A casual glance at my girlfriend's phone revealed a message from her male best friend: "Oh no, the little umbrella broke."

Just those few words sent a chill down my spine.

Last night, I was in a car accident. She claimed she was at a gathering with her girlfriends, but no matter how many times I called, she never picked up.

Gritting my teeth against the pain, I had to call an ambulance and go to the hospital alone.

Turns out, the reason she ignored my calls all night was because she was sleeping with him.

1.

Tomorrow is my wedding day with Lin Yourou.

Her male best friend, Qin Zimo, insisted on joining her bachelorette party along with a group of old classmates.

The moment the door opened, I saw Lin Yourou and Qin Zimo sitting face-to-face, playing a game where they passed a tissue between their lips.

When only the thinnest layer remained, Qin Zimo bit the other end—his lips pressing directly against hers.

Lin Yourou didn’t pull away.

In fact, even after the tissue fell, her lips lingered against his for a full second.

The scene was unbearably intimate, a stark contrast to the cold indifference she’d shown me lately.

Her old classmates whistled and cheered as if this were a familiar routine—something so commonplace it made my stomach turn.

The raucous noise stabbed through my chest like a knife, leaving me struggling to breathe.

"Gu Jingchen?" A voice suddenly rang out.

The call shattered the intimate atmosphere in the room. Not only did it interrupt the couple's closeness, but it also made everyone turn their heads toward me in unison.

"Oh my," Qin Zimo exclaimed dramatically.

He strode up to me with a smug grin plastered across his face. "It was just a party game, everyone's played it. Don't overthink it," he said breezily.

I stared at him in disbelief.

Earlier, I'd stepped out to take a phone call. On my way back, I'd suddenly received a friend request—the note simply read "Qin Zimo." After accepting, he'd immediately sent a voice message: "Listen pal, I've been Lin Yourou's best friend for years. Who do you think really matters to her?"

Then came the follow-up text: "Wishing you marital bliss."

Now here he was, explaining it all away with such nonchalance, as if those deliberately provocative messages had never been sent. The way he said it made me seem like some paranoid, overreacting fool.

"Shut your mouth," I cut him off coldly before he could continue.

Qin Zimo's face darkened instantly, a dangerous glint flashing in his eyes.

Lin Yourou quickly stepped between us, her movements urgent.

A sharp pain shot through my injured right leg as I collided heavily with the corner of the table and crashed to the floor.

The dull thud echoed unnervingly loud in the silent room.

Only then did Lin Yourou seem to snap out of her daze, hurrying over to help me up.

The irony was unbearable. I gritted my teeth and pushed myself upright, deliberately avoiding her outstretched hand.

Drawing a deep breath, I met her gaze squarely. "Lin Yourou, what if I told you he just texted me, taunting me—"

"Gu Jingchen, stop making a scene. It's just a game," she cut me off, her voice as cold as ever, her eyes brimming with undisguised impatience.

I froze.

The pain from my leg spread through my entire body, numbing every nerve inch by inch.

Only now did the full weight of the delayed agony and humiliation truly sink in.

Unable to endure it any longer, I snatched up my phone and limped toward the balcony.

The night wind lashed against my face, icy and biting, but it did nothing to quell the fire raging in my chest.

---

Standing on the balcony, I let the wind whip around me, trying to cool my fury. Suddenly, the screen of a nearby phone lit up—the caller ID read Qin Zimo.

Upon closer inspection, I realized it was Lin Yourou’s phone, left forgotten on the lounge chair.

As if possessed by some unseen force, my fingers moved on their own, opening the chat history between Lin Yourou and Qin Zimo.

Qin Zimo’s message glared back at me: *"Damn, the condom broke."*

Those few simple words sent a chill straight through my bones.

So while I was lying in a hospital bed after the accident, they were sneaking around behind my back?

The pale moonlight cast a ghostly glow over the screen, blurring my vision as memories flooded in.

Last night, I’d been in a car crash—my right leg injured so badly I couldn’t walk.

Lin Yourou had claimed she was at a girls’ night out, but no matter how many times I called, she never picked up.

Gritting through the pain, I had to call an ambulance and drag myself to the hospital alone.

Now it all made sense. The night she vanished, she was with *him*.

It felt like a knife had been plunged into my chest, yet I couldn’t stop myself from scrolling further.

The messages that followed only twisted the blade deeper.

A week ago, Qin Zimo had written:

*"That dress tonight suits you perfectly—like we’re back in high school."*

Her reply: *"You’ve always had good taste."*

I remember. After that, she wore that dress all the time.

My mind went completely blank, not even noticing the approaching footsteps until my phone was suddenly snatched away.

Lin Yourou frowned at me, her voice laced with irritation. "You were going through my phone?"

Staring into those eyes—once so familiar yet now strangely distant—I could no longer keep my composure.

"Care to explain?"

"You said that kiss was just a game. Then what do you call these messages?"

"Why are you leading him on like this? And where were you last night?"

I jabbed a finger at her phone, my voice shaking with anger.

Even though the truth was already laid bare, I still held onto a sliver of hope that she might offer some explanation.

