Chapter 3
After Nolan carried Skylar out, he never came back.
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The intimate scene from last night kept replaying in my mind like a torturous loop. Their intertwined silhouettes were burned into my memory, haunting me no matter how hard I tried to forget. I couldn’t bear to imagine if they were recreating those same passionate moments right now.
I squeezed my eyes shut, desperately trying to force myself to sleep, but those images followed me into my dreams like persistent ghosts. It wasn’t until my
phone’s ringtone jolted me awake the next morning that I finally escaped that nightmare..
I bolted upright, suddenly remembering – today was supposed to be our wedding photo shoot. As a photographer myself, I’d always wanted to capture Nolan’s image, but he’d always refused with that
stern look of his. Now, this might be my last chance. Bitter as it was, I’d take it as my
I’d take it as my final memory of
what could have been.
When I went downstairs, I spotted Skylar
window. Without a word, I slid into the bitting in the passenger seat through the car
I seat. Nolan’s eyes met mine in the rearview mirror, and
for once, he actually offered an explanation.
“Lily, Skylar wanted to watch our photo shoot when she heard about it. You don’t mind, right?” Skylar playfully swatted his arm, her voice sickeningly sweet. “Oh, Lily and I are such good friends!
Of course she won’t mind!”
The words tasted like acid in my mouth. Good friends? What a joke. Back in school, she’d made my life hell because my father was her family’s driver. She’d called me “poverty girl” and turned the whole class against me. Nolan knew all of this. He’d only step in when her bullying became too
obvious, too cruel to ignore.
I could become friends with anyone in this world, but never her. Still, I didn’t want to create drama. I just nodded silently and turned to watch the world pass by outside my window.
–
At the venue, the photography team my colleagues from work was already set up. I’d arranged everything for this wedding, including hiring the best photographers from my company. While I was greeting them, Skylar suddenly appeared at my side, her smile dripping with honey–sweet venom. “Lily, since you’re a photographer, would you take a photo of Nole and me?”
I froze, instinctively glancing behind her. There stood Nolan in a pristine white suit that made him look devastatingly handsome. When he heard Skylar’s request, he didn’t refuse – just gave a slight
nod.
As I took the camera from my colleague, dread pooled in my stomach. Skylar happily wrapped herself around Nolan’s arm, her hand “innocently” trailing across his chest, her fingers tracing his muscles through the fabric in a way that made my heart clench.
Just as I pressed the shutter, she rose on her tiptoes and planted a kiss on his cheek with an exaggerated “mwah!” The sound echoed in my ears like a gunshot.
Her lips softly pressed against his cheek, her eyes gleaming with triumph. The entire office fell silent
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a moment, the air becoming thick and heavy. A sharp pain shot through me, as if I’d been slapped
across the face.
I felt my colleagues‘ eyes instinctively turn toward me, and I fought back tears while struggling to
maintain my composure.
Nolan gently poked Skylar’s forehead, explaining with an awkward smile. “Skylar’s just playing around. Don’t take it seriously.” His words carried a hint of embarrassment, but his eyes betrayed
the affection he held for her.
I nodded understandingly, even as my heart felt like it was being carved up with a knife.
Nolan, seemingly uncomfortable, put on a show of scolding her: “Skylar, you can’t mess around like this anymore.”
Skylar playfully stuck out her tongue, her eyes twinkling with mischief.
Unfortunately, the weather had other plans. A sudden downpour forced us to wait in the hotel, our photo shoot completely derailed. Rain hammered against the hotel windows like an angry drummer, as if the universe itself was conspiring against us.
An hour later, the rain finally stopped. I rushed outside eagerly, looking around, only to discover that Nolan and Skylar had already disappeared.
I tried calling Nolan, but he never picked up.
Just then, my phone screen lit up with a notification. Skylar’s latest Instagram post caught my eye:
[Just sneezed once, and someone insisted on dragging me to the hospital →]
The photo showed Skylar sitting in a hospital chair, with Nolan standing beside her, leaning down. with concern written all over his face, one hand gently resting on her shoulder.
The tenderness in their eyes made it seem like time had stopped just for them.
Even though I’d decided to let him go, seeing him dote on Skylar with such care made my heart ache
all over again.
After a moment’s hesitation, I left a comment: “Take care of yourself.”
I almost added “drink plenty of fluids,” but caught myself – with Nolan there, my advice was
unnecessary.
He would take care of Skylar perfectly, just like he used to take care of me.
Bitterness welled up in my throat as I forced a smile and turned to help my colleagues pack up the
equipment.
I broke the news about my resignation and treated them to a farewell dinner.
We all sat around the table, raising our glasses in celebration, though my smile felt more like a mask than genuine expression.
Moving abroad meant not knowing when I’d see them again, and the bittersweetness of the farewell
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filled me with a complicated mix of emotions.
Around the dinner table, my colleagues took turns saying goodbye, wishing me success in my future
endeavors.
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