Tears flowed as I confessed what I had been holding in my heart. I couldn’t help but close my eyes because the tears became too much. Yet, I was again surprised.
Somehow, I felt that I heard my father’s whispers.
“It’s okay, Ariel. You deserve your own happiness.”
As soon as I opened my eyes again, I looked around to find the voice owner. But all I found was an empty grave. That was when I was convinced that it was a sign from my father to tell me to leave Stanmore.
So, I took a deep breath and forced a smile to say to my father, “Sure, Dad.”
Actually, I had been thinking about leaving shortly after graduating from university. Still, my father had a jewelry business. It was our family legacy that had been passed down from my grandfather. That was the reason I kept staying here.
I knew that I couldn’t abandon such legacy that was so deeply tied to my family. Eventually, I decided to study business. After all, I really hoped to carry on my father’s name and preserve his business.
Unfortunately, my plan went awry when my father passed away last year when I was in my third year of college. With him gone, it felt as if everything meaningful had vanished from the world. Everything became dark.
Frankly, I was used to people leaving me. From early on, I had learned to adapt. My mother had returned to her home country after she divorced my father when I was only seven years old. The divorce left my heart with a void I had thought would never be filled.
I could still remember when my father, who had been supporting me, filled that void with gentle promises and endless support when I heard that both he and my mother had divorced.
“You don’t only have me, honey. You have your grandparents, and you will always have Morgan and Nate by your side. You will never be alone, Ariel,” he told me.
Ever since my father promised me that, both Morgan and Nate had been with me. They were the sons of my father’s close. In the end, they became my constant companions. In fact, we grew up together as we filled each other’s lives with happiness and wishes.
Nate said that he would become a doctor.
The little boy said with eyes full of determination, making promise to me, “One day, I’ll be the one to perform surgery on you myself, Ariel. I’ll make sure you’re strong, healthy, and no longer have a congenital heart condition.”
Meanwhile, Morgan confidently vowed to follow in his family’s footsteps as a lawyer.
“I will be the lawyer so I can look after the business with you,” the little Morgan said, which gave me hope for the future.
For fifteen years, both Nate and Morgan would support me. I was also fortunate that my mother never forgot my birthdays and kept sending me gifts every year despite being very far from me. Despite what happened between her and my father, I still felt very connected to her.
As for my father, the man had been my unwavering support through it all. My father would cheer me on as I grew into a strong, spirited woman despite my fragile health. So, I knew that I couldn’t simply leave the house and studio where he had poured his life into.
Still, it was hard.
After I spent what seemed to be hours at the graveyard, I went to my father’s studio. My plan was to find someone trustworthy to manage it in my absence. I hoped I could find that person.
When I was thinking of my plan, I was lost in my thought until my phone buzzed, which woke me up from my train of thought. It turned out to be a message from Demi.
[Demi: If you feel guilty, you’d better bring some clean clothes to the hospital quickly.]
The moment I read her message, I felt angry. Why would I feel guilty? In fact, why would she expect me to feel guilty in the first place?
So, I quickly sent a short reply.
[Ariel: I’m busy.]
After that, I also noticed that Demi had just posted on social media. It was a photo of her with Nate and Morgan with a caption.
[So happy to have you guys. I don’t know what would have happened to me if there were no @Your_Morgan and @Nate_Than.]
Demi tagged both Nate and Morgan’s accounts, so she got lots of comments on her post. The commenters asked what happened to Demi, while some of them felt jealous because Demi was surrounded by two handsome men. Yet, it made me sick.
I immediately locked my phone and concentrated on finding someone who could look after my father's studio. Fortunately, I contacted a good friend of my father's. They had known each other for a long time, so I explained my idea and asked him to help me deal with my house and my father's studio. After hearing this, my father's friend readily agreed.
After thanking and saying goodbye to my father's old friend, I took a taxi home and booked a midnight flight.
When I walked to the front year, I noticed two familiar figures stepping out of a car. They were Morgan and Nate. I couldn’t help but freeze as I saw how they used the spare key to enter my house.
That key had been meant for emergencies, to protect me if something went wrong when I was home alone. But it was being used for Demi. Not me.
As soon as Nate saw me, he angrily looked at me.
The man angrily scolded me, “Ariel, how can you be so selfish? “Demi is in the hospital because of you! Yet, here you are, busy with your own business!”
