Chapter 3

I started sending out résumés for jobs in Westport.

For Otis, I'd given up the city I loved and a good offer to stay here.

Now it was time to take myself back.

That evening, a friend called.

"Evie, I just ran into Otis. He said he missed the wedding dress fitting today, so he's buying you a necklace to make it up to you."

The corner of my mouth twitched. I was about to say I wasn't getting married, but her excited voice cut me off.

"Otis says he's putting together a dinner tonight, getting the college crowd back together as a little pre-wedding celebration."

"He's probably almost home to pick you up. We'll be waiting at the restaurant!"

The next second, Otis pushed the door open.

"Get ready. I've got dinner with some old classmates."

He glanced at my bare, makeup-free face.

"You didn't go to the fitting today?"

"No…"

"It's fine that you skipped it. I'll take you again in a few days. I'm free this weekend."

I let out a slow breath and decided I'd say it plainly, in front of everyone.

In the car, the same jasmine sachet I'd told him a dozen times I hated was still there.

He still hadn't swapped in the seat cover I'd bought two months ago, and the protection charm I'd gotten blessed for him half a year back was still sitting in the glove box.

We rode in silence the whole way, but before we walked in, he slid an arm around my shoulders.

The moment they saw us, the classmates laughed.

"If it isn't the golden couple of our year. Finally tying the knot."

"Right? Four years together and still this close."

I forced a smile and sat down.

Otis chatted and joked with everyone while peeling shrimp for me.

Our friends egged him on.

"You two are unbearable. Flaunting it right in front of us."

He loved the mood of it, and reached over to feed me.

I frowned and shook my head, turning it down.

"My stomach's off. I think I want to head out early."

The whole scene was pressing down on me until I could barely breathe.

I couldn't perform being in love with him anymore.

He knitted his brows and dropped his voice.

"Everyone came here to wish us well. Can you not be such a killjoy?"

"It'll wrap up soon. I'll brew you some medicine when we get home."

A few rounds of drinks in, they started up a game—"same wavelength."

A friend asked the question.

"What's Evie's favorite dessert right now?"

Otis wrote Basque cheesecake.

When they asked what I most loved doing, he wrote watching the sea.

When they asked what my biggest wish was, he said marrying him.

But after a checkup showed my blood sugar was up, I'd stopped craving sweets.

Watching the sea was what I did alone, to clear my head after we fought.

And marrying him hadn't been my wish for a long time.

In the middle of all that warmth, I stood up.

"Otis, I don't want to get married anymore."

The private room went dead silent.

I unfolded the answer sheet in my hand.

"Every one of your answers is wrong."

Otis froze for a moment. The others exchanged glances.

"And that necklace you bought me today—you already gave me the same one half a year ago."

"Otis, our relationship went wrong a long time ago."