Chapter 1

"Kaylee, mom and dad have been searching for you for 7,236 days, and we've finally found you!"

In Evergreen Cemetery, a well-dressed, elegant woman clung to my hand, crying her heart out.

"All these years you've been lost, your father and I have been searching for you around the world. Each day was a painful wait. Now that we've finally found you, and since your adoptive parents' affairs have been settled, would you be willing to come to Italy and live with us?"

Hearing the hopeful tone in my mother's voice, I glanced at the tombstone engraved with the kind smiles of my adoptive parents, my eyes red, unable to make a decision.

"I'll think about it."

For now, I still wasn't ready to adapt to the identity of a billionaire's daughter after living as an ordinary girl for so long.

"No problem. We'll wait for your answer."

After parting ways with my mother, I returned to my apartment at Seasides.

I opened the door to find the yellow roses in the vase on the entryway cabinet withered and a thick layer of dust coating the table.

Even the clothes on the sofa remained exactly as they were before I left.

I had been away for seven days attending a funeral, and Vincent García had been unreachable for seven days.

I took a deep breath and scrolled through our contact log on my phone.

Thirteen calls, twenty-one WhatsApp voice calls, all with the same response: "No answer."

Out of habit, I opened Instagram and saw Vincent's junior colleague, Alina Clark, had just posted an update:

"Watching the sea with the person I love, and he's gentler than the ocean today."

The picture showed her and Vincent camping by the sea, watching the sunset.

Staring at the image, my swollen eyes felt like something shattered within them.

I recalled my mother asking if I wanted to settle in Italy, and I had actually considered it for Vincent's sake. But now, it just seemed laughable.

Kaylee Anderson, your love life is truly a failure!

‘Da!'

The door lock clicked.

Vincent returned in casual attire. Seeing me sitting dazed on the sofa, he quickly asked, "Kaylee, why are your eyes so red?"

I looked at him, his clear gaze reflecting my sorrowful expression.

"I just got something in my eye," I replied hoarsely, then asked, "Where have you been these past few days?"

His expression faltered slightly at my question.

"A new project came up at the lab, and I've been so busy I couldn't come home. I finally wrapped it up today."

He watched my face, his tone concerned. "I didn't have my phone with me in the lab, so it was only on my way back that I saw all the calls from you. Was something urgent?"

My tightly clenched fingers pressed hard into my palm as I held back my emotions.

"Nothing urgent—I accidentally dialed a few times, that's all."

I walked over to the entryway, pulling out the wilted yellow roses and tossing them in the trash.

I had given Vincent the chance to tell the truth, but he chose to lie instead.

So, without revealing his poor excuse, I quietly went to my room to rest.

Vincent seemed unsettled, quickly following me. "You look pale. Is it your period of this month?"

I paused.

He used to know my period date was at the end of the month, and always preparing hot milk and heating pads to soothe my cramps.

But now, it was only the middle of the month.

Watching his concerned face, I felt a coldness spreading through me.

"No, I just didn't sleep well yesterday."

Unconcerned, Vincent took his pajamas and went to shower. "Then get some rest early tonight."

The sound of running water echoed from the bathroom as a dampness crept into my heart.

A notification sounded from my bedside table.

I glanced over to see a message from "Sailor Moon" with the flashing profile picture of a crescent moon.

"Vincent, the ocean romance has been received. Don't forget you promised to take me hiking to watch the sunrise next week!"

One glance at that message sent a dull ache through my heart.

He saved Alina's contact as "Sailor Moon." They watched the sunset by the ocean, and now they're planning to watch the sunrise in the mountains—how romantic!

Clenching my fists, I forced myself to remain calm.

With a quick glance at the closed bathroom door, I walked into the living room and dialed my mother's number.

"Mom, I'll come to Italy with you after I get my diploma at the end of the month."

"Wonderful! I'll start preparing your visa right away." My mother sounded delighted but paused before cautiously asking, "But if you go to Italy, you and Vincent will have a long-distance relationship. Will he be okay with that?"

