Chapter 3

After leaving the jewelry store, I impulsively ordered a lot of food.

The dishes I usually loved now felt stuck in my throat, hard to swallow.

I kept stuffing food into my mouth.

The day I first met David, I had just watched my last relative get cremated.

I wandered aimlessly down the street, holding the urn when suddenly, a teddy bear blocked my way.

"You look so sad. My hugs have magical powers. They can bring you luck. Want to try?"

Without thinking, I buried my face in the teddy bear's chest.

Feeling the rhythmic pats on my back, I couldn't hold back my tears, and I cried out loud.

When I finally calmed down, the costume was soaked with my tears.

"Such a lovely girl should smile more. It looks better on you."

David took off the headpiece, revealing his handsome face.

We exchanged contact details, and over time, our feelings grew uncontrollably strong.

"Alyssa, the moment I saw you in that teddy bear costume, I couldn't take my eyes off you,"

David said, his face and ears turning bright red, yet he stared at me intently.

"I like you! Will you give me a chance to be your future support?"

Years later, he truly kept his promise.

But it didn't change the fact that in his heart, Ella might have always come before me.

Memories rushed back, and tears poured from my eyes.

"Do you want a hug? Mom and Dad always say that hugging me makes them feel full of strength!"

A little girl in overalls was trying to stand on her tiptoes, using her chubby little hand to wipe away my tears.

I choked, my tears flowing harder. "Yes, I need it."

The child in my arms patted my back, just like the teddy bear did back then.

Yeah, no one was irreplaceable, and no one must depend on anyone else.

I should be my own future support.

In the days that followed, we were both busy.

David was making calls to arrange our wedding, while Ella was updating David's situation on Instagram every day.

[David ate only a little today.]

But in the picture, David didn't look thin at all. A hand with bright red nails was feeding him soup.

And I, with only a few belongings, set off on my journey alone.

While David was drafting the invitations, I was at the beach, enjoying the sun and replying to his messages.

[I don't know which invitation style to choose. Ask Ella.]

Ella was a great excuse.

Whenever David asked me something, I just said: [Ask Ella's opinion,] and he'd reply with clingy lines like: [Alyssa, I love you,] and [Alyssa, I'm looking forward to that day] before logging off to find Ella.

I was looking forward to it too because I couldn't wait either.

On the wedding day, David still didn't forget to apply some foundation to look more like a sick patient.

He eagerly prepared everything, from the high-end wedding dress shipped from abroad to the smallest details like what kind of side dishes to have, everything was carefully planned by him.

But when the day arrived, the bride couldn't be found.

The makeup artist and the wedding procession returned empty-handed from our rented apartment.

"Mr. Huber, the landlord said Ms. Lyons moved out half a month ago."

David refused to give up, calling me again and again, but each time, no one answered.

"Has anyone reached Alyssa yet? Aiden, check her itinerary. I need to know where she went!"

He anxiously searched for any news about me while also making arrangements for the guests who had been waiting for a long time.

Soon, his assistant, Aiden Malone, found my whereabouts.

"Mr. Huber, Ms. Lyons left half a month ago. She's been changing cities every couple of days. I guess... she's traveling."

David quickly grabbed the tablet to check my booking information, muttering to himself, "How is this possible? Alyssa can't just leave me. She accepted my proposal. She promised me..."

Just then, Ella walked up to David in a form-fitting mermaid dress, gently comforting him, "Maybe Alyssa doesn't want to see her lover leave, David. Don't be too sad."

It was at that moment that David noticed the gem on Ella's hand.

He let the tablet drop, grabbed Ella's right hand tightly, and glared at her with barely controlled rage in his tone.

"Why is this gem on your hand?!"