Chapter 3

The toasts began.

Serena walked table to table with Liam, smiling radiantly, showing no hint of a flaw.

I stood in a corner, clutching my glass, my fingers white against the stem.

That text message still lay in my phone, every word like a burning brand, scorching my palm.

"Autumn."

Serena's voice suddenly chimed. She pulled Liam over to me, her face alight with a sweet smile.

"Why are you hiding here? I've been looking for you."

She offered me a glass of red wine. I took it, realizing my hand was trembling when my fingertips touched the glass.

"A toast to you," Serena raised her glass, her eyes bright and clear. "Today is the happiest day of my life, thank you for being my bridesmaid."

She finished speaking and drank it all in one gulp.

I watched her throat move, the wine sliding down my stomach like a knife.

"Drink," Liam's voice was low, I couldn't discern his emotion.

I raised my glass and took a sip.

The wine was bitter, so bitter my eyes stung.

Serena smiled again, reaching out to pat my shoulder. "You don't look well, are you feeling sick? Do you want to go rest?"

"I'm fine," I forced a smile. "I'm just going to the restroom."

The moment I turned, my wrist was grabbed.

It was Liam.

His grip was tight; I couldn't break free.

"Liam?" Serena's voice came from behind, laced with a hint of displeasure.

"I need to speak with the bridesmaid," Liam didn't turn back, just looked at me, his gaze intense. "About some wedding details, I wanted to ask her."

"Then hurry up," Serena's tone was a bit cold, but I didn't have the presence of mind to analyze it.

Liam led me to a corner. The noisy chatter of guests surrounded us; no one noticed us.

He released my hand and pulled a piece of paper from his suit pocket, quickly slipping it into my palm.

"Read it and burn it," his voice was hushed, so low only I could hear. "Ten o'clock tonight, rooftop."

Then he turned, walked back to Serena, and his smile returned to his face.

I clutched the note, my palm drenched in sweat.

I went to the restroom, closed the stall door, and opened the note.

The handwriting was messy, but it was his familiar script.

The love letters he wrote me five years ago, every single one had this handwriting.

"She forced me to break up with you. Meet me on the rooftop tonight. I'll tell you all the truth."

I stared at the words, my head buzzing.

She forced me to break up.

Five words, like five knives, one by one plunging into my heart.

That night five years ago, he sent the breakup text, then vanished without a trace.

I called hundreds of times, sent thousands of messages, all of them vanishing without a trace.

I thought he was dead, thought something had happened to him, thought he had been kidnapped.

Only Serena stayed by my side, hugging me, crying with me, saying, "Autumn, he must have his reasons."

How genuinely she cried back then.

I thought she was the best friend in the world.

The note was crumpled in my hand. I shoved it into my bag and pushed open the door.

At the sink, Serena was touching up her lipstick.

She saw me come out and smiled faintly. "Still don't look well. Should I have someone take you to the hospital?"

"No, thanks." I washed my hands and looked up into the mirror.

In the mirror, Serena and I met each other's gaze.

Her eyes were calm, as still as a ripple-less lake.

But I always felt there was something hidden beneath that calm.

"Autumn," she suddenly spoke, her voice very soft. "Do you hate me?"

I froze.

"Hate you for what?" I asked.

She smiled, finishing the last stroke of her lipstick and putting the tube back in her bag.

"Nothing, just asking."

She turned, her heels clicking crisply on the tile floor.

At the doorway, she paused, looking back at me.

"Oh, by the way, the fireworks show starts at ten tonight, up on the rooftop."

"You might want to check it out."

With that, she pushed the door open and left.

I stood alone in the restroom, the note in my hand drenched in cold sweat.

Ten o'clock, rooftop, fireworks show.

She had calculated everything.

I pulled out my phone and looked again at the message from the unknown number.

"Ten o'clock, rooftop. I'll tell you all the truth."

Was it from Liam, or from her?

I didn't know.

But I knew, no matter who was waiting for me on the rooftop tonight, I had to go.