Chapter 1

For ten years, I lived with Vanessa Sterling. Despite a decade together, she still refused to acknowledge our relationship to the world.

During those years, I took care of her every need. Everyone in our circle assumed we were a solid couple.

At a friend's wedding, I caught the bouquet. Amidst the cheers and teasing of the crowd, I hesitated before finally dropping to one knee in front of her.

She laughed right in my face, looking completely unbothered. "Caleb Reed, I see you as a brother, and you're actually trying to hit on me?"

The crowd went silent. But moments later, her young assistant's social media feed updated with a new romantic post.

The caption read, "The galaxy is burning hot, and you are my earthly ideal. Grateful to have met you; I'm yours for the rest of my life."

I smiled and hit the like button on his post. I left a comment: "You guys look great together. I wish you both the best."

1

A second later, Vanessa's call came through. Her tone was filled with the usual annoyance and contempt.

"Caleb, what kind of drama are you trying to start now? Don't you know Stellan is sick?"

"Does it make you happy to provoke him and make him feel worse? Do you have any idea that he's crying again because of you?"

"Hurry up. You're going to apologize to him right now, or else..."

Vanessa had said things like this more than once. Loving her was my greatest weakness.

My heart felt heavy and sour, but I kept my voice calm. "Or else what? What are you going to do?"

"Give me the silent treatment and ignore me again? Or stay out all night partying with other people?"

These were Vanessa's favorite tactics. Whenever I displeased her, she would vanish for an entire day, then return to interrogate me like I was the criminal.

Whenever I spiraled into a frenzy because of her actions, she would look at me like I was a lunatic. She always made it seem like I was the one making a scene for no reason.

Hearing my unusually sharp questions, the woman on the other end stunned for a moment. Then, she exploded in a fit of rage.

"Caleb Reed, in what capacity do you think you can talk to me like that? What right do you have to judge me?"

She was right. I had no right. After all, we had lived together for six years, and I had never been given an official title.

I gave a self-deprecating laugh and spoke slowly. "Vanessa, you're right. I have no right. I've already prepared to leave. I wish you happiness."

Vanessa seemed a bit panicked, but she doubled down. "You're trying to threaten me with leaving again? Do you really think I'll buy that?"

I didn't want to argue anymore. I especially didn't want to hear Stellan's fake, muffled sobbing in the background. I hung up.

It didn't matter if she believed me or not. I didn't care anymore.

The moment she told the world we were just friends, my heart had turned to ice. Ten years of my youth were nothing but a pathetic joke.

During those ten years, I was never absent from Vanessa's life. When she couldn't find a place after graduation, I used all my savings to buy this house for us.

She loved flowers, so I filled the balcony with roses. On her birthdays, I handled everything, learning how to bake the most beautiful cakes to celebrate with our friends.

As her career took off and she got busier, she started eating irregularly. I went from never touching a stove to earning a chef's certificate and becoming a nutritionist.

I spent every day cooking and waiting for her to come home. Back then, I thought those were the happiest times, thinking we were building a future.

Everyone thought we were a pair. Even Vanessa's parents assumed I would be their son-in-law.

I thought so too. I figured Vanessa just had a wild heart and that once she wanted to settle down, we would finally be together properly.

But ten years had passed. My friends' children were already five or six years old.

I had waited from my early twenties into my thirties, only for Vanessa to say, "Caleb, I see you as a brother. Are you really trying to get with me?"

"Stop joking around. Get up before people start laughing at us."

The bright spotlights of the wedding hall beat down on me. Kneeling there, I didn't look like a knight; I looked like a clown.

In that instant, my face turned bright red from my neck to my ears. Even the lighting technician froze for a few seconds.

I fled under the mocking gazes of the guests. The person who brought me joy was the same person who dealt me the deepest wound.

I felt a lump in my throat. Swallowing the bitterness, I began to pack my things.