Chapter 3

For a moment, the air froze completely.

Autumn realized she had said too much and quickly covered her mouth.

My mind went blank.

All the strength drained out of me. The manuscript slipped from my hands and scattered across the floor.

I looked over at Ethan instinctively.

He bent down and picked up the pages one by one.

"This is not a big deal. We have bathed together since we were kids."

"Autumn has claustrophobia. I was just there to keep her company."

Just.

Was this really something ordinary to them?

Autumn spoke up too.

"Exactly. It really was nothing."

"Even if Ethan was standing in front of me completely naked, I would not feel anything."

Ethan's eyes went wide.

He set the manuscript down, then reached over and put his arm around Autumn's neck.

He pretended to be offended.

"Oh, is that right? Who was it that wrote in her diary she wanted to marry me when she grew up?"

"So what? You said you would marry me too, and now look at you. You have a girlfriend."

As if nothing had happened at all.

The two of them started bickering again.

They kept talking, but I could not hear any of it anymore.

If the Bali shower was real, then the other things in the manga...

Traveling to Italy just to eat pizza.

Holding each other for warmth while watching the northern lights.

And that kiss neither of them could hold back after a rainstorm.

All of it, straight from real life.

"Ethan, how much have you been lying to me?"

My words dropped the temperature in the room instantly.

Ethan's smile froze on his face.

He pulled me into a corner and lowered his voice.

"I brought you souvenirs from every trip. What more do you want?"

"But you told me you were away for work!"

I practically shouted it.

I knew he had gone to Italy. What I did not know was that he had gone with Autumn.

Looking back, Ethan had never lied to Autumn. If he was even a few minutes late to meet her, he would explain and apologize.

He was so honest with her that I had thought that was just the kind of person he was.

Only now did I understand. His honesty was reserved for Autumn.

For me, a few gifts from the airport were enough.

Just then, my eyes landed on the snow globe sitting on the shelf.

He had told me he picked it out especially for me. I had been happy about it for a long time.

But the moment I pictured Autumn standing beside him when he bought it, it was like something reached into my chest and squeezed. It hurt.

The tears fell onto the floor.

Ethan watched them fall. He seemed thrown off.

"Come on. It is not that serious."

"Ava, do not overthink this. You are my girlfriend. Do you not trust me at all?"

Then he reached into his pocket and held out a card.

"This is the money I have been saving for our wedding. The PIN is your birthday."

I did not respond right away.

I stood there staring at the card.

I did not even notice when Autumn had moved closer.

She looked at the card in my hand and her expression shifted.

"Ava, you are not even married yet and you are already going after his finances?"

Her tone was dripping with sarcasm, and it snapped me back to reality.

But Ethan spoke first.

"Enough."

Then he turned to me.

"Nothing changes."

"The day after tomorrow, we go register."