Chapter 1

"You're lying! Amelia would never leave me!"

"Who the hell are you?!"

"Why are you trying to mess with our relationship?!"

Watching the frantic questions appear on the page, I could practically see seventeen-year-old Maximus on the other end—shocked at first, then that bright, handsome boy's eyes turning red, his handwriting shaking as he pressed so hard he nearly tore through the paper.

"Please... whatever's wrong, come at me, okay? Just... just leave Amelia out of this."

Word by word, it was like seeing the young Maximus again—the one who used to look at me like I was his whole world. But before I could even process it, before I could grab my pen to respond, the roar of an engine cut through the air.

In an instant, I was drenched head to toe. The car's angle was so sharp,it barely missed my body, and I instinctively stumbled backward, landing hard on my ass in a puddle of filthy water.

I was soaked through, a complete mess.

The car stopped, and mocking laughter drifted down from above.

I looked up, dirty water dripping from my hair down my face.

The passenger window rolled down, and Liora stuck her tongue out playfully, looking absolutely smug.

"Oh my God, Amelia! Are you okay?"

"It's totally my fault—I didn't trust Maximus's driving skills and we almost hit you! I'm so, so sorry!"

I glanced at the driver's seat where Maximus sat with that familiar smirk, his eyes full of cruel amusement as he watched my humiliation.

I tried to stand, but a sharp, tearing pain shot through my ankle, making it impossible to put any weight on it.

I collapsed back into the puddle, my soaked clothes clinging to my body, leaving me feeling wretched inside and out.

"Oh no, Maximus! Amelia can't get up... shouldn't we help her?"

She patted her chest dramatically, putting on this whole concerned act.

I gritted my teeth, struggling to push myself up, but the agony in my ankle sent me crashing back down into the stinking water.

"Geez, Amelia, I said I'd help you up. Why do you keep trying to do it yourself? Do you really hate me that much?"

Liora's eyes filled with tears, and Maximus immediately pulled her close, glaring at me with fury.

"You're catching a cold. Just sit tight—don't worry about her."

"I spoiled her rotten all those years, and this is the disgusting mess it turned her into."

Hearing Maximus say "spoiled rotten," I fought back tears and, after several attempts, finally managed to pull myself up using the guardrail.

"Thought you were gonna put on another show. If you can stand, you're fine."

"Since you're okay, just go home. And don't start whining about stomach pain later—I don't have time for your little tricks."

The cold wind hit my wet clothes, chilling me to the bone, but it couldn't fill the hollow ache in my chest.

I looked down and couldn't help but laugh bitterly.

If this were before, I would've cried and argued with him, desperately trying to explain that I wasn't faking anything.

But now I felt so damn tired. I forced a smile.

"Alright then. Enjoy yourselves."

Maximus looked stunned for a moment, then slipped back into his mocking tone.

"Good.You'd better not getting any crazy ideas."

With that, he drove off without another glance.

I stared at those taillights for what felt like forever, until my wet clothes dried stiff in the wind. Then I remembered the diary.

When I pulled it out of my bag, it was covered in fresh, youthful handwriting,

"You have to believe me! I'll always love you!"

"I'll take you to eat delicious food! Buy you the prettiest clothes!"

"When we get our own car, I'll drive you everywhere—wherever you go, I'll go..."

Reading seventeen-year-old Maximus's endless promises, I couldn't help thinking of how he’d just intimated with Liora.

I looked down at my mud-stained clothes and laughed at myself before writing back,

"I used to believe that too. But all it brought me was endless disappointment."

"We did get our own car eventually. But you just used it to rush off with another slut for late-night snacks after knocking me to the ground."

"So Maximus, before seventeen-year-old me gets trapped in this cruel future—"

"Just... stay out of my life."

Tears blurred my vision as I shakily finished writing, then angrily yanked off my ring and threw it in the trash.

I went home alone and started packing my clothes, one piece at a time.

Maximus never came home that night.

He stayed at Liora's place, featured in all ninety-nine intimate photos flooding her instagram.

That same night, I submitted my resignation.

The next morning, Kieran called me into his office. Seeing my swollen, puffy eyes, he looked both heartbroken and regretful.

