His concerned voice always reminded me of the twenty-eight-year-old him.
“I’m not sure yet. Do you… want me to stay close to you?”
Ryan thought for a moment before replying.
“Of course. If you’re too far away, who’s going to help me chase after Emily?”
His words hit me like a bucket of cold water, soaking me through.
My smile froze.
“Ryan, if I were to leave—”
Before I could finish, Ryan cut me off.
“Claire, Emily’s calling me. I’ll hang up first. See you at the graduation party tonight.”
The call ended, and I was used to it by now.
I had spent over six years in this world with Ryan, yet almost every time, his first choice was always Emily Carter.
At twenty-eight, I could never understand how someone could remain so devoted in marriage, love unchanged after eight years.
Now I realized—it was because he had once met someone truly dazzling in his youth.
And unfortunately, I had merely become her substitute, nothing more.
Scrolling through Ryan’s social media posts, those hidden from Emily’s view:
“Seems like I’ve fallen a little more in love again.”
“Emily, even though you can’t see this, I still want to say—I really like you.”
“Emily, I’ll grow up faster, so I can give you a home.”