Skies We No Longer Share

Cecilia Jones kept a forgiveness notebook. Six months ago, on Cecilia's birthday, Jeff Lawrence abandoned her to meet Yvonne Smith. It was the 93rd time she’d forgiven him. Three months prior, when Yvonne mentioned she was allergic to cat dander, Jeff gave away the cat Cecilia had raised for years. Cecilia forgave him for the 94th time. One month ago, Jeff got drunk and woke up in the same bed as Yvonne. He insisted that nothing had happened and accused Cecilia of having a dirty mind. Cecilia forgave him for the 95th time. Chapter 1 Cecilia Jones was lying in her hospital bed today, staring at her right leg that got hurt when Yvonne Smith hit her. She thought back to when the car crash happened and how Jeff Lawrence had rushed to help Yvonne. She opened her special notebook and wrote down: [I forgive Jeff again, for the 95th time.] Her notebook only had 99 pages, and Cecilia felt like her heart could only forgive Jeff 99 times too. If she ever got to the last page, she knew it would be time to say goodbye. Cecilia took a deep breath and shut the notebook. Just as she was about to put it away, Jeff stirred on the couch where he had been sleeping. He saw her and asked with a sleepy, scratchy voice, "What's that you've got?" "Oh, it's nothing. Just some notes for work," Cecilia said, playing it down. Jeff did not ask any more questions. He got up to check on Cecilia's IV drip. Jeff had been looking after Cecilia non-stop since the accident, and he had only managed to catch about twenty minutes of sleep on the couch. Cecilia saw the redness in his eyes and finally said, "The doctor said I'm okay, Jeff. You should go home and get some rest." "I can't do that," Jeff said quickly, like the idea of leaving her alone was impossible. "You're the one who's hurt. I wouldn't feel right leaving you here all by yourself, not even for a minute." While he was talking, he made sure Cecilia's blanket was tucked in and her chair was comfy. He looked so careful and kind. Cecilia watched him and remembered how Yvonne had looked at her with such a mean smirk just two days ago. "Cecilia, I heard you had a big fight with your brother three years ago, all because of Jeff. You even stopped talking to your brother to come to the capital with Jeff. That's why he loves you so much. "However, who do you think Jeff would run to first if we both got into trouble at the same time?" She did not wait for Cecilia to answer. With a sudden push on the accelerator, she rammed the car right into her. Cecilia was caught off guard. When the car hit, her leg got pinned, and blood came pouring out. Jeff, not too far away, heard the crash and ran over. However, he did not come to Cecilia. He went straight to Yvonne. At that moment, Cecilia's dream that Jeff still loved her shattered into pieces. A person's first reaction could not be faked. It had been a matter of life and death, and Jeff had made his choice. Cecilia was about to tell him to go rest when Jeff's phone rang. He looked at the number, hesitated, then looked at Cecilia and said, "I need to take this, it's from work." With that, he stepped out. Seconds later, a nurse came in to check on Cecilia. As she opened the door, Jeff's voice on the phone was clear. "Jeff, I'm scared. I had that nightmare again... I keep feeling like Cecilia's going to hit me with her car, hurry over..." Jeff's face went pale, and his eyes filled with worry. In a hushed tone, he reassured the caller, "Don't worry, I'll be right there." A few minutes later, Jeff came back, kissed Cecilia on the forehead, and said, "I'm sorry, I have to handle something urgent at work. I'll come back to be with you later." He rushed off before Cecilia could say anything. Soon after, a young nurse bounced in, all smiles, and whispered some gossip. "The guy who just walked out of this ward was super handsome. He wasn't just good-looking, he was also super sweet. He kept saying 'baby, baby' into the phone, like he was comforting his girlfriend. I wish I had a boyfriend who was that caring... " Some of the older nurses who knew about Cecilia and Jeff nudged her, and she realized she should not have said that. She quickly stopped talking and left the ward. Cecilia bit her lip, pulled out her notebook again, and wrote: [I forgive Jeff for the 96th time. He promised he'd only call me 'baby,' but he lied.] Chapter 2 Cecilia finally left the hospital after a week. Jeff was supposed to pick her up, but he got busy and sent a driver instead. She did not make a fuss. She just got in the car and started scrolling through her social media. She saw Yvonne's latest post: [The hot springs outside the city are amazing. One soak and all the marks are gone! Now, she won't notice a