"I miss you too." Mira looked up, her gaze inadvertently landing on the faint kiss mark on his neck. Her breath caught, and she quickly looked away, her heart tightening.
It was one of those rare moments where they both had time to relax, so they decided to watch the latest movie and take a leisurely stroll through the mall.
"Mira, you're going to the UK for that business trip on the 6th, right?" Elias asked casually as they wandered. "I’ll try to get the day off and take you to the airport."
"No, no, you don’t have to. Go ahead and do your thing," Mira replied, but her voice wavered slightly. She noticed him stop and follow something with his gaze.
His eyes were fixed on a jewelry store, where a variety of wedding rings sparkled in the display.
"Mira, why don’t you pick a ring to celebrate our third anniversary?" Elias said, already walking toward the store.
Mira hesitated but followed him inside. The shopping guide showed them several rings, and Elias took a few pictures with his phone before they chose a pair.
Afterward, they walked out of the mall together. Elias drove, his expression focused, but as he was about to start the car, he glanced at his phone and suddenly said, "Mira, there’s something urgent with the team. How about I call you a taxi home?"
Mira felt a pang in her chest but forced a smile. "It’s okay. It’ll only take ten minutes to walk back. Go ahead."
"Alright, take care." Elias parked the car and gently draped a scarf over her shoulders. "Let me know when you get home."
"Yeah."
She stepped out of the car, the cold wind hitting her like a shock, chilling her to the bone. Trying to shake off the unsettling feeling, she headed to a nearby coffee shop to warm up.
A few minutes later, she looked up to see Elias' car pulling back into the parking lot. He entered the mall again.
When he came out this time, he was holding a gift bag in his hand.
The gift bag Elias had been holding was printed with the logo of the wedding ring brand they had just visited. Mira took a sip of coffee, her throat tightening as the bitter taste lingered.
When she got home, she quickly handled some work matters, trying to keep busy to push her thoughts aside. But then, she saw Vera had posted something new on Twitter.
[I do.]
The image showed a pair of hands, one large and one small, their ring fingers adorned with dazzling diamond rings.
Mira’s phone buzzed. It was Elias' message: [The team has issued an urgent task, and we have to go to the neighboring city for support. We won’t be home these days.]
[Okay.]
She sent the reply before covering herself with the quilt. The muffled sobs filled the quiet room, her tears soaking into the fabric.
Three days later, it was already past nine o’clock when Mira finished working late. The snow was falling heavily outside as she aimlessly walked down the street. In front of her, a crowd had gathered beneath the overpass.
“Will you freeze to death if you jump down in this weather?”
“Two handsome guys are competing for the heart of a beautiful girl…”
“It seems that the girl’s ex-boyfriend found out she was getting married, and now he’s competing with her fiancé. Whoever swims back first will win her heart.”
Mira lifted her gaze through the crowd and spotted Elias standing on the overpass, his figure unmistakable, with a tall young man beside him.
Before she could process it, both men jumped into the water at the same time.
Vera's voice rang out from above, frantic: "Stop it, stop it! Come up quickly!"
But the two men, already in the river, ignored her, their arms flailing as they slapped the cold water, sending waves rippling through the frigid river.
"Is it really worth it, jumping into that water in this cold?" someone muttered from the crowd.
"Just for a woman? Is it worth risking your life?"
"I can’t even imagine how cold it must be. I wouldn’t dare to jump in..."
"That girl is lucky. Two men are willing to risk their lives for her!"
Mira stood at the edge of the crowd, her heart feeling heavier with each word, snowflakes landing on her scarf before quickly melting into nothingness.
