Chapter 1

After ten years of dating, Ethan still didn't plan to marry me.

I couldn't help but ask if he ever would.

He answered calmly, brushing off the question like a business formality.

I looked down at the photos on my phone.

His new secretary wore a diamond ring called 'True Love' and a one-of-a-kind wedding dress.

She was laughing, nestled in his arms, and he gazed at her with tender eyes.

Suddenly, I didn't want a future with him anymore.

The new secretary was a really lively girl.

As we were leaving work, she smiled and spoke to me.

"Will Ethan pick you up tonight, Clara? I'm so envious of you guys, still so sweet after ten years, like you just started dating."

My rival, Tiffany, scoffed slightly, her words dripping with sarcasm.

"Ten years and no marriage? It's obvious he has no intention of ever tying the knot. Calling that love is just pathetic."

My friend, Emily, argued back angrily.

"Maybe you don't know that last month, Ethan won that 'True Love' diamond ring at auction for a huge price. And I heard from someone at his company that a year ago, he traveled all the way to France to have a renowned designer create a wedding dress – the only one of its kind in the world."

Tiffany's face instantly fell. As if trying to save face, she left with one last remark.

"Believe what you want. You'll see."

Emily was about to retort, but I stopped her, quietly saying, "It's fine."

Tiffany wasn't actually wrong. It seemed Ethan really didn't want to marry me.

Stepping outside the office building, I realized it had started snowing. The cold wind cut through my scarf and chilled me to the bone.

I scanned around but didn't see the familiar black SUV. I checked my phone.

His messages weren't the usual flood of 99+ anymore. They had become just one or two generic notifications a long time ago.

[Working late tonight. Take a cab home.]

I took a deep breath and called him back.

After a few seconds, the call was slowly answered.

"Hey, what's up?"

His voice sounded unnaturally hoarse, and I heard a woman's soft, flirtatious murmur in the background, cut off quickly as if someone had signaled her.

Pretending I hadn't heard anything, I asked, "What are you doing?"

I heard the rustle of fabric on his end, and Ethan's tone turned impatient and annoyed.

"Working. If there's nothing else, I'm hanging up."

"Wait," I cut him off. "Do you remember that today is our tenth anniversary?"

Silence fell abruptly on his end. I didn't give him a chance to hesitate or refuse, speaking again.

"Come pick me up. I'll be waiting at the office."

Then I hung up.

While waiting for Ethan, I watched the new secretary laugh as she said goodbye to me, then turn and run towards the boyfriend she always complained about.

His cheeks were bright red from the cold, but he was smiling as he pulled out a warm snack from his coat.

She said they didn't have much money, but it seemed love was never measured by wealth.

I remembered the years Ethan and I had the least money were also the years we were most in love.

Back then, when Ethan picked me up, he'd always bring me a little treat – sometimes it was candy apples, sometimes warm pretzels.

I'd scold him for wasting money.

He'd just grin sheepishly and say.

"Seeing these just makes me want to get them for you. I want to see you eat things you love every day."

Back then, sitting on the back of his bike, even without money, even after facing a lot of unfairness at work, I felt happy.