thing!] There was a selfie of Yvonne in a bikini, with a man's arm next to her. Cecilia knew right away it was Jeff's arm and what his 'urgent matter' was today. She hit 'like' on the post. Jeff did not get home until after ten that night. He tried to hug Cecilia and said he was sorry. "Cecilia, I'm sorry I was so busy today that I couldn't get you from the hospital." Cecilia stepped away from his hug without a fuss. "It's fine. Work is important." He looked relieved when she did not seem upset and said sweetly, "Have you had dinner? I had my assistant pick up something from your favorite restaurant. Let's eat soon. "In the evening, as you get ready for your bath, I'll use a waterproof bandage for your wound so that it won't get wet. And when you go to bed, be extra careful not to hurt yourself, okay?" Cecilia listened to his words, filled with worry, and felt her heart ache. "Okay." It was so strange. Everything seemed the same, yet everything was different. The person she had known was still here, but the love they had shared was gone. Jeff went to shower, leaving Cecilia lost in thought. Her phone buzzed with messages from Yvonne: [Last night was amazing. We did it four times!] [How long has it been since he's touched you? Don't you wonder why?] [If you're looking for answers, check his coat pocket. You're in for a surprise.] With that, Yvonne recalled all her messages. The brutal truth stared her down—no digging required. Cecilia knew Yvonne was trying to upset her, but she could not resist. She picked up Jeff's jacket that was tossed aside. Inside the pocket was a thong with lace and a bow. It was sexy and bold. As Cecilia stood there, stunned, Jeff came out of the bathroom and grabbed the underwear, his voice full of panic. "This has to be a prank from Dick and the others. Cecilia, please don't get it wrong, I, I—" Cecilia could not listen anymore. She felt sick and ran to throw up, her stomach churning violently. He rushed to her side with water, holding her and patting her back. After a moment, he asked out of the blue. "Cecilia, you're not pregnant, are you?" Hearing that, she paused, then looked up with a pale smile. "Jeff, do you even remember the last time you touched me? How could I possibly get pregnant all by myself?" Chapter 3 Cecilia had known Jeff her entire life. Back then, Jones Group and Lawrence Group were partners, and her brother, Elias Jones, and Jeff were best friends. Cecilia was so happy during those times. She had her brother's love and Jeff, her childhood friend who was always by her side. When she was 17, Jeff told her he loved her. His eyes were shy, full of love. He was determined to stay with her forever. Those next five years were the happiest of Cecilia's life. That was until both Lawrence Group and Jones Group wanted the same project, and Jones Group won it by just a little bit. Jeff's dad had put too much money into it, and when they lost, he had a heart attack and died. Just like that, Lawrence Group went out of business. Jeff was so angry that he could not stand the Jones family anymore. In front of everyone, he told Cecilia, "It's either the Jones family or me. You have to choose!" Cecilia loved Jeff so much, and she felt a little guilty about his dad, so she made the hard choice to stop talking to her brother Elias and went with Jeff to start a new business in the capital. During that first year, Jeff was really touched. He hated Elias a lot, but he never let it show around Cecilia. He even made sure they never talked about anything to do with work. By the next year, things had changed. Jeff's job was going great, and Yvonne was his new secretary. Their relationship started to change in a quiet way. Jeff stopped coming home at night. When he did show up, he would say he had work to do and sleep in the other bedroom. He was spending more and more time alone with Yvonne. Yvonne changed too. She went from being all nervous and trying to hide things to acting like she wanted to start trouble. Cecilia kept telling herself it was not real, until the car crash. It was not a real crash, but it sure felt like one. That was when she knew. Jeff did not love her anymore. It was the hard truth. After she asked him that one big question, he stormed out and did not come back. At that moment, the phone rang. "Ms. Jones, Mr. Lawrence is really drunk and he's calling for you. Can you come get him?" "Talk to his secretary," Cecilia said, and hung up. However, the driver did not give up. After the fourth call, Cecilia could not say no anymore. She went to the club to find him. When she got to the private room, she saw it. Jeff was not alone. He was hugging Yvonne tight and kissing her like he never wanted to let go. Their friends were all