Chapter 3

"Of course, Delia. I'll always be by your side. Will you marry me?"

Suddenly, Xavion knelt down on one knee, pulling out a ring box and holding it up in front of me. I nodded without a moment's hesitation.

I was terrified. I feared Xavion would leave me just like my mom and dad did, and I'd be left all alone.

So nothing else mattered anymore. As long as Xavion stayed by my side, that was enough.

Xavion was my senior at college. After graduation, we ended up at the same school, teaching the same grade. He pursued me for nearly half a year.

We truly got together when my parents died in a car accident. He happened to find me crying in a corner of the hospital.

That was the most painful day of my life. Overnight, the people I loved most were gone, and it felt like I was the only one left in the whole world.

It was Xavion's appearance that helped me handle my parents' affairs and took care of me when I was completely falling apart, staying by my side every moment.

Maybe it was the suspension bridge effect, but I felt a dependence on Xavion that I couldn't even understand myself. So, naturally, we got together.

Before Harlow showed up, I firmly believed that Xavion's feelings for me were just as unique and special.When I first saw how Xavion looked at Harlow, I knew that in Xavion's heart, I might not be the only one.

But I was so afraid of Xavion leaving, so I compromised time and time again, deceiving myself repeatedly, constantly telling myself:

As long as Harlow gets married, she'll exit our lives, and Xavion will stay by my side forever, just like he said.

When Xavion slipped the ring on my finger, my hand was shaking uncontrollably. The unease in my heart far outweighed the joy of being proposed to.

The New Year's Day holiday ended amid my incredibly complex thoughts. Xavion set a weekend to discuss the wedding date with his parents.

Before that weekend arrived, it was the anniversary of my parents' passing. In previous years, Xavion had always accompanied me.

On Wednesday, I requested time off in advance. When I did, my boss mentioned that Xavion had also taken leave, teasing us about our close relationship.

I was touched for a moment by Xavion's thoughtfulness. However, the night before we were to visit the graves, Xavion hadn't contacted me at all.

I sent a message first, asking him what time we'd leave tomorrow. Unexpectedly, he replied with just:

"Tomorrow?""Need me to pick you up for work?"

Then immediately followed by another message:

"I'm sorry, Delia. I have something to do tomorrow and need to take a day off. Let's go out for dinner this weekend."

My hand holding the phone started to tremble uncontrollably. He had forgotten. Had the day finally come when I would have to face this alone?

The phone screen blurred in my vision, my eyes stinging painfully. I took a deep breath and replied to his message:

"Okay."

As the sky was just beginning to lighten, I was already at the graveside. Having just passed New Year's Day, the cemetery had some new splashes of color.

I meticulously cleaned my parents' headstone. Their familiar smiling faces were clear, as if they were still right beside me.

Sitting on the cool ground, I chattered away to Mom and Dad, telling them so many things. The biting winter wind didn't seem so cold anymore.

Facing my parents' passing alone wasn't as painful as I'd thought. I sat there for a long time, until the sun became warm and comforting.

Suddenly, my phone buzzed with a message. It was from Harlow:

"Do you know where Xavion is today?"