"Does Maximus know you're quitting? You two are like the golden couple of our orchestra!"

I smiled bitterly, unable to meet his eyes, afraid I'd break down crying again.

"Kieran, I've made up my mind. As for Maximus... please don't tell him yet."

Remembering how he'd protected Liora last night, casually dismissing my pain as an act, my stomach churned all over again.

Seeing my smile that looked worse than tears, Kieran sighed repeatedly but finally agreed.

The ink was still wet when Maximus walked in.

He looked at me suspiciously, his gaze falling on the documents in my hand.

"Amelia? What the hell are you doing in Kieran's office?"

"What's that in your hand?"

Chapter 2

The office was so quiet you could hear a pin drop, the atmosphere thick with awkward tension.

Maximus stared at me intently, closing in step by step, while I turned my face away, refusing to look at him.

Kieran's gaze kept darting between us, and he couldn't help but clear his throat.

Just as he was about to speak, the phone rang.

Kieran answered quickly, exchanging a few words, then patted Maximus meaningfully as he passed by,"Maximus, work's important and all, but don't ingnore the lady around you too!"

Maximus froze for a moment, his expression unreadable as he looked at me.

Once Kieran left, his face instantly darkened.

"This is about last night again, isn't it?"

His once gentle eyes were now filled with impatience. As if remembering something, Maximus frowned and raised his voice sharply,"I'm fucking done with this! It's one thing to put on an act in front of me, but now you're dragging the manager into it? What the hell do you want?!"

In his fury, he pointed straight at my nose, veins bulging in his neck. "Liora's like my little sister—you watched her grow up too! And now you're gonna be jealous of her? Seriously?!"

His baseless accusations made me feel like some unreasonable shrew.

My stomach started cramping again in sharp spasms. I struggled to steady myself, about to explain, when Maximus suddenly grabbed my hand, his eyes overflowing with shock.

"Amelia, where's your ring? Don't tell me you forgot to put it on!"

My wrist burned where he gripped it, but it couldn't compare to the ache in my heart.

Five years of marriage, and I'd never once taken off my wedding ring.

But his? God knows where he'd tossed that long ago.

He used to treasure even the random flowers I'd pick, carefully preserving each one. But now...

I laughed coldly and yanked my hand free.Since love had already faded, might as well call it quits.

"Maximus, we—"

Just as I was about to set things straight, the office door opened again. Liora stood in the doorway, cheeks puffed out in frustration,"Maximus! Those pads you bought are totally wrong!"

That little princess stomped her feet angrily, rushing over to pound his chest with her tiny fists.

"Hey, don't cry, Liora. That's my mistake—I'll get you the right ones."

Maximus gently pulled her into his arms, cooing softly. The mention of sanitary pads made his ears turn instantly red.

I stared at his flushed ears, lost in thought, my mind drifting to the school playground years ago.

Seventeen-year-old Maximus, blushing furiously, had stammered as he shoved pads into my confused hands.

He'd draped his school jacket over my shoulders and scooped me up without protest.

The sounds of teasing and catcalls surrounded us, but all I could hear was the thundering of his heartbeat.

"Amelia, let me protect you from now on, okay?"

That gentle, rising tone broke through my last defenses. I nodded shyly and buried my face in his chest.

But when I opened my eyes again, it was Liora in his arms.

"My baby girl. How about I take you to lunch first?"

Same scenario, same tenderness—just a different girl.

My traitorous eyes welled up. I turned to leave, but Liora grabbed my arm.

"Amelia! Come with us! Maximus always picks the most amazing places!"

"No thanks." I coldly shook off her hand.

Liora's eyes immediately filled with tears, fat drops rolling down her cheeks.

She looked between me and Maximus, then lowered her head timidly,"Maximus... Amelia seems upset. Maybe we should eat another time?It doesn't matter being a little hungry."

Maximus's heart melted. His face darkened as he looked at me, his tone turning harsh,"You're coming with us. Stop being childish."

Looking at his warning glare, I paused, then finally nodded.

Since I'd be leaving tomorrow anyway, might as well personally put an end to this relationship.

At the restaurant, the two of them snuggled together intimately.

"Maximus, try this—it's sooo good!"