cheering them on, like that was just another show for them. Someone who liked to stir up trouble yelled out: "Jeff, who's better in bed? Your new girl or your old one?" Jeff just laughed like he did not care, "Who needs the old one when you've got someone new?" Everyone cheered again. "Mr. Lawrence, you're the man!" That was when Cecilia felt it. In Jeff's heart, she was just his old flame who could not stand up to the new one. She was someone he did not even want to touch. Her heart hurt so bad that she had to hold onto the wall to keep from falling. In the private booth, Yvonne's voice, sweet and sugary, tested the waters again. "So, if that's how it is, why don't you just break up with Cecilia?" "I'll never break up with Cecilia." Jeff's voice was icy and harsh. "She's the only one who can remind me of how horribly my dad died. She's a constant reminder of the terrible things the Jones family did to me." Cecilia's heart sank like she was plunged into freezing water. All these years, Jeff had harbored such deep hatred for her. Chapter 4 Cecilia did not know how long she had been standing at the door. Hearing the people inside the booth mock her and Yvonne flirting with Jeff so effortlessly, Cecilia felt a deep ache and had no strength left. She turned to leave with shaky steps, but just then, Jeff and his group came out. Yvonne, leading the pack, spun around and crashed right into Cecilia. Cecilia, caught off guard, tumbled forward. Her hand slammed against a fire hydrant, and blood came gushing out. "Ah, my dress!" Yvonne shrieked as her dress got stained, and in the next moment, she slapped Cecilia across the face. "Watch where you’re going! You've ruined my dress. Can you even pay for it?" Cecilia was stunned. Her cheek puffed up, and her hair was a mess. She looked completely disheveled. Jeff quickly wrapped his arms around Yvonne, worriedly asking if she was hurt. The others were quick to confront Cecilia. "Who do you think you are, bumping into Mr. Lawrence's girl like that? Are you asking for trouble?" "Say you're sorry, now! You've messed with Mr. Lawrence's sweetheart, you better start begging for forgiveness!" Cecilia's heart sank as she listened to their words. Everyone knew how much Jeff adored Yvonne, and it was obvious he cared deeply for her. She closed her eyes, not wanting to fight anymore, and turned to walk away. However, she then heard Jeff's icy voice. "Stop!" He sounded forceful. "Apologize!" Those two simple words were filled with anger. Cecilia heard it all clearly. It reminded her of when they first started dating and a bully had bothered Cecilia. Jeff had demanded an apology in the same stern way, but the bully did not apologize and kept on insulting her. Jeff's eyes had turned red with fury as he grabbed the bully, almost choking him, and they both ended up in the police station. After they were released, Jeff had held Cecilia, who had cried until her eyes were swollen, and comforted her, "Don't worry, Cecilia, I'm here. No one will ever bully you as long as I'm around." That promise seemed so clear, yet then Jeff was protecting someone else, not Cecilia. With that thought, Cecilia slowly raised her puffy face, her red eyes peeking through her messy hair, and let out a raspy, soft chuckle. "Mr. Lawrence, how would you like me to apologize to make you happy?" "C-Cecilia!" Jeff was stunned when he saw Cecilia's face, and he rushed over to her in a panic. "How did you get here? Are you hurt? Your hand—" Yvonne's face twisted with a change of expression. A flash of jealousy and resentment appeared in her eyes. Cecilia pulled her hand back and looked down again. "The driver said you drank too much and sent me to pick you up. Since you're not alone, I'll head back now." She was just about to walk away when suddenly everything went black and her legs wobbled. Cecilia fainted. "Cecilia—" Jeff ran to catch her and yelled at the top of his lungs. "Get the car. We need to get to the hospital, now!" Everyone scrambled to help, except for Yvonne, who stood frozen with her fists clenched. Her eyes were filled with jealousy and rage. Chapter 5 Cecilia could not remember how she got to the hospital. When she woke up, it was already the next day. She knew Jeff was in the ward, so she kept her eyes shut and pretended to be asleep. She did not want to see Jeff or listen to his lame excuses. Once the doctor left, Jeff sat by her bed and gently tucked her in, as if she were his most precious treasure However, he’d treated her like nothing but trash behind her back. Then, the door swung open again, and a strong whiff of perfume filled the room. It was Yvonne. She flung herself into Jeff's arms, her voice whiny and sweet. "Jeff, why are you ignoring