Chapter 3

I met Felix through a hiking club. At that time, the pressure from work was overwhelming; all I wanted was to pile up cash, slaving away at my job and relying on weekends spent hiking to recharge my energy.

Felix joined the club in my second year. Initially, he was just another member, but as we consistently found ourselves reaching the summit first time after time, we started to grow closer.

He was in finance, and I was in tech.

He loved sports and the outdoors, and so did I.

So, when we reached our hundredth peak together, he confessed his feelings.

There was nothing romantic or original about it—just a simple, "Vivian, let's date."

And to my surprise, I said yes. After all, my dad had his own flair for creativity; his courtship of my mother once caused half the city to light up with fireworks, and he even ended up in jail for it.

But that didn't stop him from wanting a son, which caused my mother to suffer through years of medicine, ultimately leading to her tragic death in childbirth.

To me, romance wasn't important; stability was. And Felix embodied that.

He never showed up late for dates. His gifts were never flashy but always thoughtful. If it rained, he wouldn't come by uninvited, but the moment I called, he'd be there without hesitation.

So, three years into our relationship, we tied the knot.

Life after the wedding felt almost identical to before. I cooked, and he washed the dishes. I handled the grocery shopping, while he came home early to prepare the staple food. Our calm and gentle days led me to believe that Felix was indeed the one for me.

But everything changed three years ago at the wedding of one of Felix's college friends. During the bachelor party, one of Felix's buddies got drunk and broke down, holding Felix's hand and crying.

"Felix, seeing you like this—so lifeless—it really hurts. I'm stepping into a happy marriage, but looking at you like this? It's tough. If Megan hadn't gone abroad to be a war correspondent, you might not be so closed off and heartbroken."

At that, Felix instinctively glanced in my direction. "Don't listen to him; he's drunk."

I laughed, brushing it off.

But once we got home, I pointedly said, "Felix, I have my flaws, but my one strength is the ability to cut ties quickly, especially when it comes to love."

He stood there in the shadows that night, his expression hidden in the darkness.

After that, Megan vanished completely from our lives—until now.