Chapter 2

It was the seventh year of being with Vivian.

I’d bought a diamond ring and the wedding dress she loved, mustering all my courage to finally propose.

But, as luck would have it, I arrived a few minutes late to the party that day.

Just in time to overhear her chatting with her friends.

"Alex? Oh, him. He's pretty vanilla, I've already grown tired of him."

Vivian sipped her red wine, a haughty smile playing on her lips: "Seven years. Wouldn't you get bored?"

The others chuckled, agreeing: "You've got a point. Seven years. Even the hottest guys lose their spark after a while."

"But Alex really is handsome."

"And his body is insane. For Vivian's birthday last time, he wore that black suit, looked even better than those movie stars!"

"Seriously, Vivian, you used to be so into him. Are you really just letting him go?"

Vivian's voice was flat: "Have I ever lied?"

Her friend immediately changed tack: "Then… if I pursued Alex, you wouldn't mind, right?"

"Go for it," Vivian said, taking another slow sip of her drink. "As long as *you* don't feel disgusted by it."

"Seriously? Aren't you embarrassed? You're really going to take her sloppy seconds, someone Vivian is already bored with?"

Another round of laughter erupted.

That night, I didn't step into the private room. I made up some excuse and went home early.

Vivian didn't ask a single follow-up question, just hung up the phone.

It was probably that night my once fiery heart finally, completely extinguished.