me? Are you upset with me? I missed you so much..." Jeff jumped, then whispered after a quick glance at Cecilia. "Why did you come? I'm not upset, but please go before Cecilia sees you!" "She won't notice, she's still out from the meds. Jeff, don't you miss me?" While she talked, Yvonne started to take off her coat, showing off her flashy lingerie. Jeff just stood there, stunned. Yvonne saw his reaction and knew she had made the right move. She peeked at Cecilia, who seemed to be sleeping peacefully, and a daring plan popped into her head. Her actions were daring as she quickly took off her clothes and pushed Jeff onto the small bed next to hers. She kissed Jeff's neck with practiced ease. "Remember how you said you liked this outfit? I wore it just for you... I felt so many eyes on me on my way here..." Jeff's breath quickened, but he tried to keep his cool. "Please, let's not do this now. Go back, and I'll come see you tonight." "But I really miss you, and I know you miss me too," she insisted. Yvonne knew just how to get Jeff's attention, and she was good at it. Before long, Jeff could not resist anymore, and his will to say no melted away. Seeing that Jeff was giving in, Yvonne became even bolder. She reached for his belt and made sure to moan loud enough for Cecilia to hear. Cecilia, lying in her hospital bed, knew Yvonne was doing that to hurt her. She felt as if her whole body had turned to ice. So, this was what betrayal felt like. It was not just heartbreaking; it was also humiliating and cruel. The man who had once loved her so deeply had already given his heart to someone else. Just when things were about to go too far, Jeff's voice shook. "Let's go to the ward next door." Jeff quickly grabbed a coat from the floor, covered Yvonne with it, and carried her out, heading to the ward next door. Soon after, Cecilia could hear faint sounds from the other ward, even though she tried not to listen. Tears streamed down her face. She slowly sat up in bed, pulled out her notebook, and turned to the third-to-last page. With a shaky hand, she wrote: [I forgive Jeff for the 97th time. He was with another woman, right in front of me.] Chapter 6 The sounds from the neighboring ward finally quieted down, and Cecilia sat still on her hospital bed. Her phone rang with a call from her boss. "Cecilia, your request to transfer was approved. You're moving to Riverie City. Be there in two weeks." "Got it, boss. I'll be on time for Riverie City," she replied and hung up. Just then, Yvonne barged in. Her lipstick was wiped off, and her makeup was a total wreck, but she looked at Cecilia with a challenging smirk. "Who's off to Riverie City? You? Trying to run away from home again?" Cecilia's stomach turned at the sound of her voice. "Leave. I don't want to see you," she said with a scowl. "Cut the act, Cecilia. I know you woke up and saw everything with Jeff and me. You're well aware he hasn't loved you for ages. He's only with you because of the feud between your families, so why can't you just leave? "Are you going to wait until I marry Jeff, have kids, and flaunt my happy life before you finally go?" Cecilia looked up at Yvonne's smug face. Being loved truly gave a person confidence. Cecilia used to have that confidence when she knew Jeff loved her. Then, all she had were tears and humiliation. At that moment, Jeff's voice came from outside. Yvonne's eyes darted around, and she quickly grabbed the pillows from the bed, tossing them at her feet. Then, she stood up, covered her face, and began to sob quietly, like a true drama queen. When Jeff walked in and saw what was happening, his face tensed up. He shot a stern look at Yvonne and said, "What are you doing here? Leave, now!" "Jeff, Ms. Jones is the one who told me to come in. I hadn't even started talking when she began yelling at me, accusing me of shamelessly trying to lure you, and she threw these pillows at me," Yvonne sobbed, twisting the truth as she always did, making herself out to be the victim in just a few words. Jeff turned to Cecilia and said, "Cecilia, how many times do I have to tell you? Yvonne is just my secretary. Stop picking on her!" Secretary? The kind of secretary who was always ready to sleep with him, who would stage things just to land herself in the hospital? Or the kind of secretary he called his new sweetheart, someone he allowed to come right up to her and provoke her to her face? Cecilia gave a wry smile, keeping her thoughts to herself. She was leaving anyway, so what was the point in arguing? "Please leave. I'd like to rest," she said calmly. Cecilia pulled the covers up and lay back down, as if the betrayal she had just seen did not faze her at all. Yvonne was taken aback, not expecting Cecilia