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“There's something I never told you. Lina isn't from this world.”
“I know it sounds like I'm joking, but it's true.”
“Lina told me she's here to complete a mission. If I don't marry her, she'll die in the most painful way right in front of me.”
“All we did was having a ceremony. We didn't get legally married.”
“Your name will still be on the marriage certificate. Are you happy now?”
His impatience was obvious the entire time he spoke.
“Forget the mission stuff. But can you honestly say your feelings for me haven't changed at all?”
“And can you swear you haven't developed real feelings for Lina?”
Leo opened his mouth like he wanted to say something, but no words came out.
It felt like thousands of needles were pricking my heart all at once.
If he'd just denied it, maybe it wouldn't have hurt so much.
I smiled bitterly.
“The moment you removed that tattoo, we were destined to end up like this.”
“Leo, you broke your promise.”
In the end, Leo only signed the apartment transfer agreement. Then he left without another word.
I stood by the window. Rain was pouring outside.
Then I went into the bedroom, pulling out the suitcase I'd already packed.
I grabbed a coat from the closet and put it on.
Before closing the door, I took one last look around the apartment that held so many memories.
Though this apartment belonged to me now, I didn't think I'd ever come back here.
Let those memories all sealed away.
I left New York, and deleted all of Leo's contact information.
I moved to a smaller, warmer town.
The doctor said my illness still had a chance of improvement, but the treatment would be painful and drawn-out.
Being a coward at heart, I chose to give up and began half-hearted treatment.
The day I was discharged after a week in the hospital, a nurse came in and said, “Someone's here to see you.”
My hands stilled on the clothes. My heart skipped a beat.
I took a deep breath and followed the nurse out.
“Long time no see.”
At the nurses' station, Lina smiled and waved at me.
When the nurse said someone was here, my mind raced through possibilities — an old friend, a former classmate, even Leo…
But I never expected Lina.
Not saying anything, I turned and went back to my room.
But she followed me to the room, leaning against the door frame watching me pack.
Neither of us spoke.
When I finally wheeled my suitcase out, she trailed along behind me.
We stood side-by-side waiting for the elevator. She kept glancing at me.
Finally, I spoke first. “How about having a meal together?”
Just as I said it, the elevator arrived.
A flicker of shock crossed Lina's face.
At the restaurant, I ordered my food first, then handed the menu to Lina.
She waved it away. “I'm not really hungry.”
I frowned and tossed the menu in front of her. “Stop wasting time. Just order.”
After we ordered, the small private room fell silent again.
I sipped my water while studying Lina carefully.
The first and only time I'd seen her was at her wedding to Leo. I hadn't really paid attention to what she looked like then.
Sitting here quietly now, I realized she was really quite pretty.
Naturally, I wouldn't feel kindly toward the woman who stole my man.
But as I remembered I was dying, I realized Leo would fall in love with someone else sooner or later.
The only thing that really stung was that after eight whole years together, he gave this woman the wedding he never gave me behind my back.
Thinking about it, my heart felt heavy.
