Chapter 1

After the failed mission, rain poured down, and I was abandoned by the male lead on the highway.

His childhood sweetheart was in a bad mood, and he had to go halfway across the city to comfort her.

Later, he came to me with a heart full of apologies.

But by then, there was no more me in this world.

1.

In the third year of my relationship with Colin, he suddenly proposed to me.

In the cinema, as the movie ended, Colin pulled me back from leaving.

On the screen, moments of our past acquaintance suddenly started playing.

He tenderly embraced me from behind and brought out a bouquet of flowers, "Lily, will you marry me?"

A small and exquisite ring appeared before me.

People around us gathered and started cheering loudly.

"Say yes, say yes…"

I let out a sigh of relief.

Only this step of the proposal is left to complete the mission, Lily Evans, you should be happy.

I smiled stiffly and extended my hand.

"I will."

The atmosphere in the cinema was just right, some clapped, some cheered.

In the commotion, Colin's phone rang.

He glanced at the name and then stuffed the bouquet into my hands, giving me an apologetic look.

A moment later, "Sorry Lily, Nora was in a car accident, I need to check on her, you go home and wait for me."

On the movie screen, he was buying me cakes and doing crafts.

With my left hand holding the bouquet from his proposal, my right hand hung at my side, slightly clenched.

How utterly ridiculous.

"It's okay, you go ahead."

Amid everyone's gaze, he unhesitatingly rushed out of the crowd, not thinking at all how embarrassed I would be in such a situation.

My heart sank to the ground.

I waved to the people around me, "Everyone, please disperse."

When I saw Nora's text, I had already foreseen this moment.

In Colin's heart, I never held as much weight as Nora.

2.

In this world, I am an orphan, and Colin is my mission target.

I have known him for four years.

Since our junior year in college, he has always been my knight in shining armor.

He is handsome, considerate, gentle… every good adjective seems fitting for him.

Three years into our relationship, I truly grew to love him deeply.

I always believed that I would wait until the day he proposed to me.

By then, I'd complete the mission and live happily ever after with him.

But it was all just a fool's dream.

The clock ticked and tocked away.

I turned off the lights, plunging the living room into darkness.

I curled up on the sofa, dialing his number.

He didn't pick up.

Unwilling to give up, I repeatedly dialed, and finally, there was a voice from the other side.

"Lily Evans, can you stop bothering me, I'm buying milk tea for Nora, don't call if it's not important…"

Colin's tone had completely changed from the gentleness of before, I had never heard him speak this way.

I listened to the sound of the phone hanging up, stunned where I stood.

If she can drink milk tea, it can't be that serious of an accident.

Besides, is buying milk tea for Nora more important than my proposal?

In a daze, I wondered, does Colin truly love me?

What about all the sacrifices I made over these years?

In college, I scrimped and saved with him, spending only fifteen hundred a month.

After graduation, I supported him in starting his business, washed his clothes, cooked for him every day.

I always cared for him, reminding him to look after his health.

But now it seems, all his hard work and earnings were for Nora's sake.

So he can one day hold his head up high in front of Nora.

I just can't comprehend it.

In someone's heart, is there really no one who can compare to their first love?

3.

A week later, Nora was discharged from the hospital.

Colin, carrying all sorts of supplements, held Nora's hand joyfully back to our home, followed by Colin's mother.

"Lily, Nora hasn't fully recovered, she just returned to the country, and her parents aren't here, so I let her stay with you guys for a while, you don't mind, do you?"

Colin's mother looked around the living room, shamelessly patting my hand.

I always respected Auntie, never thought she'd say such a thing to me.

"I do mind."

Colin's mother's face immediately changed.

I always believed that I was clear about matters of the heart, never forcing anything that wasn't meant to be mine.

But this time, I wanted to try.

I looked into Colin's eyes and said, "Colin, if you still consider me your girlfriend, if you still like me, then please don't disgust me like this."

Nora Evans sensed the atmosphere was off and quickly apologized.

