Three Chances Too Late

Kim immediately got anxious. She placed her cutlery down and got up to coax Emmett.

"Is that so? We don't have to eat this. Come, I'll take you out for a nice meal. You can have whatever you want."

I was leaning against the wall. My abdomen felt like it was going to tear in two with every movement I made.

"Kim, do you remember what day it is today?"

Kim frowned impatiently as if she were looking at a toddler throwing a tantrum.

"What? Some kind of anniversary again? Enough, Julian. We've been together for so long. Who still cares about these things? What are you? A teenage girl? Just stay at home. Once we're back from dinner, I'll buy you a present."

Then, she headed into the bedroom. She didn't notice how my eyes reddened, nor how the last sliver of hope in my eyes vanished.

Emmett and I were left in the dining room. He walked over to me with a triumphant smile.

"What were you hoping for? You're old and useless. Do you really think that Kim will still love you? She loves me the most now."

Then, he produced a certificate from his pocket and showed it to me.

"All I need is to put on a cute act and cry a few drops of tears, she would even get married to me. If you know any better, you'd pack up your things and get lost. Stop being the third wheel here."

I glared at the wedding certificate, with a photo of Kim cosying up next to Emmett.

A bomb seemed to have detonated in my mind. All I could hear was buzzing in my ears.

Yes. I completely forgot about it. Kim and I never registered our marriage. We didn't even have a wedding.

When we just got together, she was still a background actor. She held my hand and said with a sparkling gaze, "Julian, once I'm famous, we'll get married. I want the entire world to know that you're my man!"

Later, she truly got famous, becoming the most sought-after new star of her generation.

When I brought up marriage, she hugged me and said apologetically, "My career is on the rise, and the paparazzi are hounding me closely. Can we wait for a while? I promise, I'll give you the grandest wedding the entire world has ever seen."

Later, she won multiple awards, becoming the most famous actor in the industry. But she never once brought up marriage anymore.

I didn't press on further as well.

Turns out, she didn't forget. She just gave that promise, what was supposed to be mine, to someone else.

My heart sank. Even the pain in my body turned numb.

Emmett arrogantly admired my pale face and kept the certificate away in satisfaction.

At that moment, Kim just returned to the dining room dressed in a pretty dress.

She walked over to Emmett and naturally held his hand, about to take him out.

When she walked past me, she didn't even bother to look at me.

They kissed and left as if they were the true couple.

A long time later, I slowly turned around and walked over to the living room, where I already prepared my luggage.

I unlocked my phone and, without any hesitation, booked a one-way flight to the Great Northwest.

I left this place, filled with so many loving memories, without looking back.

…

Kim somehow felt a little nervous. After all, she was with Julian for so many years. She realized that she perhaps crossed the line that day.

She took her phone out to call her assistant to wire some money to the hospital for Julian's father's treatment.

She thought that Julian would surely be happy about it.

Her assistant was at first stunned, then she replied, "Kim, Julian's father passed away three days ago."