to be so composed after seeing Jeff's unfaithfulness, as if it was nothing new. Jeff felt it too. Something was off. Cecilia was different. She was still talking to him, but her eyes were calm, void of the love and affection that once were. That realization sent a wave of panic through Jeff. He quickly ushered Yvonne out and then went to Cecilia, whispering, "Cecilia, I was mistaken back in the private room and made you apologize. I know I was wrong." "Yeah," she replied simply. Cecilia turned away, lying on her side in the hospital bed. She could not bear to look at him, especially with Yvonne's smug face popping up in her thoughts again. Jeff watched Cecilia's cold shoulder and felt a shiver run through him. He could not shake the feeling that he was about to lose her for good. That thought made him tremble, and without really thinking, he blurted out the words he had been holding back, "Cecilia, let's get married." Chapter 7 Jeff had no idea why he said that. He just felt that urgent need to keep Cecilia from slipping away, even if it meant promising her a marriage he was not sure he wanted. Cecilia stopped moving when she heard him. She stayed turned away from Jeff and was silent for a few seconds before asking, "Why?" She wondered why he was asking now, after all this time, and especially after betraying her so openly. Jeff thought she was about to say yes and smiled as he leaned in closer. "Why not? We've been together for years. It's about time we got married, right?" Cecilia felt nothing as she heard his words, just a flat "Oh, really?" He was taken aback by how uninterested she sounded. He thought she was upset with his casual attitude, so he quickly added, "Cecilia, you won't miss out on anything that's yours, I promise." Then, without waiting for her to say more, he left the ward. Cecilia drifted off into a confused sleep, and by the time she woke up, night had fallen. The company had sent a note to check on her flight out of the city, which was coming up in two weeks. After she double-checked the details, she popped in to see her doctor. He gave her good news—she would be ready to leave the hospital in about a week. With a big sigh of relief, Cecilia turned to head back. However, as she rounded the corner, she walked into a surprise. A bunch of people with roses were cheering and circling her, shouting: "Way to go, Ms. Jones!" It took a second, but Cecilia spotted Jeff in a suit, holding a sparkly ring, right in the middle of them. She sneezed a bunch, her hand flying to her nose. Jeff, all smiles, got down on one knee and held up the ring. "Cecilia, will you marry me?" Cecilia's face scrunched up. The pollen was making her nose super itchy. She tried to get Jeff to stand, but he was too quick. He slipped the ring on her finger, saying, "Cecilia, you said yes! We're going to—" "Jeff." Her voice was weak as she struggled to breathe in between coughs. "Tell everyone to go... I'm allergic to pollen..." Jeff got it and told everyone to scram. They all rushed off. However, Cecilia's head was spinning, and down she went. As she started to black out, she remembered another time, the first time she had a pollen attack. Jeff had carried her up seventeen flights of stairs without stopping, so she would not miss her treatment. Then, he had forgotten all about her allergy. What a twist, she thought. Cecilia was not sure how long she had been out, but when her eyes fluttered open, it was already the next morning. The hospital room was quiet and empty. Cecilia's stomach rumbled with hunger, and she thought about asking a nurse to order some food for her. As she walked out the door, Yvonne appeared, carrying a fancy little meal box. She handed it to Cecilia with a smile. "Ms. Jones, Jeff sent me to bring you this breakfast." Cecilia barely glanced at her, her eyes dropping. "Just leave it there and go, please." Yvonne smirked, suddenly grabbing Cecilia's hand with the ring on it. "Is this the ring Jeff proposed with yesterday? It's pretty, but mine is even prettier." She showed off her own ring, which was much bigger. Chapter 8 Cecilia stared at the huge diamond ring and felt her breath catch in her throat. It was like the awful feeling of an allergic attack. Yvonne, looking smug, stepped back and rubbed her belly. "Ms. Jones, you’re far too naive—still clinging to the idea of marriage after he’s betrayed you. Being Mrs. Lawrence means nothing. You should’ve seen how ecstatic Jeff was when I told him I’m pregnant!" That was why Jeff was away yesterday. He was celebrating the news that he and Yvonne were going to be parents. Cecilia watched Yvonne's bold face and forced a smile. "Good for you both," she said. She turned to walk away, but just then, Jeff rushed