She wiped away her tears, looking utterly helpless, "I'm sorry, Colin, for causing you trouble. I'll leave now."

I knew Colin Foster had always fallen for this.

And sure enough, he stopped Nora Evans just as she was about to leave.

Aunt looked like she was protecting Nora, afraid she might get bullied.

"Lily, be good, of course, I like you, but Nora is my friend, and I can't see my friend in trouble and not help her."

Colin Foster came over and ruffled my hair, comforting me as usual.

But this time, something seemed to have changed.

I suddenly felt a bit tired.

No longer aggressive, I took a step back.

"Nora can stay in the leftmost room. Just don't bother me unnecessarily."

Colin Foster immediately smiled happily at Nora upon hearing this.

Aunt then led Nora proudly into the room, the two of them looking like a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law.

Colin Foster spread out all the snacks in his hand in front of me, "Lily, eat more."

Before I could respond, he eagerly turned to find Nora.

He laid out blankets for her, found her a cup...

These were things Colin Foster had never deigned to do for me.

The room was filled with joy for the three of them, while the living room was cold and lonely with just me.

I pushed aside the snacks in front of me and got up to grab the small tangerine farthest from me in the fruit platter.

I don't want what's left by others.

4.

The system informed me that my mission had failed since the unsuccessful proposal.

Colin Foster's affection for me had peaked during the proposal, but I hadn't agreed, and he left.

After that night, with Nora's interference, my mission ended in failure.

I applied to the system to stay in this world for a while before moving on to the next.

I want to give Colin Foster a gift.

A gift that would make him feel unbearable pain.

Nora stayed at home for a few days, with Aunt visiting her every day.

In her spare time, Aunt would take her for walks, shopping, but never thought of me.

Colin Foster went to work early and came back late every day, checking on Nora's health once he got home.

Sometimes, he would make me delicious food, take me out, and occasionally pay attention to my emotions.

I knew he was doing this to ease his guilt towards me.

A person knows what they're doing is wrong, yet they do it anyway.

Then they must be despicable.

And I intend to tightly grip his guilt towards me, making him pay for his actions.

Saturday was the third anniversary of our relationship.

Colin Foster had reserved a restaurant early, saying he wanted to surprise me.

He took me to a remote private restaurant, decorated with all my favorite dishes.

Under the romantic music, Colin and I clinked our glasses across the table.

Perhaps it was the alcohol, but at that moment, his gaze seemed filled with endless affection, as if the indecisive man from days ago wasn't him.

I shook my head to try and clear my mind.

I asked, "Colin, will you always love me?"

Colin Foster chuckled softly, "I will love you forever."

He looked so incredibly handsome when he smiled; for a moment, I almost believed him.

After dinner, Colin and I strolled quietly along the roadside.

The desolate road had few people, only the occasional passing car.

Colin kept looking at his phone, occasionally pulling it out of his pocket to reply to messages.

I held onto his sleeve tightly.

I knew who he was talking to.

I nudged his arm, "Shall we watch a movie after a while?"

He glanced at me absentmindedly and said, "Okay."

Then he turned back to his phone.

Soon, his phone rang.

Colin Foster looked embarrassed, "I'll take a call."

I nodded, permitting him.

I vaguely overheard Nora's sobbing on the other end, complaining to Colin Foster about something.

The call lasted five minutes, while I pulled weeds for five minutes.

After hanging up, Colin Foster seemed anxious and looked at me apologetically.

"Nora is staying at my mom's tonight. She's a bit upset and wants the cake from Norwood; otherwise, she'll have a fit. I'll go to Norwood to get her the cake, Lily, you should head home first."

I pointed to the sky, "But it's about to rain."

He scratched his head irritably, becoming impatient.

"Can't you just call a cab? You're always causing trouble for me."

I was momentarily speechless.

He used to never let me go home alone this late, but now, he's leaving me to buy a cake for another woman.

The wind howled in my ears, and raindrops started falling on my shoulders.

I held back my tears.

"Today is our anniversary…"