Chapter 2

Ryan's hand trembled, and the old piece of paper floated to the floor with a soft breeze.

"Chloe, stop messing around."

"This isn't funny at all."

Ryan felt a surge of panic.

He looked at the text message he'd received two hours ago on his phone and dialed.

The light he always left on for me was still shining.

But the house was silent. He couldn't hear a sound.

On the other end of the line, there was only the repeating, mechanical tone.

Ryan sighed and picked up the note from the floor.

【Was the girl named Bree?】

【The new intern at your company. She's very cute and pretty, and she has dimples when she smiles.】

【When I brought you lunch, she was the one who helped bring it inside for you.】

【Ryan, I don't blame you.】

【I just feel useless. Why couldn't I make our love last a little longer?】

The handwriting was light, but the words weighed heavily on Ryan's heart.

I found out Ryan was cheating by accident.

Even after I died, I still blamed myself for not being afraid of Ryan getting wet that day and going out to give him an umbrella.

That day, it rained heavily.

"Chloe, I have some things at the office, I need to rush back for a bit."

"You go to sleep first, don't wait up for me. Just leave a light on."

Lately, Ryan often worked late into the night. Sometimes, a call would come, and he'd leave in the middle of the night to go back to work.

I didn't understand his business matters, I just thought he worked too hard.

The rain outside grew heavier. I saw the umbrella Ryan had forgotten by the door, grabbed it, and ran out after him.

"Ryan!"

I called Ryan's name in the apartment building corridor, but the wind and rain were too strong; he didn't hear me.

Seeing him about to leave the corridor, I quickened my pace, trying to catch up.

But the next second, an umbrella appeared over Ryan's head.

"You big dummy, why aren't you using an umbrella?"

A girl in a yellow puffer jacket, holding an umbrella, jumped into Ryan's arms.

"When you're seeing someone you like, you naturally brave any weather."

Ryan had said something similar to me before.

Back then, I was hospitalized, and each chemotherapy treatment meant a long stay.

Ryan shuttled between the hospital and the office, always arriving with urgent steps.

He later told me, "When you're seeing someone you like, walking and running feel the same."

That line used to make me smile for a long time.

Now, he had someone he'd brave any weather to see.

The regrettable part was, it wasn't me anymore.

Ryan pulled her into his arms, his voice laced with concern. "Aren't you cold? I told you I'd come up myself. Why did you come down and stand in the wind?"

The girl nuzzled her fluffy head against Ryan's chest. "I just wanted to see you sooner!"

Ryan lowered his head and passionately kissed the girl in his arms.

In the wind and rain, they embraced and kissed, right where I stood.

My hand, clutching the umbrella handle, twitched. The wind and rain seeped into my heart, every single bit of it.

It was too cold.

Colder than all those winters during my five years of cancer treatment, a hundred times colder.

【Ryan, you two kissed for a full three minutes.】

【In those three minutes, I wondered if you were cold. The rain outside the corridor seemed to be wetting your shoulders.】

【Ryan, I thought about breaking up with you to let you pursue your true love, but I couldn't bear to.】

【So I pretended nothing had happened.】

【Ryan, will you laugh at me for being too blinded by love? Will you blame me for not letting go?】