With a sigh, I went to my university to finalize the paperwork for my transfer to London for advanced studies, and then I went home.
Alex's parents had already prepared a full dinner table. As soon as I walked in, his mother, Margaret Hayes, grabbed my hand excitedly.
"Yve, you're back so soon? Are the marriage papers all done? Where's Alex? Why isn't he with you?"
"He had an urgent matter at the company, Mrs. Hayes. He had to take care of it," I replied.
She frowned, clearly displeased. "That boy. On such an important day, and he still can't let go of work."
Alex's father, Robert Hayes, just smiled. "Being career-focused isn't a bad thing. They're married now, so there's always time for family dinners."
Margaret muttered under her breath, obviously not happy.
Seeing this painfully familiar scene, my eyes began to sting.
"Mr. Hayes, Mrs. Hayes," I began, "Alex and I didn't get married. I've already arranged to continue my studies in London. I'll be leaving in a few days."
Margaret froze.
"What do you mean you didn't get married? Did Alex bully you? He's all talk, you know. He really cares about you."
"We've all seen it. You stayed by his side, you taught yourself psychology just to help him. Your feelings for him are real."
"You two love each other, you should be together! Besides, you know better than anyone that Eleanor is not a good girl. We can't just stand by and watch her win!"
Robert quickly chimed in, "Alex is just stubborn. Once you're married, he'll come around."
Their words were so familiar. They had said the same things in the last life.
But in the end, forcing it only brought regret to all of us.
I gently took Margaret's hand in mine. "Please don't be upset, just listen to me. It breaks my heart to say it, but you can't force love. Alex… he never really loved me."
"I had a dream last night," I continued, my voice soft. "In the dream, Alex and I got married, but he would never come home. He buried himself in work day after day until he developed a stomach ulcer."
"Even when I brought him soup, trying to help, he wouldn't drink it. He wouldn't let me take care of him."
"He said that being with me brought him more pain than happiness. And when he was 32, he died saving me from a runaway truck."
As I spoke, my chest grew so tight it was hard to breathe.
Margaret looked horrified. “But… that was just a dream, Yve. Alex wouldn’t—”
I sniffled and forced a smile onto my face.
"Mr. and Mrs. Hayes, maybe it's fate trying to warn me. Maybe it’s telling me that it’s okay if he doesn't marry me, that it’s okay if we aren't husband and wife."
“All I want is for him to live a long and happy life. The signs were there all along. Alex loves music and hates business. He hates having his life planned out by his family.”
“If it weren't for the family pressure, he never would have agreed to marry me in the first place.”
“The root of all this… is me. I was the mistake, and I don't want to be that mistake anymore.”
“I've already arranged my transfer to London. I will never forget your kindness. I promise, I'll still take care of you in the future.”
Margaret wiped a tear from the corner of her eye when she thought I wasn't looking. “You're a good child. It’s Alex’s loss for not having you.”
I hugged her. My eyes were red too, but I was still smiling.
“It’s okay. If I can't be your daughter-in-law, I'll be your daughter. No matter what, I'll always be here for you both,” I whispered.
Finally, Alex's parents smiled through their tears and agreed to let me go.
I thought of the second wish Alex had written in his diary. Maybe now, in a way, it had come true.
The time machine only allowed me to stay in the past for 36 hours. Now, I had only one last regret to fix. Could I do it?
As night fell, I went to the seaside alone.
Leaning against the railing, a faint flicker of hope rose in my heart as I waited for an Alex who might not even show up.
