Chapter 2

At some point, the driver took me to my alma mater. I thanked and paid him before alighting from the cab. After hesitating at the entrance, I ultimately entered the campus. Many young boys and girls in fashionable clothes walked past me, giggling and looking content. I wandered around aimlessly and eventually arrived at the field. Everything was just as I remembered. This place was where Selena and I officially began our relationship. The weather was similar to today's, and it was also in the afternoon when she dragged me out to the field. She pulled a bouquet out of nowhere and shoved it into my arms. "Once you accept my flowers, you're mine." I was stunned at that time, but her rosy-hued cheeks made me burst into a smile and pull her into an embrace. "Why are you, a girl, making the first confession? Gosh, you're eager to be with me, aren't you?" … "Hudson Davenport?" Someone called my name, pulling my focus back to reality. I turned around and saw a man in glasses, somewhat familiar. He seemed enthusiastic as he greeted me. "It's you, Hudson! I'm Vincent Gardner, your uni mate. You seriously don't remember me?" I recognized him when he called my name the second time. "Long time no see, Vincent." He appeared as cheerful as I remembered. "Why are you here?" I asked. He chuckled and nudged my arm. "Bro, I came back here after completing my master's degree. I can't believe I've run into you when I've just started my first year." Vincent then shot me a wistful look. "How are you and Selena? I remember you guys were madly in love back then, always torturing us with your lovey-dovey relationship." His words jolted me back to the old days, and I forced a smile. Perhaps sensing my mood was off, he no longer continued that topic. "You're here just in time, by the way. They'll soon chop down the wishing tree. From what I heard, they're planning to expand. You should take a look." After bidding farewell to Vincent, I arrived beneath the wishing tree. From my recollection, Selena and I used to love chatting about life and dreams under this tree. Once, she came to hang a letter but forbade me to read it. Using the help of my memory, I successfully located the letter she wrote. Surprisingly, it was still there after the ravages of wind and rain all these years. Although it was torn and yellowed, the writing was still faintly legible. I opened the letter gently, and her neat handwriting appeared before me. "I hope I can be with Hudson forever and ever, spending each birthday and anniversary with him!" "I hope Hud and I will have a grand wedding ceremony so that I can let the world know he's mine." "I hope to wake up and see Hud every morning." "Most importantly, of course, I wish Hud stays safe and happy!" "I think I wrote a little too many wishes. If you can't grant all of them, just make the last one come true!" Her words were concise, yet they were full of love toward me. My hands began trembling as I gripped the letter. We used to be so in love, so why… Why couldn't she just love me and me only? She was the one who wanted us to spend forever together; to wake up next to me every day. All our promises and vows had now turned into a knife that ended up stabbing my heart. What a joke… I tucked the letter into my pocket. Right then, I had an impulse to meet the man who changed Selena's heart. As such, I went to the cinema he mentioned in his message. I stood in a discreet corner and patiently waited for the movie to end. At some point, I began to feel my legs turn numb. However, the familiar figure finally appeared. Standing beside her was a young and handsome man. That ought to be Zion, right? Okay, fine—he was young and handsome. The way I stood in the corner made me no different than a stalker prying into their love life. I watched as Zion draped his jacket over Selena, fed her popcorn, and even tucked her hand into his pocket to keep warm. Suddenly, he looked in my direction. I wasn't sure if he had seen me. All I knew was he bent down and planted a gentle kiss on Selena the next second. Not only did she not refuse him, but she even reciprocated the kiss. For a split moment, I felt like a clown. Every ounce of love I had ever felt for her was flushed down the drain with that kiss. "Oh, Selena… What a long time it took me to realize your extraordinary talent in acting. While loving me, you shared your heart with another person." Never mind, though, because everything would be over soon… I left the cinema and returned home. Perhaps because of my mood, I found the place eerily quiet. Pulling out the letter from my pocket, I stuffed it into the drawer along with the ring. Meanwhile, I took the opportunity to pack up my belongings. By the time I finished, it was already dark outside. Glancing at my phone, I noticed a message from Selena. "Hud, lots of work came up today. I won't be coming back home for the night. So, rest well. I'll see you tomorrow." I left her messages on "Read" and quietly went to bed. It wasn't until the next afternoon that she finally returned. While beside her, I heard her mumbling, "Why does it feel weirdly empty in here?" Before she came home, Jordan had sent over the divorce agreement. I temporarily kept it in the drawer along with the other items from yesterday. At the sight of her complete change of clothes, I felt a tinge of bitterness. Yet, she excitedly ran over and hugged me. "Give me a hug, Hud. I'm exhausted." Exhausted? Was she exhausted from dealing with two men at the same time, or was she only exhausted when it came to me? She was the one who was in another man's arms. I pushed her away stoically. "It's almost lunchtime. I'll go cook." I supposed she sensed something strange with me and refused to let go of my hand. "I know I've been busy lately and haven't been spending time with you, Hud. Why don't we catch a movie? You know what? Forget about making lunch. Let's eat out." Then, her expression stiffened abruptly. "Where's your ring, Hud? Why did you take it off?" The sight of her anxious look got me scoffing inside. Oh, Selena… Without a change in expression, I explained, "It got dirty, so I took it off. I'm looking to have it cleaned by a professional." At that, she heaved a breath of relief and playfully stuck her tongue out. "You scared me, Hud. I thought something happened." Then, she pushed me toward the door. "Alright, let's go. It's time for lunch."