Chapter 5

I turned a deaf ear.

Because it no longer mattered.

"It's okay, Connor. I forgive Stella."

Lidia scrambled to play the part of the good person, and egged on by the crowd, she opened the gift box I had sent.

Inside, a ring made from a soda can pull-tab lay quietly.

The color drained from Connor's face, and his entire body began to tremble.

"What is this piece of junk?"

"Yeah, seriously! This is just plain nasty!"

The crowd chimed in with their complaints.

"All of you, shut up! Shut up!"

Connor roared, then spun around and bolted from the restaurant, shouting, "Stella..."

But by then, I was already on my way to the airport.

Connor looked around frantically, but he couldn't find any sign of me. A sharp pain suddenly shot through his heart, as if something had been brutally torn away.

He knew all too well what that ring meant.

It had witnessed our vows to hold hands for a lifetime, to grow old together.