Not long after that, Morgan followed. The man looked as angry as Nate. In fact, it seemed that he barely recognized me.
“If anything serious happens to Demi, you will be facing a lawsuit. Think about that, Ariel,” he warned.
Without waiting for my response, Morgan then entered my house with Nate. I couldn’t help but look at them in silence. The resentment I had been holding eventually snapped up as I tried to process what just happened.
It was clear that they didn’t care about my side of the story nor did they remember what day it was. All their attention was no longer for me. When I realized how far we had drifted, my heart felt heavy.
But I knew what I had to do. Soon enough, my gaze landed on a set of jewelry I used every day. It was the gift both Nate and Morgan had given me on my eighteenth birthday.
It was a beautiful set of jewelry. Actually, it was a rare design that was even unique and meaningful to me because I knew that they really checked every jewelry store in town to get this particular set of jewelry. Thus, I truly treasured it and wore it as often as I could to appease them.
Yet, they no longer valued me. Why would I keep it? They wouldn’t even bother at all, wouldn’t they?
As soon as I gazed that jewelry set, I put it inside the box on my dresser. I already made a decision to give it back to them. There was no use to keep it.
When I returned from my room, I could see that both Morgan and Nate were coming out of Demi’s room. I noticed that they packed a bag of clothes for her. However, it wasn’t my business anymore.
“Here,” I said coldly as I gave the box to Nate.
For a while, Nate just stared at the box because he recognized what seemed to be a rather familiar box. The man seemed to be confused at first. But he then became surprised when he saw what was inside.
“Isn’t this the set we gave you for your eighteenth birthday?” he asked with a softer voice mixed with shock.
“Yes, I thought it was time for me to give it back,” I told him as I met his gaze with something that I had never felt before, a numbing calmness.
As for Morgan, the man also took a step closer as he saw what was inside the box.
“Why would you give the jewelry back to us? We spent weeks to get this specific set jewelry just for you, Ariel,” he said with a hint of being hurt from his tone.
However, I was unphased.
I told them with a cold tone, “Well, its style doesn’t suit me anymore. But I know it costs you both a lot, so I appreciate your effort. That’s why I returned it. I thought you two might want to sell it or maybe put it in a museum. It’s up to you and no longer my business.”
When Nate heard what I just said, the man seemed to be taken aback.
“Ariel, you used to love this set,” Nate said in a rather insistent tone.
“Oh, really?” I retorted as I let out a half-hearted smile before him.
Before they spoke, I quickly talked, “Well,I might think that you two cared about me too, but I guess I’ve made a mistake, didn’t I?”
Morgan and Nate tightened both of their jaws when they heard my sarcastic remark. Yet, they said nothing of it. I did notice that they looked hurt with what I said, but I already made up my mind.
Frankly, it was just a waste to care about them. Since they no longer cared about me, why would I care about them? They chose to believe Demi over me.
Without further ado, I let go the box in my hand. I put the box on Nate’s palm quickly. After that, I went back to my room without saying anything.
It was already clear to me. Our friendship was gone. Although I wished to mend the broken bond between me, Nate, and Morgan, it seemed impossible. So, leaving Stanmore was the only way for me.
Although I would dearly missed them, I knew that I had to make my choice. That choice was leaving this place to be with my mother. She was the only one that I had left now.
That was it.
‘Goodbye, Nate. Goodbye Morgan,’ I bitterly said it to myself.
In the early hours of the morning, I dragged my suitcase to the airport.
A notification popped up, and I could not resist taking one last look.
The post was a carefully staged photo of Demi sitting in the middle, tongue out as if mocking me. Nate was pinching her cheek playfully, and Morgan was stroking her hair with a soft smile.
[In order to comfort me who was hurting, the twin brothers went on vacation with me. happy trip we are coming! As always, with @Your_Morgan and @Nate_Than who are kind, I love you guys so much.]
The caption, complete with heart emojis, was the perfect display of the game she had been playing all along.
She wanted everyone to know that Nate and Morgan were firmly by her side, leaving no room for me in the picture.
Taking a deep breath, I decided to distance myself for good.
I sent a message to Nate and Morgan.
I: [ Nate，Morgan, Everything between us turned to ashes, We shall never meet again.]
After the text message is sent, I opened my contacts, blocked all three of them, and deleted every trace of their messages.