in, stood in front of Cecilia, and gave Yvonne an icy stare. "Why are you here? Leave now!" Yvonne's expression changed instantly, and she looked like she was about to cry. She said softly, "Jeff, I just started feeling sick, so I came to get checked out at the hospital... My tummy keeps hurting, and I'm scared..." Her eyes were trying too hard to look sincere. It was clear to anyone that she was faking it. However, Jeff could not help worrying. He frowned, trying to keep his feelings in check. "Then go see a doctor right away! Why are you still here wasting time?" Yvonne's tears fell like raindrops on pear blossoms. "But I'm too scared to go alone... It's my very first time being... you know..." She was on the verge of saying "pregnant." Jeff took a step toward her, but when he saw Cecilia's pale face, he forced himself to step back. "Just go to the doctor. It's only a checkup. There's nothing to be scared of." With that, he wrapped his arm around Cecilia, and they went back to her hospital ward. Inside, Jeff was more anxious than ever, as if his mind was with Yvonne. He kept glancing outside the ward and checking his phone for messages, clearly worried out of his mind. Cecilia watched Jeff and remembered how he used to be worried when she first came to the capital and kept getting fevers because she was not used to the climate. Then, his worries were for someone else. "Cecilia, I need to step out for a moment. I'll be back soon." After he said that, Jeff stood up and left the room quickly. Cecilia looked at the door for a moment, then slowly removed the ring Jeff had made her wear the day before and set it aside. She opened her notebook and began to write slowly: [I forgive Jeff for the 98th time. He got another woman pregnant on the very day he asked me to marry him.] After she finished writing, she gazed at the words on the page as tears streamed down, splashing onto her notebook and smudging the ink. The words blurred, just like they had so many times before. She snapped the notebook shut, her mind made up more firmly than ever. Chapter 9 Jeff did not visit the hospital the week after that, and once Cecilia was better, she checked herself out of the hospital on her own. Back at their apartment, she packed up her things. For the things she did not need anymore, she had the cleaning lady toss them out. The things she wanted to keep, she had a delivery service box up and shipped to Riverie City. She had her own place in Riverie City before she came to the capital, so she did not have to worry about where to put her belongings. After that, Cecilia got rid of everything they had bought together in the apartment, like their matching coffee mugs and pajamas. She was leaving, and it was time to wipe away every last trace of her life there. Time to clear the way for Jeff's new sweetheart. Once she finished, Cecilia went to look up flight tickets on her phone but saw a post from Yvonne instead. [It's so wonderful to have someone with you at the prenatal checkup. Our little one is doing great, and so is my big guy.] The photo showed two hands holding tight. The mole on one hand was right where Jeff's would be. Cecilia clicked on Yvonne's profile and saw all the posts she had made that week: [A new little life is growing inside me, and it's so touching.] [A man has to really love you to want you to have his baby. Some people just don't get it.] [It doesn't matter how much she tries to hold on, his heart is here with me, and so is he.] All the photos showed Jeff taking care of her in different ways. Even though the photo did not show the person's full face, Cecilia could tell it was Jeff from the little bits that showed. She was looking at the pictures so intently that she did not notice it had gotten dark outside. When Jeff walked in and flicked on the light, he jumped a little at seeing Cecilia there. "Cecilia, you're out of the hospital? When did you get back?" he asked. Cecilia put her phone away and said without much feeling, "This morning." "Why didn't you tell me to come get you? I'm sorry, I've been really swamped with work at the company these days," Jeff started to say, but he stopped when he saw that Cecilia was not even looking at him. It was like she did not care where he had been or what he had been up to. She just said, "I'm going to take a shower," and went into the bedroom. Jeff felt a growing worry inside him. Over the next few days, he made sure to come home from work on time, and Cecilia was always there, but his worry did not go away. He tried to talk to her about their wedding plans. "My assistant brought over some wedding stuff this morning. You got it all, right?" he asked. Cecilia had her head down in a book and did not look up. "It's all in