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Chapter 25

A sunrise?

For a moment, Natalie was lost in a memory from two years ago. She had told him she wanted to see the sun rise over the ocean, to witness that vast, breathtaking moment. They had already watched one from a mountaintop, and he had promised her more—from a beach, a snow-capped peak, from every corner of the world. They would see every sunrise together.

But after making that promise, they had never gone anywhere to see a sunrise again.

Natalie stepped out of the car. A cool, salty breeze drifted in from the sea, and the rhythmic crash of waves sounded like nature’s own beautiful melody. A few couples strolled hand-in-hand along the shore. As her feet sank into the soft sand, all her worries seemed to melt away, leaving her feeling relaxed and alone in the vastness of the universe.

“The wind is chilly. Put this on.” Alexander’s voice was beside her. A second later, a soft fleece blanket was draped over her shoulders. He smiled faintly. “I’m going to get some water. Wait for me here p>

His voice was as gentle as the water, warm and comforting, and for a fleeting moment, Natalie felt as if she had been transported back to the beginning of their relationship. Before she could respond, he had already turned and walked away.

The soft fleece brushed against her cheek, feeling as if it were slowly, gently abrading her heart. Another gust of wind blew in from the sea, and she pulled the blanket tighter around herself.

Her phone vibrated. She pulled it out to find a junk notification from some app. As she was about to put it away, her thumb accidentally brushed the screen, opening up her social media feed.

The first post was from Camila.

[New Year’s Eve last year, watching the sunrise from a snowy mountain. There’s a saying that whoever you kiss as the new year begins, you’ll grow closer to in the coming year. Please don’t be mad at me anymore, okay p>

Beneath the text was a selfie. Amidst a vast expanse of snow, the wind whipping through a woman’s hair, she was pressing a kiss to a man’s cheek. The man, seen clearly in profile, was Alexander.

So, the promises he had made to her had been fulfilled with another woman. And his strange behavior tonight? It was nothing more than a reaction to his anger at Camila for going on a blind date. He was just using her as a tool, as always.

Natalie let out a self-deprecating laugh. She liked the post, then closed the app. Suddenly, a call came through from Eugene Ramirez. Natalie answered.

“Sorry to call so late. I just found your wedding ring in my car; it must have fallen under the seat when

drove you home the other day. 1 figured you might be worried, so I wanted to let you know p>

Only then did she notice her ring finger was bare. It was as if a valve inside her had been released. When she spoke, her voice was choked with tears. Thank you… teacher Eugene p>

Sensing her distress, Eugene asked, “Natalie, are you crying p>

“No she tried to say, but all her emotions converged in that moment, and the choked sound turned into a sob she couldn’t control.

The voice on the other end didn’t press her, but he didn’t hang up either, seemingly waiting patiently.

Natalie struggled to compose

herself. When she finally calmed down, she saw the call was still active. “Teacher Eugene, could you please hold onto it for me for now? terven if she

I’ll come

get it later Even

didn’t want the ring anymore, she

should still return it to Alexander.

“Of course, I’ll keep it safe for you,” Eugene said, tactfully avoiding any mention of

her tears.

She put her phone away and

prepared to leave. She couldn’t

pretend nothing had happened and

continue watching the sunrise with

Alexander. The image of Camila. kissing him was s burned into her mind, and it made her feel sick. Cóntent

“Not watching anymore? Where are you going?” Nᴇw ɴovel chaptᴇrs are published on.net

She had just turned when she saw Alexander standing a short distance behind her. His gaze was cold.

“I’m not feeling well,” she said, her voice still thick with emotion. “I want to go back p>

Alexander stared at her for a moment before slowly walking closer. “What do you think of this spot for a sunrise p>

Her mind was numb, her answer mechanical. “The view is good. It’s facing east. It’s a great spot p>

“If you say it’s great, then it must be,” he said, pausing before adding with casual cruelty, “Camila has always wanted to see a sunrise by the sea. I guess tonight was just a trial run p>