Chapter 6

Audrey's POV

On the night of the concert, the venue was bustling with people outside.

I stood alone at the VIP entrance, feeling completely out of place.

I arrived fifteen minutes early.

At exactly six o'clock, Julian didn't show.

At six fifteen, the concert was about to start. The crowd at the ticket gate had thinned out. He still hadn't appeared.

I wasn't surprised, but a sliver of disappointment still crept into my heart.

Originally, I had wanted to say a proper goodbye.

My phone vibrated.

Julian sent a voice message; the background noise was chaotic.

"I'm sorry, Audrey." His voice was full of apology. "Stella had a bit of a hyperventilation attack, she's not feeling well, I..."

The voice message cut off there.

A few seconds later, a second voice message came through.

"Just go in by yourself. We'll have countless anniversaries in the future. Stella will be gone in a few days, and then I'll accompany you no matter what you want to do, okay?"

His tone was apologetic, perfectly smooth, as if I were the one who would be unreasonable if I didn't understand.

I turned off my phone.

Just then, the main stage lights suddenly flared, and the headlining band's guitar intro roared through the sky, instantly igniting the atmosphere.

As the intro began, tens of thousands of people across the venue started waving their arms to the rhythm and singing loudly in unison.

"In this very moment, I found love..."

A tidal wave of voices swept over the crowd.

I smiled.

I took a photo and a lighter from my bag.

It was the last group photo I had purposely torn from the album before leaving the house.

I walked to a sheltered corner outside the venue and crouched down.

The lighter's flame sparked.

My heart was surprisingly calm.

Using the song of my favorite band to accompany his betrayal, somehow, it felt fitting.

Watching the photo turn to ash, I scanned my ticket and entered the venue alone.

I stood in the crowd and listened to the entire headlining set of the music festival.

A complete ending for my dead youth, for my extinguished obsession.

Julian Hayes, I will never love you again.