Liora fed him shrimp in a sickeningly sweet voice, giggling as she teased his lips with her chopsticks.

Maximus glanced at me reflexively, saw me eating my own food, and frowned.

"Amelia, what were you trying to tell me back in Kieran's office?"

I put down my chopsticks and met his slightly nervous gaze.

Just as I was about to speak, Liora chimed in with her breathy voice,

"Maximus, look at my Instagram! Everyone's saying how sweet you were rubbing my tummy!"

Maximus was instantly distracted, acting annoyed but unable to hide his smile.

Liora shot me a smug look, then got up and playfully demanded he peel shrimp for her.

"Maximus, I want shrimp! Please peel them for me."

Unable to resist her, he agreed and reached for the heaping plate.

Watching him methodically peel the shrimp, my heart clenched.

I clearly remembered how much Maximus hated getting messy—if he accidentally got mustard on his hands while eating, he'd immediately rush to wash them, losing his appetite entirely.

Once when I fell in the kitchen and got cut by broken condiment bottles, he'd just glanced over and told me it was too disgusting, that I should clean it up myself.

But now, here was that same man, lovingly deveining shrimp with complete adoration, his hands covered in slippery shrimp juice.

"Maximus, let's break up."

I suddenly spoke, calm and serious.

But Maximus just gave a distracted "mm-hmm" without even looking up.

Of course. As long as Liora was beside him, he'd never spare me an ounce of attention.

Whatever. I grabbed my purse and smiled bitterly, giving him one last goodbye,"Maximus, I'm leaving now."

While booking my flight, the diary in my bag started vibrating uncontrollably, like it was about to burst free.

My heart lurched. Damn it—the diary!

I instinctively pulled it out, and it kept trembling as if it might explode.

Opening it, dense handwriting filled my vision，

"Please don't go, okay? I promise—everything you're worried about in the future won't happen."

"Why aren't you answering me? Don't abandon me."

"Amelia, I'll die without you..."

The desperate words of that teenage boy pierced my already numb heart like needles.

I could practically see seventeen-year-old Maximus, the one whose eyes held only me.

He was gripping my hand tightly, his tone almost pleading, ready to carve out his heart and offer it with both hands.

Looking into his eyes, memories flooded back like a tide.

Those eyes that secretly watched me from the back of the classroom during summer cicada songs.

Those eyes that protected me so gently yet fiercely amid everyone's laughter.

Those eyes that seriously promised me forever at our wedding altar...

"Amelia! What the hell—leaving without saying a word?"

"Liora was nice enough to invite you to lunch, and you give her attitude?"

I looked up at that familiar voice and met those eyes—

Cold, disgusted, unwilling to look at me for even a second.

My heart skipped a beat, the pain almost suffocating.

I realized that in five years, the boy who once had eyes only for me was long gone, and the heart he'd wanted to carve out had long since turned to stone.

"Say something! What, are you mute now?"

Maximus roared with a dark expression, his gaze moving past me to land on the flight booking page and the open diary. His face changed dramatically.

"Where are you going? And how the fuck do you have my diary?"

Chapter 3

I already told you, Maximus, I'm leaving.

What a shame you weren't listening.I looked at him silently, suddenly finding it almost funny.

"What the hell are you smiling about! I'm talking to you!"

Maximus grabbed my hand roughly, his eyes glued to the flight booking page like he wanted to burn a hole through the screen.

Suddenly, his furrowed brow gradually relaxed, and he spoke tentatively，

"Amelia, are you trying to play some kind of runaway game with me?"

Seeing my silence, he became more convinced of his theory, his voice already dripping with impatience，

"Don't think I don't know what you're up to. You just want me to pay more attention to you, right?"

"Liora's not feeling well today, and we have an important performance later. Taking care of her is for the good of our entire orchestra!"

"Can't you have some team spirit? Stop being such a drama queen all the time!"

He rambled on, completely oblivious to my increasingly cold stare.

The diary kept vibrating, its buzzing growing more irritating.

Maximus followed the annoying sound with his eyes and froze instantly.

Its pages flapped open and shut, as if trying to say something!

"What... what did you do to my diary?"

Maximus pointed at me in horror, backing away in fear.

