“There’s an issue with the flowers for the wedding. I’ll need to head to Netherlands to oversee things personally—it’ll take a few days.”
Alyssa paused. The flowers for their wedding were her favorite tulips, which were indeed hard to find this time of year in the local market. But she had a nagging feeling this wasn’t the real reason.
Reaching out, she gently tugged on Ivan’s sleeve and whispered, “Can you not go? The flowers can be replaced with something else.”
She didn’t even know why she made such a request. Perhaps it was her unwillingness to let go of the years they had spent together.
Ivan’s Adam’s apple bobbed slightly as he hesitated. After a moment’s silence, he shook his head. “Aly, I don’t want your wedding to have any regrets. You deserve the best.”
“Is it because you can’t bear to see me leave? Don’t worry, I’ll be back soon. I’ll call you every day.”
Alyssa’s hand fell slowly, her emotions hidden behind a soft smile. “Then go. Come back soon.”
Ivan pushed aside a flicker of unease in his heart. He kissed her forehead, then turned and walked away.
Watching his retreating figure, Alyssa could no longer hold back and broke into sobs.
"Ivan, this is the eighth time. You’ve run out of chances," she whispered.
Alyssa left decisively, taking only a few changes of clothes. All the clothes, jewelry, and bank cards Ivan had given her were left behind in a box.
On top of the box sat her diary and the engagement ring he had sent later. She had never tried it on—she had always known they had no future.
The diary was her final explanation, her closure. Unlike him, she could end things clearly and completely.
As the plane took off, Alyssa smiled out the window, silently bidding farewell to her past.
The moment Ivan landed in the Netherlands, he messaged Alyssa, but she didn’t reply.
Assuming she was resting, he tried to focus, but Monica was brimming with excitement. “Ivan, if you promised to spend time with me here, can you at least give it your full attention? This is the last trip for the three of us as a family.”
Her tone carried a trace of sorrow, but her eyes gleamed with malice.
She had purposefully flaunted herself in front of Alyssa and coaxed Ivan into this trip—not because she was confident of replacing Alyssa, but because she was feeling insecure.
When Ivan first found out she was pregnant, his initial joy had quickly turned to insistence that she terminate the pregnancy. No matter how much she pouted or cried, he refused to change his mind.
Unable to convince him, she decided to provoke Alyssa instead. But to her dismay, that wretched woman didn’t react at all.
Desperate to buy time, Monica suggested the trip, hoping to delay things until after the wedding. That was her only chance to achieve her goal.
Ivan, feeling guilty toward her and believing she was still obedient and gentle, agreed without much thought.
As they walked, Monica snatched his phone and slipped it into her pocket, playfully demanding, “From now on, your time belongs to me and our baby. Think only about us, or I’ll get mad.”
Ivan sighed, nodding absentmindedly as he thought about the baby. But anyone could see his mind was elsewhere.
When his calls and messages to Alyssa continued to go unanswered, a deep unease began to creep into his heart. Remembering her recent odd behavior, the fear only grew.
That fear reached its peak when his friend informed him that Alyssa wasn’t home. Without hesitation, he booked the next flight back.
Monica cried and tried to stop him, but he shoved her away. She stumbled, her stomach hitting the edge of the table, and let out a pained scream.