the living room." "Let's open the boxes and start decorating…" Jeff began, walking over to her. However, Cecilia quickly got up from the bed. "I'm going to take a shower. You can do the decorating," she said. He reached out a hand, but he only caught the edge of her nightgown before it slipped away. His worry deepened. He went to the living room and saw the pile of wedding things on the floor. The apartment should have felt fuller with all the new stuff, but somehow it felt more empty than ever. He was feeling all mixed up inside and decided to change into his pajamas and take a shower, but he just could not find his favorite pajamas anywhere. "Cecilia, where's that black pajama set you gave me? The matching one for couples?" "I threw it out." Her reply was blunt. He was taken aback. "Why'd you throw them out? I really liked those pajamas." "They were old, so I threw them out." Cecilia, with her backpack slung over her shoulder, walked to the door. Today was her last day in Zephyr City. She was getting ready to go out and cancel all her things—bank cards, phone cards, everything. She figured she would not be coming back anyway. Jeff's brow furrowed as he heard that, and he said quickly. "You gotta remember to get me a new set. Wait, where are you headed?" He hurried to the door, calling out to Cecilia, who was already waiting for the elevator. Cecilia spoke evenly: "I've got some errands." Jeff wanted to ask what she was up to, but the elevator dinged, and Cecilia stepped in and went down. For some reason, seeing Cecilia like that made Jeff's heart race. He had that nagging feeling that something was about to happen. He went back inside, pulled out his phone, and sent Cecilia a message: [Don't forget we're getting our marriage certificate tomorrow.] Cecilia did not answer, so he sent another message: [?] Hours later, she finally replied: [Got it.] Jeff stared at those two words for the longest time. It was not until Yvonne called, sobbing and saying she was not feeling good, that he turned off his phone with a grim look and stood up to go see Yvonne. Chapter 10 It was the day Cecilia had booked her flight, and it was also the day Jeff had suggested they get their marriage certificate. Cecilia was up early, packing her last bag in the apartment she had called home for over four years. She took one last look around, then stepped out the door without looking back. She had not planned on marrying Jeff, but after a love like theirs, she felt she owed it to herself to find closure. So, she arrived early at the courthouse to wait for Jeff. At 8:00 am, he messaged her: [Sorry, Cecilia, I'm stuck in traffic and running late.] By 9:00 am, Yvonne posted on her social media: [Sorry, little one. If I can't give you a complete family, I'd rather not bring you into this world.] The post showed an appointment slip for an abortion. At 10:00 am, Cecilia's call to Jeff was abruptly cut off. When she called the driver, he stuttered and finally said Jeff was at the hospital. At 11:00 am, a video surfaced on Twitter with the title 'Loving CEO Supports Girlfriend in Labor'. Cecilia watched as Jeff tenderly shielded Yvonne's belly, his face a picture of warmth. [Be careful on the steps. Take it slow, my dear.] Yvonne looked up at him, her eyes filled with joy. At noon, Yvonne sent another message. This time, it was a photo of Jeff holding her. [You're not still at the courthouse, are you? Haha, guess you'll be waiting there all by yourself forever.] Cecilia knew she could not wait that long. She had made her decision. Her flight was at 2:00 pm, and she needed to leave for the airport soon, or she would miss it. With that thought, Cecilia opened her notebook to the last empty page and wrote down her final words: [I forgive Jeff for the 99th time. This time, it's for not loving me anymore.] After a brief pause, she added one more line to her notebook: [I've given him all the chances I could. I won't forgive Jeff again.] She closed her notebook, took out the ring she had kept, and placed it beside the notebook. A staff member noticed her sitting alone and came over to ask. "Miss, are you here to get married? Is your husband running late?" "Maybe," Cecilia replied, barely smiling. She looked up at the staff member and asked with a light laugh. "Could you do me a favor and give this notebook and ring to someone named Jeff Lawrence?" "Jeff? Is he your husband?" "No, he's a stranger." With those final words, Cecilia stood up and walked out without looking back. Zephyr City was known for its endless rainy days, and today was no different. Cecilia walked through the rain with her head held high, quickly vanishing into the crowd. Goodbye, Zephyr City. She had no ties to that place anymore...