Thinking of Vincent, a surge of pain briefly flashed through my heart before settling into quiet resolve.

"I'm planning to break up with him. I won't ever see him again."

Chapter 2

My mother seemed to sense the slight catch in my voice and gently comforted me.

"You've been with him for four years, yet when your adoptive parents both passed away in that car accident, he didn't even go to accompany and care for you. You're better off without a man like that. There are plenty of eligible bachelors in Italy. When the time comes, your father and I can help you find someone—you'll have your pick."

"Alright, I'll pack up over the next couple of weeks. I'll meet you at the airport."

Just as I ended the call, the bathroom door opened, and Vincent emerged with a towel wrapped around his waist.

"Who are you meeting at the airport?" he asked.

I paused, looking down slightly. "My mother."

As he put on his pajamas, Vincent said, "If your mom's coming to Seattle, I'll set up a dinner to welcome her."

He assumed I meant my adoptive mother, and for a moment, I didn't feel the need to clarify everything.

I glanced at the date on my phone: June 15.

Only fifteen days left until I left for Italy.

"Talk about it later," I replied vaguely.

Vincent murmured a half-hearted "hmm" and returned his gaze to his phone, his face relaxed, occasionally breaking into a soft smile. I looked away, lying down with my eyes closed.

After some time, I heard him set down his phone and felt him slide closer, wrapping his arm around me.

My body stiffened, and I instinctively pulled his hand away.

"Babe, are you mad because I didn't answer your calls? I'll make sure to keep my phone on me from now on so I won't go off the grid again." Vincent seemed to sense something was off, trying to coax me gently.

"No, I'm not mad. I'm just really tired."

I kept my tone flat, unwilling to say more.

But inside, I silently told him:

Vincent, there is no "next time" for us.

The night was quiet, and his gentle breathing filled the room, but I couldn't sleep. Thoughts of the "Sailor Moon" in his phone haunted me, and I made up my mind.

I got up, picked up his phone, unlocked it, and opened WhatsApp.

Originally, I was the only pinned contact, but now it was both me and "Sailor Moon," with her chat sitting at the top. Their latest messages were goodnight texts right before he slept.

My hands trembled as I scrolled through Vincent and Alina's chat history, realizing they'd been messaging daily for an entire year.

He'd spent Valentine's Day with me, yet he'd still sent her pictures of the food we shared.

He'd watched movies with me, only to text her later about whether it was worth seeing, even taking her for a second viewing the next day.

Even after our late nights together, he would share folk music with her as if he were a pure-hearted young man.

Each page of their chat clashed with my memories of our relationship, tearing me apart inside. I didn't understand it.

The man who looked at me with such genuine love—how could he share those intimate details with someone else while claiming to love me?

I stayed up all night.

The next morning, as I finished preparing breakfast, I checked the reminder on my phone.

Today marked four years with Vincent.

Six months ago, we had planned a trip to Disneyland to celebrate.

With fourteen days left until I left, I decided to end things there, bringing closure to our four years together.

At the dining table, Vincent was scrolling on his phone as he ate. I couldn't hold back. "Couldn't that wait until after breakfast? You have a flight to catch, remember?"

He absentmindedly replied, "Flight? Are you going somewhere today?"

For a moment, I froze, realizing he'd forgotten our Disneyland plans and the significance of today.

I had intended to part on good terms, but now I just felt foolish.

Forcing a smile, I said, "It's nothing. I'm just seeing off a friend."

Vincent didn't ask further.

At that moment, his phone screen lit up. I glanced over instinctively and saw a message from "Sailor Moon":

"I'm so hungry! Where's my breakfast?"

Vincent quickly grabbed his phone, taking two egg crepes from the table and glancing at me with a guilty look.

"My advisor needs me for something. I'm heading to the lab."

Watching him leave in a hurry, I let out a silent laugh.

He could barely even lie convincingly. He really couldn't wait.

I picked up my phone and canceled the Disneyland tickets I had booked months ago.

