Never Ever Back

Yesterday was my wedding anniversary with Ivan Bryce, and I waited at home from dusk till dawn, but there was no sign of him.

It wasn't until I opened my phone that I received a message from Janice on Whatsapp — it was a midnight hot topic on Twitter.

#Elva Graham's Secret Account#

#Elva Graham Official Announcement of Romance#

#Elva Graham and Mr. Bryce#

I clicked to see a Twitter screenshot.

A user named "Elva's Rose Planet" tweeted: "My twenty-first birthday wish is to have Mr. Bryce by my side every day."

The attached picture showed a man's hand peeling shrimp, and her standing in front of a French window, holding a bouquet of nine hundred and ninety-nine roses.

In the comment section, there was only one person with a black profile picture who commented: "As you wish."

I instantly recognized the HW wedding ring on the hand; it was the custom-made ring Ivan and I had when we got married.

Back then, Ivan had been busy for half a year, all to surprise me with that ring.

Of course, Elva had an identical ring on her finger now.

So, during the time I was waiting, Ivan was celebrating his lover's birthday.

I called Ivan.

He answered rather quickly, his voice lazy, "What's up?"

"Yesterday was our anniversary, and you said you'd be back for dinner."

He chuckled, "I forgot, that's all. Luna, when did you start caring about all this stuff?"

Caring? I recalled the times Ivan used to find any reason to celebrate our love: one-week anniversary, one-month anniversary, one hundred days, three months, six months... He could always find a day to commemorate our love.

I clenched my phone, thinking about the Twitter screenshot and couldn't help but ask, "Why did it have to be yesterday?"

Ivan understood my meaning, hesitating for a moment, he said, "Because she likes it. Girls have a sense of ceremony, don't they? You do too, right?"

"But, Luna, you're twenty-eight now, no longer young."

I stood there, undecided on how to respond, when a warm drop of liquid fell onto the table, bright red.

Clutching my nose, I abruptly ended the call.

The nosebleed dripped onto my white dress; it was a pity, it was my favorite one.

Ivan knew his girlfriend liked ceremony, so he was willing to indulge her in doing what she wanted.

He thought I was getting old, but he didn't know I wouldn't live past twenty-eight.

I'm dying soon.

After the nosebleed stopped, I took some medicine.

I dumped all the carefully prepared food on the table into the trash can. I freshened up, and carried my dress to the dry cleaner's.

Today, the weather wasn't great, with a gloomy sky.

As I passed by a park on my way home, someone called out to me, "Miss!"

I looked down, and two children were sitting on a little bench with a cardboard box in front of them.

Inside the box was a small cat, a tortoiseshell, lying quietly.

"Miss, would you like to adopt a kitten? It's really clever! When it grows up, it will catch mice for you!" After that sentence, they continued, "It's very well-behaved and doesn't bully other kittens, but everyone else thinks it's ugly..."

I looked at the kitten, and as if it sensed my gaze, it lifted its head and let out a playful "Meow" while wagging its little tail.

Perfect.

For the cat, three minutes of playacting, a lifetime of prosperity and fortune.

I agreed to take it home.

Ivan didn't like cats; he was allergic to cat fur. But he hadn't been home for a month.

Before leaving, one of the little girls slipped me a piece of candy, her eyes sparkling, "Miss, you're a truly kind and beautiful person. I'm sure you'll live a long and healthy life!"