But the diary bounced even more frantically, leaping straight into his hands before suddenly going still.

Maximus rubbed his eyes, staring at his palm in disbelief, as if what just happened was only a hallucination.

Now the diary lay quietly in his hands.

I felt like I could see seventeen-year-old Maximus again, the way he'd handed me the diary with such anticipation.

"Amelia, you have to read the whole thing! Once you do, you'll know how much I love you!"

His eyes sparkled with starlight, so sincere and so careful.

I couldn't help but get lost in his overwhelming love, but as I leaned closer, the blushing boy suddenly grew up.

"Amelia! What the fuck are you pulling here!"

Maximus snarled my name through gritted teeth.

The diary started vibrating again. I knew—that was the seventeen-year-old boy desperately pleading.

"Fine! Let me see what the hell you've been writing!"

Maximus snorted coldly and reached to open the diary.

Maybe even he didn't notice that his fingers were trembling slightly.

"Ah! It hurts so much, Maximus! Waaah..."

In the distance, Liora was crying and collapsing next to her violin, her open palm showing a long, bloody gash.

Maximus snapped back to reality and rushed over anxiously, the diary in his hand falling to the ground. It bounced stubbornly twice before finally going still.

He would never know that what he'd just dropped was seventeen-year-old him's last hope.

"How could you be so careless!"

Maximus tenderly cradled Liora's hand, so worried his eyes turned red.

"I don't know... sob... Amelia was supposed to check everything, but somehow there was broken glass by my violin..."

"Sob... Maximus, it really hurts..."

Liora looked at me a few times with hurt and fear, crying as she burrowed into Maximus's arms.

Hearing this, Maximus's face instantly darkened, his eyes blazing with fury like he wanted to devour someone.

"Amelia, you knew Liora had an important performance today! If her hand is ruined, how are you gonna make up for it!"

Facing his roar, I was surprisingly calm"It wasn't me!"

Colleagues around us spoke up for me too, but Maximus wouldn't listen.

"If not you, then who?" Maximus shot me a disgusted glance, speaking with absolute certainty. "Everyone in this orchestra knows you're a jealous bitch who's always resented Liora replacing you on violin!"

"Today, I'm gonna teach you a fucking lesson!"

With that, Maximus grabbed a decorative piece from the table and smashed it on the floor, then without hesitation pressed my hand down onto the shards.

I cried out in pain as countless porcelain fragments embedded in my palm, blood immediately streaming down.

"Ha! Now you know how it feels! Did you think about others when you were hurting her!"

"You better think long and hard about what you did! Come apologize when you've figured it out!"

With that, he scooped up Liora and left without looking back.

Traitorous tears rolled down my face as blood dripped from my fingertips onto the diary on the floor.

Through my blurred vision, I seemed to see seventeen-year-old Maximus crying and begging me not to leave.

"Amelia, don't you really want to walk into the future with me anymore?"

"In the future, everything will be okay..."

Staring at the ceramic bear in his hands, my gaze grew colder and colder.

"The future? In the future, you'll smash this token of our love with your own hands and use it as a weapon to hurt me."

"I booked a flight. I'm leaving tonight."

Passing through the main hall, their performance was just beginning.

Maximus played the piano prelude with an indulgent smile.

Liora nodded slightly and began her violin, the music flowing beautifully.

At first everything was perfect, but soon Liora's violin started going slightly off-key.

I smiled coldly, remembering Maximus's contemptuous words when he'd demanded a new partner.

"I want to give the new girl a chance, but that jealous bitch Amelia won't agree. She doesn't understand who she has to thank for everything she has!"

"Fine, if she wants to throw a tantrum, I'll switch partners! Let's see who really needs who!"

What noble-sounding reasons!

I admit, I really didn't agree at first—but that was because Liora's foundation was shaky, and she'd definitely screw up on the big stage.

Sure enough, whispers started rising from the audience, and only then did Maximus notice something was wrong.

He frowned and encouraged Liora to keep playing.

But Liora had completely lost her composure. Her music became increasingly chaotic, drawing continuous boos from the crowd.

I had no mood to watch this farce any longer.

My flight was confirmed. Time to go...