I wanted him to say something. Anything.
Even just one sentence—that he was the one who'd pursued me.
But he said nothing. Just like the rest of them, he stared at me with an unreadable expression.
In that moment, I slipped the wedding ring off my finger—the one I'd worn for five years—and told myself it was over.
——
A few more rounds of drinks passed.
Mia ran over to Carter's side, tears streaming down her face like rain on cherry blossoms, and they poured their hearts out to each other.
"I can't believe it was all just a misunderstanding."
"If only I'd written your name at the top of that letter. Then you wouldn't have thought... that the person I liked was someone else."
Carter's gaze was heavy, full of regret.
"No one could have predicted it."
"That things would turn out this way."
Mia grew more emotional, drinking more than she should have.
Carter stayed beside her the entire time, gently patting her back, even handing her a glass of hangover remedy.
From start to finish, he never once looked at me.
The excited chatter around us swelled.
"Who would've thought? A crush that fizzled out years ago actually gets a second chance eight years later."