Chapter 1

At my old classmate's wedding reception, my girlfriend caught the bouquet.

The host teased her, "Do you have a boyfriend?"

She looked shyly at the man standing nearby―my golden boy―and nodded bashfully.

The host misunderstood the situation and started egging them on to kiss in front of everyone.

My friends, who knew the truth, looked at me with worried eyes.

But instead of making a scene, I stood up and clapped louder than anyone else:

"Perfect match! Meant to be! Wishing you a lifetime of happiness and three babies in the first litter!"

1

I waited at the airport for seven hours, all by myself.

Today marked our tenth anniversary.

We had planned a trip to Iceland to see the Northern Lights together.

I was going to propose to her afterward, finally putting a ring on the woman I'd been with since our college days.

But Linsey had simply vanished.

No replies to my texts, no answer to my calls.

That morning, before leaving, she told me to head to the airport first because she had some business to take care of in the city next door.

I sat there, listening to the boarding calls, but she never showed up.

"Hey, Liam, I can't reach Linsey. Have you been able to get a hold of her?"

I was frantic, worried sick that something terrible had happened to her.

So, I called her best friend in the neighboring city.

I'd already booked a car; if I didn't find her by the last possible second, I was planning to drive there myself.

"Nolan returned from abroad today, and she went to pick him up early this morning."

"I heard the flight was delayed because of an emergency. She's probably still waiting for him, right?"

"Didn't she tell you?"

Every word coming through the receiver made sense, but the combination was impossible to comprehend.

My mind went completely blank.

I gripped my phone so hard my knuckles turned white, fighting to keep up a shred of dignity.

"Oh, right. She mentioned it. I completely forgot."

I hung up, feeling like a hollow shell.

Staring at the boarding pass in my hand, I felt nothing but utter despair.

Every arrangement I'd made felt like a sick joke.

The airport announcer called out my name and hers for the final boarding call.

It sounded so piercing.

"Sir? Excuse me, sir, are you Mr. Silas?"

I snapped out of it and looked at the airline staffer.

"Yes, that's me."

"Great. By the way," she asked casually, "is Ms. Linsey traveling with you? She hasn't checked in yet."

"No. She isn't."

……

I went to Iceland alone.

To the place that held our ten-year promise.

I watched the Northern Lights by myself.

I proposed to thin air, all alone.

My social media account stayed active, but she didn't send me a single message.

I took a photo of the roses and candles laid out under the glowing sky.

In the center sat the custom-made diamond ring.

I captioned it: "Remember to love yourself."

I posted it, setting the privacy so only Linsey could see it.

Like a clown, I craved even a sliver of her attention.

Even a tiny bit of guilt.

But there was nothing.

I never got an explanation from her.

Instead, it was Rowan who reached out to me.

She assumed we'd had a little spat, her words careful and hesitant.

"Linsey got Nolan safely, and they're planning to spend a week in the city. Do you want to come over?"

I shook my head, only realizing a second later that she couldn't see me. I gave a bitter laugh and said, "No, thanks. Just tell Linsey for me."

"The lights were beautiful."