On Instagram, I opened Alina's new post:

"I said I was hungry, and my boyfriend showed up downstairs with a homemade breakfast right away!"

I felt a chill wash over me.

Homemade by him?

How absurd!

I couldn't eat anymore.

I got up and threw the remaining breakfast into the trash, along with the last traces of affection I had for Vincent.

Chapter 3

I never doubted love, but love can change in an instant.

Especially after four years.

This relationship had already soured—I should have realized it sooner.

But love makes you blind.

I pulled out a large cardboard box and opened the storage cabinet that filled an entire wall.

Inside, there were remnants of our love—Kuromi plaster figurines we painted on rainy days, handmade pottery projects, bracelets, and phone cases.

The wall was covered in photos, a visible timeline of our four years together.

From our early days of warm embraces to later photos where we only posed with half-hearted peace signs.

I didn't even know when Vincent's heart had started to change.

I took a deep breath, wiping the redness from the corners of my eyes, then tossed everything from the cabinet, piece by piece, into the box.

I tore down every photo from the wall as well.

The yellowed adhesive left stark marks on the white wall, mirroring my scarred, fractured heart.

As I packed, memories surfaced, and daylight slowly faded.

Once the box was filled, I took it downstairs to the dumpster, then lay on the sofa, exhausted.

After some time, the door opened.

Vincent walked in, turning on the lights in the living room.

Seeing me curled up on the sofa, he hurried over.

"Kaylee, why are you sleeping here? You'll catch a cold!"

His concern seemed genuine, with no trace of pretense.

I stared at him for three seconds before looking away.

"I was cleaning the house and fell asleep accidentally."

Vincent glanced around the room, noticing the changes.

"Did you throw away a lot of stuff? It feels emptier."

I nodded lightly.

"Graduation's here; it's time to throw out the old and bring in the new."

Graduation season is not only a time for decluttering but also for breakups.

Anything tied to the past had to go, along with the traces of a love that no longer held meaning.

"Alright, we can go shopping together later and redecorate our little nest."

Vincent nodded, not giving it much thought.

Watching his casual demeanor, I felt a slight ache in my chest.

If he'd looked a bit more closely, he'd have noticed that everything missing was part of our couple's collection or love mementos—things I'd never discard without a reason.

But he was too busy texting to notice anything.

After all, Alina filled his thoughts now.

A notification pinged on his phone.

Vincent glanced down, and his expression shifted.

"Kaylee, today's our anniversary! Why didn't you remind me? Did you forget too?"

Only then did I realize that his phone's calendar had reminded him of today's date.

Hearing his reproach, I felt a dull weight settle inside me.

"You seemed too busy, so I didn't mention it."

I had reminded him this morning, but someone preoccupied wouldn't have registered it.

Sensing my indifference, Vincent looked a bit uneasy.

"Babe, that was my fault. Let's make it up another day, like we used to, with all the ceremony and excitement."

He gently held my hand, trying to appease me with a soft tone.

Just then, his phone rang again.

It was a voice call from "Sailor Moon."

He instinctively declined the call, but Alina dialed right back.

Seeing his guilty expression, I gave him an excuse to leave.

"Go ahead and take it; it could be urgent from the lab."

After all, the lab had always been his go-to excuse whenever he had to step out unexpectedly.

This time, I said it myself to save him the trouble of lying again.

Vincent hesitated, then quickly went to the balcony to answer the call.

When he returned, he gave me a light hug and said softly, "You really understand me. It was an urgent lab issue. I need to go handle it and wrap up this project."

"When things settle down, I'll take you out for a proper anniversary celebration. We'll stay in the Disney castle, and I'll make you feel like a princess."

I turned slightly away from his embrace, lowered my gaze, and nodded.

"Okay."

It was a simple response, devoid of any expectation.

I had long since stopped believing in his promises.

But when I saw a red notification on Instagram, I instinctively opened it.

Alina had posted a new update—

The picture showed Vincent sipping coffee in the lab's break room.

"Sharing the same cup of coffee with my boyfriend, more intimate than a kiss."