On the day Lucas Reed got engaged, he specifically hired a few mobs to harass me.

By the time I finished giving my statement at the police office and got home, it was already dark.

As I reached my door, I heard someone ask where I’d been.

Lucas laughed, "I was afraid she’d cause a scene, so I arranged for her to spend the day cooling her heels at the police station.

“By the time she gets back, it’ll all be settled."

I stood outside the door, shaking my head with a bitter smile.

I blocked Lucas on all platforms and boarded a flight overseas.

That night, I heard Lucas couldn’t find me.

The usually easygoing guy lost it, his eyes bloodshot as he muttered,

"She must be jealous, playing hard to get. She’ll calm down and come back. She has to."

But he didn’t know.

I wasn’t running away in a fit of pique. I genuinely didn’t want him anymore.

It was dark when I finished at the police office.

On Lucas’s engagement day, I’d been so distracted I rear-ended someone at an intersection.

The other driver was deliberately obstructive, dragging things out until now.

Lucas’s phone was perpetually busy.

My social meida was flooded with photos of him and his fiancée.

Each image stabbed at my eyes.

I was furious, a day’s worth of pent-up hurt and rage demanding an outlet.

I hailed a cab straight to his place.

The door was ajar, voices spilling out.

Lucas sometimes brought friends home, to drink or watch the game.

I hadn’t meant to eavesdrop, but I stopped when I heard them talking about me.

"Honestly, we all thought you’d end up with Irene Sullivan. Grew up together, childhood sweethearts. She’s stunning, sure, but that temper..."

Jason sighed, sounding regretful.

"She’s spoiled. All these years of tantrums, doesn’t she get tired?"

Lucas slumped on the sofa, glancing at his watch.

A frown of irritation creased his handsome features.

"She should be here by now. Guaranteed waterworks and drama. Gives me a headache just thinking about it."

"That’s weird," Jason said.

"You getting hitched to Mia, and Irene doesn’t blow up the whole block? Haven’t seen hide nor hair of her all day. Where is she?"

Lucas chuckled. "Didn’t want her causing a scene. Had her spend the day in the police office. By the time she gets back, it’ll all be over."

"Savage move. Only you could handle Irene, Reed." Zach was surprised.

"Lucas," Jason pressed,

"have you thought that if you really go through with marrying Mia, Irene might actually be heartbroken? What if she just... leaves?"

An image of her tear-streaked face flashed in Lucas’s mind, irritating him.

He snorted dismissively. "I’d be thrilled."

Thrilled.

My seven years of devotion boiled down to that.

I pulled my hand back from the door and walked away.

Early winter, the air hadn’t truly chilled yet.

But I felt frozen to the bone.

All these years circling Lucas, fighting, making up… I was the only one who stayed.

I thought we’d be together forever.

But he’d schemed to have me arrested just so he could get engaged to someone else.

How pathetically low must I have sunk for him to treat me like this, again and again?

Rain began to fall.

The forecast warned of a temperature drop later, maybe snow.

Snow in Seabreeze City was relentless.

I used to dread winter.

Lucas would wrap me inside his coat, his car always had a throw blanket waiting for me.

Now, those smugly cherished memories felt like they could never heal me.

The rain intensified, plastering strands of hair to my forehead.

My steps faltered.

I shook my head, a bitter taste in my mouth.

How had my life come to this?

Suddenly, I lost my former vigor.

Arguing over love felt like a joke.

Pulling my damp coat tighter, a single thought took root.

I needed to go somewhere warm.

Somewhere without winter, without snow.

And without Lucas Reed.