as though drained of all strength, “Yes, I broke my promise. Let’s end it here”
Chapter 15
Days passed
Xavion tried every means possible, yet he could find no news about Camryn.
It was as if she had vanished into thin air, leaving not a single trace behind.
One month turned into six months and then into three years.
Xavion never gave up searching for her.
Slowly, Camryn became a lingering obsession Xavion could not let go of like Zara had once been.
Xavion still lived in the same apartment
Upon waking every day, he would stare blankly at the unchanged yet empty space, lost in thought for a long time.
Every trace of Camryn had been wiped away.
The only thing left to remind him of their past was the meager collection of photos stored on his phone. Throughout the three years they dated, they had only taken seven pictures.
Xavion looked at those photos over and over.
He gradually grew older as the endless longing consumed him. His family began pressuring him more frequently to get married, pushing him to go on blind dates and introducing him to various women
But he refused to meet any of them
Others thought he no longer held any hope for love after being too deeply hurt by Zara. However, Xavion was the only one who knew that he had completely let go of Zara after that candid confrontation with her.
Could feelings that persisted for ten years truly vanish in an instant?
“Yes,” Xavion thought. “It’s possible,”
After all, what stood between him and Zara was a stretch of seven long years.
Over 2,500 days and nights were far longer than the time they were together.
Those passionate feelings, tempered and worn down by the grind of time, had gradually lost their original hue, tainted by the pain of unfulfilled longing.
Rather than love, this emotion had become more akin to a habit.
When the habit was broken, Xavion finally realized that he had long been capable of letting go
But Zara couldn’t understand what he felt and kept clinging to him…
Amidst their entanglements, Xavion’s 27th birthday arrived.
As in previous years, he went back home for a family dinner, only to be pressured again about marriage.
Yvette still hadn’t returned. When asked, she only said she was busy.
Xavion wasn’t sure whether she was telling the truth, but he did know that he and his sister had grown apart after Camryn’s departure.
Irritated by the nagging, he drank more than usual.
When he got back, Yvette happened to return as well.
He called out to her. “I’ve had a few drinks, Can you drive me?
Yvette, looking reluctant, was just about to refuse when their parents gave her a look that forced her into the car.
Throughout the drive, she remained silent, her face cold
Xavion’s mood sank further. He finally asked after a long pause, “Are you planning to keep avoiding me like this?”
“Avoid? What do you mean by avoid? We’re incompatible, Wouldn’t less contact be better?
Yvette rejected the olive branch he extended and snapped back at him instead.
Seeing her relentless attitude, Xavion couldn’t help but press his fingers against his temples.
“What happened in the past was my fault. I did Camryn wrong. I’m sorry. Can you stop holding this against me? Mom and Dad are watching. Do you think it makes them happy to see you act like this?”
Hearing him bring their parents into it, Yvette rolled her eyes in exasperation
“Oh, so you care about how they feel now! Where was that concem when you were ready to die for Zara? Stop acting like a big brother. I’ve already told you, I refuse to acknowledge you as my brother!”
Alter venting her frustration, Yvette opened her playlist and started playing music, unwilling to argue with him further.
In the n
narrow space of the car, only the relentless noise of heavy metal music remained.
A Navion couldn’t find a chance to make conversation, he rolled down the window and looked at the neon lights outside.
Some time must have passed before the playlist ended and started over again.
The first song this time was a ballad, with a cheerful piano intro filling the car.
The melancholic weight in Xavion’s heart finally eased.
Leaning back against the seat, he was just about to close his eyes and rest for a bit.
“When the setting sun bids farewell, stars and clouds respond with a wave, the wind blows wherever it wills…”
As the soft and gentle singing began, Xavion opened his eyes and instinctively glanced at the screen.
Yvette, realizing it instantly, quickly skipped to the next song.
Although Xavion didn’t catch the singer’s name, Yvette’s hurried actions confirmed his suspicion.
It was Camryn’s voice!
Xavion turned sharply to look at Yvette and immediately noticed the fleeting panic on her face, followed by her forced calmness as she deliberately changed the subject.
“We’re here. Get out of the car.”
