I Played Dead and She Went Crazy

I called Dad and told him that I wanted to move to Paville with him.

Ever since she passed away five years ago, he had lived in the place where he and Mom fell in love, spending his days there to be near her. I had stayed behind for Penelope, turning down opportunities to study abroad. As a result, I hardly saw him all year.

I once believed that my devotion would eventually win her over, but I was wrong. To her, my love was nothing more than a prank, and I was just a fool she used to pursue her true love.

Dad sounded thrilled when he heard me, saying I had finally come to my senses.

I fought back my tears and let out a quiet grunt in agreement. "Dad, when I leave, help me fake a plane crash."

Though he didn't understand why, he agreed anyway.

That crash would be my last gift to Penelope. I wanted her to spend the rest of her life drowning in regret.

I deleted all the photos of Penelope and me from my phone. While I was packing at home, a notebook slipped out of her safe. It had a dark green cover embossed with a phoenix totem from the game "Embers of Myth".

That was the first version of the game's logo, which I had spent 36 sleepless nights designing. Penelope had it printed on the cover. The notebook held all my design sketches, which she had carefully collected, hoping my dream would come true.

I paused when I reached the seventh page. There was a sticky note next to a photo of me wearing glasses and writing code.

It read, "Today, Edward sounded so fierce when he scolded the planners. The revised plan was ten times better. How could there be such an adorable genius?"

I remembered how Penelope had stayed up with me every time I pulled an all-nighter sketching. She would give me massages and make midnight snacks. Since I stayed up late too often, she even took the time to learn how to brew herbal teas and prepare healthy meals for me.

Although she claimed her love for me was just a prank, it was clear she had been deeply invested in our relationship too.

Tucked into the last page was a flight ticket stub from last year's Valentine's Day.

Her neat handwriting read, "If I had to choose again, I would still pretend to lose the ticket and trick Edward into staying at the airport to revise my proposal with me all night, because it was the 72nd prank I promised Jonathan."

Raindrops pattered against the bay window.

I realized then that all my love had been built on self-deception. She might have loved me, but she loved Jonathan more. I was nothing more than a tool she used to let him vent his frustrations.

My hands shook as I pulled out my phone and booked a flight out of the country.

Late at night, I lay in bed and heard Penelope come home, but I pretended not to notice. The mattress sank behind me as a pair of arms wrapped around me tightly.

She rested her head against my neck, her voice warm and full of joy. "We're having a baby, Teddy."

I already knew. My phone was linked to Penelope's medical records, so I received her prenatal check-up report the moment it was issued.

That was why I spent all my savings on the most expensive diamond ring and rushed to propose to her without hesitation. Only then did I find out that everything was just a prank.

I felt a deep, overwhelming sadness I couldn't shake.

The baby she carried was the final proof of the love we had shared over the past three years, but it was also an oversight in her game—an accident she hadn't planned.

When I stayed silent for too long, she grew impatient. "Teddy, did you hear me?" she asked.

Teddy was her nickname for me. She used to say I was like a caramel-colored teddy bear, a source of warmth meant only for her, and that she wanted me by her side forever.

I used to believe in her wholeheartedly, only to later discover that she and Jonathan laughed at how utterly foolish I was. She had made up the nickname just to mess with me for fun. All she wanted was to see me lose my dignity and become a fool blinded by love.

"Teddy, we're going to be the best parents and take great care of the baby," Penelope said.

It seemed that, deep down, she didn't want me to leave, so she made me promise to stay forever.

"I heard you," I replied flatly.

Even so, I wavered, wondering if I should cancel my flight. Maybe Penelope would finally stop her pranks.

Unaware of my thoughts, Penelope pulled out the prenatal check-up report and drew three little hearts on it with a fountain pen. It was the very pen I had bought her with my first paycheck after starting work. She had carried it with her for years.

I didn't say anything as Penelope held me tighter, whispering words of affection nonstop.

I reached out and held Penelope tightly. "I'm tired. Let's get some sleep," I said.

She went quiet immediately, only mentioning that we would be attending Jonathan's birthday party tomorrow before drifting off to sleep.

I had clearly overestimated how much she cared about me.