Chapter 4

We finally arrived at the campus.

I pushed the door open, and the moment my foot touched the ground, the pain in my knee flared up.

Ethan was already walking ahead without looking back.

We ran straight into Ethan’s old college roommates and a few underclassmen from our department.

"Whoa, Ethan! Long time no see, man!"

"Avery? You're here too? What happened to your leg?"

Ethan said casually, "She wasn't looking where she was going and tripped."

"That looks nasty. Ethan, you should be carrying her."

Ethan didn't say a word.

A guy next to them leaned in and smiled.

"Ethan, Hailey just posted on Snapchat earlier showing the cake you got her from her favorite bakery. You two have been close for so many years, your friendship really never changes."

As soon as he said that, the atmosphere went cold. The others glared at him.

The guy realized his mistake, looked between Ethan and me, his face turning slightly pale.

I stood there, my fingers tightening around my purse strap.

Ethan and Hailey were childhood sweethearts.

Everyone knew that.

Standing next to him as his wife, I felt like an unwanted intruder.

Ethan didn't bother to explain. He just flicked his cigarette ash.

"Hailey hurt her hand, so I bought her a cake to cheer her up."

He said it so naturally, as if he didn't need to hide it from me at all.

"Avery, don't take it personally. Ethan has always treated Hailey like a little sister." One of his friends tried to smooth things over.

Ethan glanced at me.

"She was bored at home and insisted on coming back here to walk down memory lane. I don't really have the time for this nonsense."

The truth was, I had worked overtime for a week straight just to clear my schedule to accompany him back to our alma mater for the Alumni Homecoming preparation.

But in his words, I became an idle housewife dragging him here to waste his time.

The looks on his friends' faces shifted.

Years ago, right in front of the restaurant next to this plaza, Ethan had knelt down and proposed to me in front of everyone.

He had said Avery was the pride of his life.

If anyone dared to disrespect me, he would fight them on the spot.

Now, he was the one throwing my dignity into the dirt in front of these same people.

"Ethan!"

Hailey ran up from behind and wrapped her arm around Ethan's.

Five years ago on this plaza, Ethan had yelled to the world that I was his destiny.

Everyone who witnessed it remembered that day.

Now, he looked down at Hailey, all his gentleness and patience reserved for her.

Watching them stand together, I suddenly realized there was nothing left to fight for.

This relationship had rotted long ago. There was no going back.

"Why are you here?" Ethan’s voice softened instantly.

"My hand hurt, and I was scared being alone at home. Once the cat calmed down, I took an Uber over."

Ethan took her hand, inspecting it closely. "How could you be so careless? Didn't I tell you to wait for me at home?"

"But I missed you," Hailey said, tugging his arm playfully.

Only then did she turn her eyes to me.

"Oh, Avery's here too. Why is your leg still bleeding? Ethan, why didn't you take Avery to get patched up?"

Ethan frowned. "She insisted on coming here first."

People around us began to whisper.

Ethan probably heard them. He let go of Hailey's hand and walked toward me.

He didn't ask if I was in pain. He just pulled a napkin from his pocket and handed it to me.

"Wipe it."

I didn't take it. I stepped back.

"No, thank you."

I glanced at the arm Hailey had just held, feeling a wave of nausea.

"You guys catch up. I'll head to the trail first."

I turned and walked away.

Hailey called out from behind, "Avery, please don't be mad! I just wanted to come see Ethan!"

I didn't look back.

My jeans rubbed against the raw wound on my knee with every step, sending sharp jolts of pain up my leg.

But I kept walking.