But she simply turned off the screen without a word, standing there expressionless.

Silent, as always.

Lin Yourou and I used to be just ordinary friends—until that trip changed everything.

That day, we went hiking together. Despite feeling unwell, she insisted on reaching the summit.

Watching her grit her teeth and push forward, I couldn’t help but feel both admiration and concern.

Then, at the peak, she suddenly collapsed.

I carried her down the mountain on my back and rushed her to the hospital through the night.

3.

I spent the entire night by her hospital bedside, watching her pale face, my heart aching with worry.

"Why do you always have to be so stubborn?" I murmured, my voice laced with gentle reproach.

She managed a weak smile. "I just didn’t want to inconvenience everyone by halting the trip for me."

At that moment, I could no longer hold back my emotions.

"From now on, if you’re ever unwell, just tell me. I’ll be here for you."

And so, our relationship began.

For three years, Lin Yourou and I shared a deep bond, experiencing everything a couple should—laughter, tears, and countless memories.

A month ago, I proposed to her, and she accepted without hesitation. But then, out of nowhere, her so-called "best male friend," Qin Zimo, reappeared in her life.

At first, I couldn’t help but feel uneasy.

To ease my concerns, Lin Yourou made it a point to tell me whenever Qin Zimo reached out or dropped by her office.

Through her actions, she tried to reassure me that their relationship was purely platonic.

But now, as I stood there, witnessing their kiss and reading their flirtatious messages, the truth hit me like a punch to the gut—Lin Yourou and Qin Zimo were never just friends.

My fists clenched as I fought to contain my fury. "What the hell is this?" I demanded, my voice trembling with barely suppressed rage.

Lin Yourou met my gaze coldly. "I’ve had enough of your controlling behavior," she said, her tone icy and final.

With a tone devoid of emotion, she declared that her feelings for me had faded.

At that moment, it felt as though my entire world had crumbled.

I don’t know how much time passed before my best friend sent me a voice message, saying he’d already heard what happened.

Even through the phone screen, I could hear the deep regret in his voice.

And then it all clicked.

That hiking trip was originally supposed to be with him and his younger sister.

She had gone abroad for high school and had been living overseas ever since, only returning recently—I hadn’t even met her yet.

But because something came up last minute, they invited Lin Yourou, who was just a friend back then.

That was how fate first brought Lin Yourou and me together.

No wonder my friend was drowning in guilt.

A moment later, another message came through: *"Stay put. We’re coming to pick you up from the restaurant."*

I stood on the balcony, the dull ache in my leg flaring up, but I barely noticed.

When I turned around, I saw Qin Zimo standing behind Lin Yourou—I hadn’t even noticed when he arrived.

His gaze was fixed on me, quiet and pitying.

But what cut deeper was the faint trace of mockery and disdain in his eyes.

That look—I knew it all too well.

4.

Lately, he kept showing up around me, his gaze lingering with a strange mix of subtlety and boldness.

Back then, I couldn’t figure it out. Lin Yourou clearly had no interest in him, so why did he keep pursuing her with such unwavering confidence?

Then, last month, I attended a gathering hosted by one of Lin Yourou’s friends.

Over dinner, a few close friends teased, "We honestly didn’t think you two would end up together. Lin Yourou and Qin Zimo were so close before—everyone thought they were the perfect match."

My grip on the wine glass trembled violently.

In that dazed moment, their well-meaning jokes brought back the memory of the way Qin Zimo used to look at Lin Yourou.

The moment we got home, Lin Yourou grabbed my hand, her voice thick with apology.

"They were just joking. Please don’t take it to heart, okay?"

I only asked softly,

"After knowing each other for so many years… did you never once feel anything for him?"

She stayed silent for a long time.

Then, slowly, deliberately, she whispered into my ear:

"Darling, right now, you’re the only one in my heart."

The sincerity and resignation in her words made me reluctant to press further.

That night, we lay back-to-back in bed, neither speaking nor embracing as we usually did.

Back to reality.

I stared blankly at the scene before me.

The pain of betrayal, which had begun to fester from my earlier discovery, now spread wildly through all the overlooked signs I had once ignored.

Lin Yurou was my first love—the only person I had ever wanted to grow old with.

Yet I couldn’t accept a love tainted like this. Her heart had always held a shadow of someone else.

As I passed by her, I swallowed the bitterness rising in my chest, forcing my voice to remain steady.

"Let’s call off the wedding. Tonight, we’ll each explain things to our parents. Since we haven’t registered the marriage yet, they should understand."

Without waiting for her response, I turned and walked away.

Outside the hotel, the night was deep, the autumn breeze cool against my skin.

I pulled out my phone, but the screen was empty—no notifications, no messages. Just a hollow ache in my chest.

Then, suddenly, a hand tapped my shoulder from behind.

Startled, I assumed it was my best friend. "Chen—"

But when I turned, the name died on my lips.

Those clear, familiar eyes met mine.

"Cheng Wanwan?"

She smiled at me. "Come on. My brother’s waiting in the car."

For a moment, I had no words.