A week later, at dusk, in a hospital room.

I leaned against the headboard in my hospital gown, thin and pale.

The press conference to clear my name never happened. The past few days, the stories about me had caused quite a storm.

That *Morning Light Daily* was one of the businesses owned by Corbin Nash, the man who had slipped me his card.

Renee was busy dealing with the company, only able to come see me in the evenings.

She wouldn't let me ask about anything happening outside.

"Elara, just rest. We'll clear things up in a few days."

As she said this, a flicker of guilt crossed her eyes.

I had already guessed that the company was preparing to abandon me.

Renee probably didn't want to tell me the bad news, afraid of stressing me out even more.

I nodded numbly. "Okay."

After a moment of silence, I added, "The radio show... I want to continue."

Renee hesitated. "Maybe you should stop for a while?"

I looked at her stubbornly.

I had my own radio channel, where I used to sing a song every day in my spare time.

Although listeners would sometimes call in, I never answered, as per the company's instructions.

Renee couldn't say no to me, so she had to agree.

On the radio channel, I finished singing a song.

Suddenly, a listener called in. I glanced at Renee, who had her back to me outside the recording booth, and pressed the answer button.

To my surprise, it was the voice of a very young girl.

"Hello, Sister Elara. My name is Jenny."

"Ever since my baby brother was born, it feels like my parents don't love me anymore. My dad hit me with a chair and locked me up so I couldn't go to school, and my mom yelled at me for eating my brother's eggs."

"Sister Elara, it hurts so much. If living is always going to be this painful, I don't want to live anymore..."

I was stunned for a moment, then cleared my throat, my voice soft. "Little Jenny, life isn't always this painful."

"You can't give up, because you're going to meet so many important people and do so many important things. Someone will love you, will treasure you."

"But first, you have to love yourself."

Just as I finished, the line on the other end abruptly disconnected.

I froze, unable to recover for a long time.

And then, my own phone rang. It was Landon.

I hesitated before answering, only to be hit by a voice on the other end like a blow to the head.

"Ms. Vance, Landon says his medication is with you. Could you please have someone send it over?"

"Our address is the Monarch Hotel, room 1301..."

It was Lila Monroe.

My vision swam.

I had to dig my nails into my hand to keep from choking on a sob, my heart aching. "Where's Landon? Let him talk to me."

"Okay," Lila cooed, then called out, "Landon, stop showering! Ms. Vance wants to talk to you."

The sound of rushing water stopped, and Landon's voice quickly came on the line. "What is it?"

Hearing that, I couldn't hold it in any longer. A tear fell.

I tried my best to keep my voice steady. "Landon, do you remember our promise?"

"In two days, I'll be thirty."

Ten years ago, he had sworn, "Elara, let's get married when we're thirty, okay?"

Back then, I had smiled, my eyes crinkling. "Okay, I'll only love you until I'm thirty."

"But if you don't marry me by then, I don't want you anymore!"

Landon was silent for a moment, not answering.

Hearing the silence on the other end, I forced a bitter smile. "Don't worry, I'm not trying to force you to marry me."

"Just celebrate my birthday with me one last time, okay? Tomorrow night at nine, I'll be waiting for you at our first home."

I could hear Lila nagging in the background. Landon pushed down a wave of unease, his tone flat. "Okay, I know."

After hanging up, I left the radio station alone.

It was late, and the streets were nearly empty.

I wrapped myself up tightly, unrecognizable to anyone.

My figure was a lonely silhouette.

I walked into a bakery and chose a cream cake that I liked.

Then I wandered around until I reached a rundown apartment building.

Climbing to the top floor, I used the rusty key in my pocket to unlock the door.

The room was covered in a thick layer of dust, a testament to how long it had been since anyone was here.

I set the cake down and single-handedly cleaned the entire apartment.

It was as if Landon and I had never left.

I waited here from dusk till dawn, and then from dawn till dusk again.

The clock showed eleven-thirty at night. My birthday had only half an hour left.

Landon still hadn't shown up.

I stuck the candles in the cake and lit them.

Then I used the landline to call Landon.

It rang for a long time, but no one answered.

A bitter taste filled my mouth. "I was hoping to hear you say 'happy birthday' one last time."

I laid my head on the table, tears streaming down my face. "Landon, you broke your promise again."

Ever since we moved out of here, Landon had become more and more indifferent to me.

Once, twice, three times...

Until I had to get used to it, losing count of the times.

Now, I had to admit it. The Landon whose eyes were once filled only with me, no longer loved me.

After a long time, I lifted my head.

I clasped my hands together and made a wish.

"I hope the next Elara Vance can live a simpler, happier life."

With that, I opened my eyes and blew out the candles.

The next moment, I stood up and walked to the balcony.

Behind me, the cake sat untouched.

On the balcony, I started a recording and quietly told a story.

"Once upon a time, there was a little girl whose mother was a gambling addict and always hit her and her sister. Back then, she swore she would make a lot of money one day."

"But later, she became a big star, and the sister she had always protected started to hate her after getting a boyfriend."

"They treated her like a cash cow, only ever wanting money, never showing a bit of concern."

"Until she met a boy who loved her. He said they would get married when she turned thirty."

As I said this, my eyes began to turn red.

"That girl is me. I'm sorry to all my fans and friends. I'm just so, so tired..."

"I can't wait until I'm thirty..."

I hummed a soft tune and sent the message to the radio channel.

The despair surrounding my heart was like a gnawing insect, tearing me apart.

The wind on the rooftop was so strong. I opened my arms.

And in the wind, I took a leap of faith.

*Thud—*

Time stopped at 11:58.

Elara Vance died in the last two minutes of her 29th year.

Two minutes away from thirty.

And two minutes away from the end of her ten-year promise with Landon.

...

Landon sat in the car, the mountain road rough and bumpy.

He glanced at his watch, his brow furrowed.

The soldier beside him asked, "Captain Rexford, you just finished your mission. Why are you in such a hurry to get back?"

Landon felt a strange palpitation in his heart but couldn't find the reason.

After a long silence, he said grimly, "Today is my fiancée's thirtieth birthday. I promised to celebrate with her."

The soldier paused, a little surprised, but said nothing.

Looking at the dark road ahead, with no end in sight, Landon irritably undid a button on his shirt.

He rolled down the window, but the stuffy night air did little to ease his discomfort.

Seeing this, the soldier turned on the car radio.

A soft melody filled the car.

But a few seconds later, the music stopped abruptly, replaced by a choking sob from the host.

"Early this morning, famous singer Elara Vance, after posting a final message, ended her own life by jumping from a building in the South Side..."