze, I lowered my head, offering no response. My heart was utterly devoid of any ripples. At the restaurant, Daniel and Chloe sat on the same side, ordering their meals without once asking for my opinion. I was content to be left alone, propping my head up and gazing out at the scenery. After all, it would be hard for me to see it again after tomorrow. When the food arrived, Daniel surprisingly peeled a whole bowl of shrimp for me and placed it in front of me. “The shrimp at this restaurant is pretty good.” I looked up, meeting his somewhat gentle smile. I hadn’t expected him to still be considerate of me at a time like this. Chloe couldn’t resist interjecting, trying to take credit. “I’m the one who recommended it to Mentor! Last time we came here together, he ate three whole plates!” Daniel’s cheeks flushed slightly with embarrassment. “Chloe, how could you tell your *wife* about that funny little story…” Chloe giggled, covering her mouth, then looked at me, feigning awkwardness. “Oh, sorry, Ellie, please don’t let this little embarrassment ruin Mentor’s image in your mind, okay?” The two of them dissolved into laughter again, right in front of me. I looked at the bowl of shrimp meat, suddenly finding it utterly bland. I forced myself to eat one bite, suppressing my revulsion, then pushed the bowl back. “I don’t like it. You can have it.” Their playful banter finally stopped. Daniel carefully asked me. “Are you upset?” I shook my head. “No. This shrimp tastes too fishy. I’m not used to it.” *Just like you two—utterly disgusting.* After dinner, Daniel drove a seemingly drunk Chloe home. I was the one who had to lock our door after they left. Watching them drive away, I immediately hailed a cab for the airport. On SnapChat, Daniel was still messaging me, planning our next wedding. Perhaps feeling guilty, he volunteered to plan and organize this one himself. “Don’t worry, this time the wedding will definitely happen. No one will be able to bother us!” I replied expressionlessly. “Okay.” I knew it was impossible. This wedding would be canceled without reason, just like all the others. As I was about to board the plane, he sent another message. “Chloe drank too much and has a stomachache. I won’t be coming home tonight. You should be careful by yourself at home.” I scoffed, already knowing it. “It’s fine if you stay at her place. I’ve already packed my bags and left. From now on, we’ll have nothing to do with each other.” “Daniel, goodbye forever.” After sending him that final message, I immediately blocked and deleted him. Once on the plane, I looked out at Newport, still sparkling brightly, growing smaller and smaller beneath me. On the other end, Daniel was absolutely dumbfounded.
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