The Fifth Candle

No one in the room seemed to have expected that I would one day stop fighting with Elaine. After all, just four months ago, we had a very public confrontation at the airport. The media later mocked me as the pathetic wife who had already lost.

At the time, we had arrived in Cascade City on the same day. I was the woman whose husband had not accompanied her home for Christmas. She was the adopted sister my husband had just returned from vacation with.

It was my fifth year of marriage to Julian.

For the previous four Christmases, I was not able to spend the holiday with my parents even once. The Carter family had always believed that since I had married into their family, I should spend the holidays with them.

This year, I finally decided I was not going to give in anymore.

"I want to spend Christmas with my parents."

Julian did not even look up.

"I need to be with my family too." His tone was as casual as if he were discussing the weather. "If you want to go, then go by yourself."

My parents were overjoyed to see me. The whole family gathered around, asking if I was doing well, whether anyone had mistreated me, and whether I was happy. Whenever they asked about Julian, all I could say was that he was busy.

I wanted to call him and ask him to at least send my parents his regards. I dialed his number, but the call was declined. I dialed again, only for the call to be declined again.

No one answered.

Then, I saw the photos Elaine posted online. The background was a beautiful beach.

The caption read: [Thanks to my amazing photographer brother.]

I looked away from the screen and met my parents' warm, hopeful eyes. For the first time, I felt a deep exhaustion settle into my bones.

Now, in the present moment, I was curious. The moment I saw him, I said, "Julian, you said you were busy, too busy to come home with me. But somehow, you had time to be Elaine's personal photographer."

I stared at him. "Do the two of you have no sense of boundaries at all? You're not even biological siblings.

"Julian, you're a married man. Yet every few days, Elaine calls, saying something hurts or that she doesn't feel well, and one phone call is enough to pull you away from me. Even when we're together as husband and wife. Even when you're in the middle of taking a shower, she's calling you.

"Don't either of you think that's crossing the line?"

Julian's eyes darkened. "Laura, Elaine is my sister. Stop using your filthy imagination to judge us."

His expression turned colder. "Are you trying to make headlines again? Haven't you embarrassed yourself enough already?"

As if she could not bear hearing my words, Elaine lowered her head and quietly started crying beside him.

Without a second thought, Julian grabbed my arm. "Apologize to Elaine. Right now."

I laughed so hard that tears came to my eyes.

"Julian, why should I apologize to someone who inserted herself into my marriage and helped destroy my family?"

His grip tightened, and pain shot through my arm. It felt as though my bones were being crushed.

Julian bent down, staring directly into my eyes. Every word came out cold and deliberate.

"What family did she destroy? Laura, get one thing straight. Even if I hadn't married you, I would've married someone else. However, Elaine and I grew up together. We're the ones who will always be family."

His gaze remained fixed on mine.

"And don't forget. I told you a long time ago, I don't love you. This marriage happened because you begged for it."

The first time I met Julian was on a snowy mountain. A blizzard had rolled in, not catastrophic, but dangerous enough. I still remember the moment he skied toward me and grabbed my wrist. "Come with me."

Maybe it was the dependence that fear creates, or maybe it really was love at first sight.

When Julian turned his head and told me, "Don't be scared," my heart skipped a beat. Later, I asked around at school and found out who he was.

One of my classmates winked at me. "Oh, that ridiculously handsome guy? He's just as famous as you are. You two would make the perfect match."

I chased after Julian for a very long time, just like every dating guide told me to. I invested my time, my money, and my energy, giving him everything I had and then some, convinced that one day he would finally love me back.

Then, one day, Julian came to find me. His adopted sister was seriously ill. My tissue type was a match.

I looked at his sincere expression. With one finger, I gently pressed the deep crease between his brows.

"I'll help. However, I have one condition."

I looked straight into his eyes. "I want to marry you. Will you try to fall in love with me?"

Julian extended his hand. Then, he hooked his pinky around mine. In that moment, we made a promise, a promise that became our marriage.

I had believed that love could grow with time, and I had believed that sincerity could move mountains; that enough devotion could melt even the coldest heart.

After all those years, I finally understood. It had all been nothing more than my own wishful thinking. I had been nothing more than a moth drawn to a flame.