A Love That Transcends Mere Romance

Nina couldn't understand how everything had turned out this way.

In the beginning, Lucas was the one who pursued her. Unlike other short-lived suitors, his love was all-consuming. He chased her for two full years, during which she rejected him almost daily. But this never dampened his enthusiasm. He still sent her flowers every day, personally waited in line for hours just to buy her favorite gourmet cream puffs, kept track of her every move, and whenever she lingered on something while shopping, it would inevitably appear on her desk the next day, beautifully wrapped as a gift...

Between them, though there wasn't a passionate, dramatic romance, the tenderness that flowed through their quiet days together was enough to touch Nina's heart.

On the day he confessed his love, Lucas spared no expense and rented the entire theme park. After nightfall, he presented Nina with a fireworks show created just for her.

As the dazzling fireworks filled the sky, Nina was moved to tears. Lucas kissed her then and whispered lovingly in her ear, "I promise, my love for you will always be as brilliant as these fireworks."

But fireworks don't stay brilliant forever.

They vanish in an instant.

Nina smiled bitterly to herself, thinking that perhaps from the very beginning, her love story with Lucas had already been written with its ending.

As brilliant as fireworks, and just as fleeting.

Lucas didn't return all night. When Nina saw him again the next morning, he was still impeccably dressed in a tailored suit, handsome and elegant.

But Nina immediately noticed he was wearing a different suit.

Last night's "encounter" must have been too intense, and yesterday's suit was probably torn beyond repair.

"My dear wife, please don't be upset anymore." Lucas walked over and slipped his arm around Nina's slender waist, then lowered his head to kiss her. "To make up for my mistake, I've prepared a very special surprise for you today."

Nina turned her head, avoiding his kiss. "...Go take a shower first."

"I already showered..." Halfway through his sentence, Lucas's face showed embarrassment, though it quickly disappeared. He smiled and explained, "I showered at the Marriott. After finishing work last night, it was already midnight. I was busy preparing your surprise, so I didn't come home and just showered at the hotel instead."

Nina lowered her gaze. "Take another shower. Hotel showers don't clean thoroughly enough."

There was a hidden message in her words, but Lucas seemed not to catch it. He playfully tapped her nose, his tone and gesture indulgent, "Alright, alright. Whatever you say, sweetheart."

After his shower, Lucas drove Nina to the theme park.

He had once confessed his love to her here, and now he had rented the entire place again.

Nina felt slightly moved, but this feeling came too soon. Shortly after entering the park, they were greeted by the cartoon character parade.

On one of the floats, Melody West was dressed as a princess, standing in the most prominent position and passionately singing into a microphone.

"I remember you love Melody's songs," Lucas said. "You also love this character, so I invited Melody to dress up and sing for you... Are you happy?"

It felt like a dull knife slowly cutting through her heart, inch by inch.

The pain was so intense that Nina could barely breathe.

...How could he... How could he do this?!

Even the deepest enemy couldn't hurt her this badly, but Lucas had managed it.

He hadn't just insulted her. He had insulted her deceased sister.