Fade with the Wind

"That's great to hear, Ivy!" chirped Mary, happy. "We'll start the paperwork, then. Once it's finalized, there's no going back."

Ivy held her phone tightly. Her fingers trembled a little, but she replied firmly, "I won't regret this."

Mary was just about to hang up when she hesitated. "Oh, by the way... What about your boyfriend? Didn't you pursue him for years? You liked him so much."

'Boyfriend' The word felt like a knife stab right to Ivy's heart. The memory of the raucous laughter in the hospital ward flashed across her mind: Jason leaning back lazily against the bed, playing with his phone, the group of people openly mocking her.

The cruelty of his wasting three years of her life, all to avenge Felicity.

Her chest tightened as if someone was squeezing her heart. It hurt her so much she could barely catch her breath.

"I don't like him anymore," Ivy replied, hoarsely yet calmly. "I'm not hung up on him."

After hanging up, Ivy stood by the side of the road, letting the cold breeze tangle her hair.

She looked up at the grey skies and took a deep breath. Then, she headed back to her so-called home.

When she pushed the door open, a familiar scent rushed toward her. She stood by the door, staring at the living room she knew so well. Her thoughts drifted.

This was Jason's place. He gave her a set of keys after he accepted her confession and agreed to be with her.

That day, he leaned against the door and said casually, "Move in with me."

Back then, she was shy yet elated. She thought that it would be the start of their everlasting love. She even secretly fantasized about the day that they would get married, have a family, and spend the rest of their lives there.

At that moment, it only felt ironic.

Living together?

It probably made it easier for him to exact revenge. She wondered how much Jason must have liked Felicity that he would spend three years using her, living with her.

He even slept with her so many times, just to make her believe that he liked her.

For the next three days, Ivy did not visit Jason once at the hospital. She shut herself inside the apartment and began packing away everything that had to do with Jason.

She found the diary she had written when she had a secret crush on him. It was thick, every page filled with her private thoughts.

[I met him in the library again today, dressed in a white shirt. How dashing.]

[He spoke to me today. Even though he was just politely asking me to pass him something, it made my day.]

[He agreed to be with me. Is this a dream?]

Ivy flipped through the pages as tears fell silently. She threw the diary into the trash can as if trying to throw away the love she once held for him.

Next, it was the gifts she gave him: a necklace, a watch, then a coat… Every item carried her joy, her hope, her anticipation.

Finally, the photos she had secretly taken of him, including Jason giving a speech on stage or playing basketball. Every photo had once brought her immense joy and hope.

She threw everything into the trash bin as if bidding goodbye to her past self.

By the third evening, Ivy finally cleared the final item. She stood in the middle of the living room, looking around at the empty place. She felt some relief unexpectedly.

At that moment, Jason entered. He looked around at the empty place and furrowed his brows. "What did you throw away?"

Ivy looked up at him calmly and replied, "Nothing much. Just things I don't need anymore."

Jason went in closer and asked with a hint of displeasure, "I was seriously injured. Why didn't you come and see me?"

Ivy curled her lips faintly. She replied with an icy tone, "Well, you're discharged now, right? How could you return home so quickly if you're seriously injured?"

Jason was a little stunned. Then, he explained, "I heard you donated a lot of blood for me. I was worried, so I came home to check up on you."

He looked at her arm and softened his voice, which rarely happened. "Did it hurt?"

Ivy retracted her arm and said indifferently, "No, it doesn't."

Jason could sense her aloofness. He furrowed his brows tightly. "Did something happen? I was in the hospital for a few days, and you've suddenly changed."

Ivy smiled faintly. "Changed? In what way?"

Jason did not reply, but they both knew well. In the past, Ivy always had love for him in her eyes whenever she looked at him.

If he even caught a cold, she would panic and hover by his side every minute.

He had been hospitalized for three days, and she had not even called once.

His gaze lingered on her face, as if trying to read something from her expression. Then, he spoke, his voice low and gentle.

"Have you been tired lately? They're throwing me a welcome-back party. Why don't you come with me?"