My tears blurred the words on the page. I wiped them away quickly, set the report aside, and went back to packing.


    Heavy footsteps echoed closer. Then, bang! The door mmed open like someone was here to pick a fight.


    Erik froze for half a second before his voice turned cold. “What are you up to now? Running away from home?”


    I paid him no attention and moved to shut the suitcase, but Erik stepped forward, nting his foot on it-and on the organ donation agreement beneath.


    “Move.”


    He ignored mepletely.


    “Kara, aren’t you done yet? Even if Tania and I had something going on, what does it matter to you?


    “We only went to the bridal shop to keep an old promise. Do you really think it’s worth making such a scene?”


    “Get out!” The anger and hurt I had been holding back tore through all at once. I shoved him with all my strength, and he staggered backward.


    “Erik, we’re finished. I’m not interested in your dirty games!”


    I must have looked crazy, but this time, there was no jealousy or fear of losing him.


    All I felt was resentment and disgust.


    And I think he felt it too, because for once, he looked uncertain.


    “Kara, are you serious?”


    I did not bother answering. I picked up the paper carefully, wiping the creases with slow, deliberate movements.


    “What’s that?


    “Another love letter from your childhood sweetheart? I knew you two were up to something. No wonder your you can yell at me.”


    Before I could react, he snatched the agreement from my hands.


    However, the second his eyes scanned the page, his face drained of color.


    The slightly yellowed paper trembled in his grip, his voice breaking.


    “Tania told me she found my heart donor for me. You’re using this to trick me, aren’t you?”


    His denial was pathetic.


    think


    0.0 %


    08:31


    ????? ?


    I reached to take it back, but he held on tightly.


    When I saw the redness creeping into his eyes, I let go.


    “True or not, ask your own heart.”


    My mother’s heart was already his. If he wanted this paper so badly, he could keep it.


    Dragging my suitcase, I walked past him. He caught my hand.


    “You haven’t answered me yet.”


    The wound beneath my bandaged hand throbbed painfully.


    When he noticed, his grip loosened instantly, almost as if the heat burned him.


    The paper in his hand crumpled with a sharp crack.


    “You’re lying. Tania isn’t like that. She’s so kind…’


    His words made my stomach turn.


    “1


    Without looking at him, I pulled out my phone and sent him every piece of proof-our chat history, the recording from earlier, and the coffee shop surveince video of her mming her own hand in the door to frame me.


    I did not wait to see his reaction. Stepping over the fallen photo frame, I closed the door behind me-quietly, almost gently-and left.


    I thought I heard Erik calling my name.


    However, he sounded so faint and distant that his voice was carried awaypletely by the wind.


    I had booked a flight home for the day after tomorrow, nning to bring my mother back with me.


    Yet, nothing had been arranged back home yet, and I did not want to disturb her peace in such a rush, so I decided I woulde for herter instead.


    Before leaving, I stopped to buy her favorite carnations.


    However, I found that someone had bought them just before me.


    A light drizzle fell over the cemetery.


    Erik was standing in front of my mother’s tombstone, his ck suit speckled with fine droplets.


    I stepped forward quietly andid down my bouquet.


    Before I could say a word, Erik spoke first, his voice low and almost timid.


    50.2 %


    08:31


    “Why didn’t you pick up my calls?”


    “Because there’s no need to.”


    I kept my tone t, thinking that would be the end of it.


    However, I forgot that Erik had always been too self-absorbed to take a hint.


    “It shouldn’t be like this. Things shouldn’t have ended this way. Why didn’t you tell me?”


    What I wanted to say was that my mother had stopped me. She was afraid that if Erik knew the truth, it would weigh on his feelings for me.


    She had told me, “Kara, I hope Erik’s love for you is pure. I don’t want him to be swayed by my feelings and let that change the way he feels about you.


    “My darling deserves the purest, most genuine love.”


    Even if things had not turned out the way I hoped, I never doubted her decision.


    I do deserve the purest love, and if his love was not enough, no truth in the world could change that.


    At most, I would have just been repaying a debt.


    His sudden arrival had already disturbed my quiet time with my mother.


    I turned to leave with my umbre, but Erik caught my hand.


    The rain came down harder.


    He held both my hands and pressed his forehead against them, his voice breaking, like a guilty child.


    “Kara, I’m sorry. I let you and your mother down.


    “I was such an idiot for trusting Tania so blindly. I’m sorry, Kara, can you forgive me?”


    Raindrops slid from his sharp jawline onto the backs of my hands, warm despite the chill.


    “You’re right about being stupid. So stupid that you never listened to me.


    “I’m sorry, I was wrong. You’re such a fool that you wouldn’t believe it even if you heard the truth.”


    He stepped forward and wrapped his arms around my waist, his shoulders trembling.


    “I was wrong. Kara, let’s start over, please?”