Kody didn't need to worry about Emerald being clingy.
A couple of weeks ago, she had already accepted Gavin's proposal.
In just another week, she would be moving to Leeds to start a new life with him.
Putting her phone aside, she started her car and headed home. After driving for nearly two miles, she passed by a recycling center. She pulled over, opened the trunk, and hauled out its contents, tossing them directly into the large dumpster.
As the box hit the ground with a thud, it burst open, and its contents spilled out. On top was a spontaneous snapshot Kody had taken of them when she was twenty. Back then, he had leaned in for an impromptu kiss on her cheek while she was looking up at him. Her cheek was humorously squished, and she had gazed at him with a mix of surprise and embarrassment, eyes wide open, while he mischievously grinned at the camera.
They had once cherished that picture.
A worker at the recycling center noticed her lingering by the bin and asked with curiosity, "Do you want to keep this stuff?"
Emerald snapped back to reality and replied softly, her words carried away by the wind, "No, I’m leaving it."
The next day, Emerald visited the bridal boutique. The gown was personally designed by Gavin, incorporating elegant ocean wave elements she adored. Due to Gavin's busy work schedule and the fast-approaching wedding date, he had arranged for an early fitting for her.
She had an assistant take a picture and sent it to Gavin. "It fits perfectly," she texted.
While waiting for Gavin's reply, the reflection in the large mirror revealed something unexpected: Kody stood a short distance behind her, holding Alanna's hand. His eyes were fixed on Emerald, filled with a complex mix of emotions until Alanna, beside him, let out a small, pained whimper.
"Kody, you're hurting me," she said softly.
Kody snapped back to reality and quickly released her hand. Alanna, tears brimming in her eyes, looked up at him.
"You were staring at Emerald as if you couldn't let her go. Are you still thinking about her? I know you two were together for five years, and she is beautiful. It's understandable if you can't forget her. You can tell me; I won't make a scene."
Kody wrapped his arms around her. "What are you thinking, silly? If I wanted to marry her, I would've done it long ago. Remember, six months ago, she wore a bridal gown to pressure me into marriage, and I didn't agree. I'm over her."
Their conversation was loud enough for Emerald to overhear. Five years of intense love, and all she got was a simple dismissal—over.
Inevitably, Emerald was dragged back into the past. Six months ago, Kody had suddenly turned cold. Their once-passionate relationship had frozen solid in an instant.
He began staying out late, rarely coming home, and even when he did, he was distant. He frequently snapped at her, and seeing her distressed by his indifference didn't seem to move him.
She tried everything but found no evidence of infidelity. But that's often the way with feelings—the more you push, the faster they slip away. Desperate, she made a dramatic move, standing on the balcony, yet it failed to yield any results.
She could never understand why Kody had become so cruel.
After being discharged from the hospital, she found out where Kody was abroad. Ignoring the pain in her back, she took a long flight to see him.
He was at a social gathering with friends. When she opened the door to the private room, she overheard a friend asking him, "Kody, you've been with Emerald for five years. You used to be so devoted that you'd do anything for her. We all thought you'd get married. So why did you suddenly break it off?"
Kody paused for a few seconds before nonchalantly replying, "She was pretty enough, and we had our moments. It was all just practice."
"Five years, and I'm over it. Now her face makes me sick. There's no way I'd marry her."
Through the crack in the door, Emerald and Kody's eyes met from afar. His gaze was cold and indifferent, filled with annoyance at her persistence. The words were meant for her to hear.
All her courage and determination drained away, leaving her to turn and flee in defeat.
Back in the present, looking at her reflection, Emerald saw herself from half a year ago in a bridal gown plunging off the balcony. That dress had been stained with her blood, cut into pieces by surgical scissors, and finally discarded in a trash bin.
Just like her obsession with Kody—long gone.
