Goodbye, My Lost Love

Chapter 10

I replied quietly, "Okay."

There was a long pause before he spoke again, his voice edged with uncertainty. "Aren't you mad?"

"No, I'm not angry."

He hesitated before continuing, "Aren't you going to ask where I went or who I was with?"

"You're an adult," I said, my tone calm. "You don't need someone to babysit you."

There was silence again, and when he finally spoke, his voice was strained. "Victoria, I feel like you've been pulling away from me lately."

His words stung. In the past, he always told me not to get upset, not to be jealous, not to overreact. But now, when I was completely calm, he still saw me as distant?

But it didn't matter. Soon enough, he'd realize the only things we stop reacting to are the things we've already let go of.

"Victoria, do you still love me?"

His voice was soft, almost a whisper, like he was afraid to ask. It seemed to hang in the air, lost among the sounds of the street.

He sighed, then added, "I won't be home tonight. I'll pick you up at 9 tomorrow. I promise I'll make it up to you, make these days unforgettable."

Tomorrow? I wasn't sure I'd even make it that long.

But deep down, I knew he'd break his promise again.

I replied softly, "Okay."

My professor had told me I was scheduled to leave at 1 a.m. and that someone would be picking me up.

"Have you finished everything?" he asked, his voice gentle but straightforward.

"I heard from your junior that you're planning to get married?"

I raised my right hand, now devoid of its ring, and gave him a warm smile. "I'm single."

He nodded, his expression understanding. "Victoria, this is a ten-year closure. If there's anyone you need to say goodbye to, now's the time. After this, you won't be able to see them again."

I nodded, my heart heavy with the weight of his words.

At noon, the department threw me a farewell party.

My junior, eyes red from emotion, said, "Miss Victoria, I really envy you. I want to follow in your footsteps."

I patted her head gently. "Work hard, and I'll be waiting for you there."

"Mm! I'll find you! Wait for me!" she exclaimed, a hopeful smile on her face.

In the afternoon, the real estate agent called to say it was time to sign the contract.

I was shocked at how quickly everything was moving. The agent explained that in today's fast-paced world, things move quickly. The buyer was a teacher from the nearby high school, looking for a place near work and able to pay in full upfront. I rushed over to sign the papers, giving the agent full authority to handle everything else.

By evening, I found myself walking through my alma mater, retracing the steps William and I had once taken together.

So many memories. On the playground, a twenty-year-old William held my hand for the first time, his cheeks flushed with a shy smile. He kissed me for the first time in a quiet grove, his breath fast and nervous. In the library, we studied together, exchanging secret smiles over our textbooks. Beneath the dorm building, we held each other tightly, not wanting to let go.

At twenty-two, William slid that ring onto my finger, his eyes filled with emotion as he promised me a future together. At twenty-five, after his business took off, he held me close, his excitement bubbling over as we counted the zeros in our bank account, dreaming about the children we'd have. By twenty-seven, he said, "Victoria, let's get married. We've made it through the 'seven-year itch.' I'll always love you." But by twenty-eight, he was already pulling away, distracted by someone else. I was no longer his priority.

I remembered that song.

The intense love we once shared had long since faded, replaced by a quiet affection that lingered, never fully disappearing.

I wiped away the tears that had silently fallen. I had convinced myself I had moved on, but as I reflected on all the years we had spent together, a deep ache stirred in my chest, reminding me of everything we had lost.