8#08

8

A petite emerald pendant in the shape of a lock, its hue a vibrant green.

Denver's countenance mellowed upon seeing it. "You're still wearing that little trinket?"

Kiana's cheeks reddened as she gave a timid grin. "I cherish every gift from my brother, regardless of its cost."

Denver paused, his forehead creasing slightly. "But I didn't purchase this. Don't you recall?"

Kiana averted her eyes. "Of course, I remember... How could it slip my mind?"

She swiftly changed the topic. "Incidentally, did the physician mention when my Leslie can be discharged?"

The abrupt shift only aroused Denver's suspicion.

"Kiana," he probed, returning to the previous subject, "can you recollect how you acquired this pendant?"

Kiana wavered, her voice unsteady as she offered a vague answer. "Well... you presented it to me as a gift one day."

Denver's keen eyes softened into an amused curve. "It was for your birthday, wasn't it?"

She nodded hastily. "Yes, yes! My birthday!"

Denver lowered his gaze, concealing the sorrow in his eyes. 'It seems she doesn't remember after all,' he mused silently.

That day wasn't particularly remarkable. He had simply discovered a stunning emerald and fashioned it into a pendant for the girl he vowed to protect forever.

Upon returning home, Kiana secluded herself in her bedroom. She retrieved an old, yellowed diary from a locked drawer. She flipped through page after page, searching.

But there was nothing—no mention of the emerald pendant anywhere.

Exasperated, she slammed the diary shut, yanked the pendant from her neck, and secured both in the furthest corner of the drawer.

Meanwhile, Leslie remained hospitalized for a week. With the wedding mere days away, she was finally released.

The nurse handed her the invoice. "Is anyone here to assist you with this?"

Leslie smiled faintly. "No, just me."

The nurse regarded her sympathetically. "You'll need to visit the billing counter, make the payment, and then return for your discharge papers. It might be time-consuming—are you certain you can manage alone?"

"I'll be alright," Leslie replied with a slight nod. 'What other choice do I have? Who else can I depend on but myself?'

Moments ago, she had seen Kiana's latest Instagram post.

Denver, Travis, and Kiana had journeyed to the world's largest Disneyland to fulfill Kiana's childhood fantasy.

The trio appeared joyful, their smiles warm and radiant. The caption even read [Childhood regrets disappear when you encounter your prince and knight.]

'Naturally,' Leslie thought bitterly. 'Kiana's the princess. Denver's her prince. Travis is her knight.'

And Leslie? She was merely a peripheral character, insignificant, existing only to accentuate the love story of the prince and princess.

She completed her discharge process and took a taxi back to the villa alone.

The inexpensive wedding dress she had ordered online had arrived. She opened the package to find it creased and plain, nothing like the costly diamond-adorned gown she had once tried on.

But Leslie just smiled. "It's adequate."

'Just like me—ordinary and unassuming,' she thought. 'No use pretending to be something I'm not.'

She ascended the stairs but then noticed something peculiar. Kiana's bedroom door was ajar.

Leslie wasn't one to pry. She had no interest in Kiana's life or secrets.

But Leslie couldn't help noticing a familiar medication bottle on the floor in the room's corner.

Without thinking, she entered the room and stooped to retrieve the pill bottle.