Chapter 1: Five Years for Nothing
(Lily's POV)
Five years.
Five years of ramen dinners. Saying no to weekend getaways.
Sending every extra Naira overseas so Ethan could finish his degree.
Five whole years.
Back then, I kept telling myself it was temporary.
That love was an investment.
That one day, all the sacrifices would make sense.
When he first left, the airport didn't even feel real.
We held onto each other like letting go would change something.
"This is just a blip," he said.
"I'll wait," I told him.
"I believe in you."
And I meant it.
Every late-night call with bad connection.
Every "I miss you" in a quiet apartment.
Every bank alert that made my chest tighten and my wallet thinner.
Still, I kept going.
I treated those five years like something fragile. Like if I stopped believing for even a second, everything would fall apart.
Now he was back.
Degree in hand.
New job at the city's biggest firm. A voice that sounded… slightly different.
Colder, maybe. Or maybe I was imagining it.
Everyone kept telling me I was lucky.
"You stayed with him."
"He won't forget your sacrifices."
"He'll definitely marry you."
I repeated those words to myself more times than I could count.
Tonight was dinner. A celebration, they said.
But deep down, I wanted something else.
A ring.
A promise.
Something to prove the five years meant something.
I swiped on more lipstick, paused, then wiped the excess with a tissue.
My reflection stared back at me, smiling a little too stiffly.
Five years couldn't have been for nothing.
Right?
"Big day, Lily," I muttered under my breath.
My voice sounded shaky.
"Even if he doesn't… it's fine. I'll be fine."
I laughed softly.
It didn't sound convincing.
My hands were already trembling.
I pushed the door open, expecting warmth.
Familiarity. Us.
Instead, I froze.
Right there at the doorway.
The flower slipped from my fingers and hit the floor with a dull clatter.
I didn't even react.
My throat suddenly felt dry, tight, like I couldn't swallow properly.
Laughter.
Voices.
Too familiar.
And then I saw them.
Ethan.
In my living room.
Kissing another woman.
Not just close. Not accidental. His hands were on her waist like he belonged there.
Like I had never existed.
For a second, my brain refused to process it.
No.
This isn't real.
I blinked once. Twice. They were still there.
The flower lay on the floor between us, forgotten.
"E-Ethan… what the actual hell are you doing?!" My voice cracked halfway through, turning into something between a scream and a sob.
He jerked back immediately.
"L-Lily? What… what are you doing here? I told you I was having a work dinner!"
A work dinner?
I stepped inside slowly. My legs moved, but it didn't feel like I was the one controlling them.
My eyes stayed fixed on the scene in front of me.
"A dinner?" I choked.
The word came out sharp. "You call this a dinner?"
The woman beside him didn't look embarrassed.
She looked amused.
"Oh," she said lazily, glancing at me from head to toe.
"So this is Ethan's full-time caregiver? The one hoping for a proposal?"
She lifted her hand deliberately, showing off the diamond ring.
It sparkled under the light like some kind of cruel joke.
"Guess what?" she continued with a small smile.
"He just put this on my finger. Cute, right?"
My vision blurred.
I couldn't even properly look at her face.
"Ethan…" My voice dropped to a whisper.
"I'm still paying off the debt for your education.
And this… this is how you repay me?"
He rolled his eyes.
Actually rolled his eyes.
"Come on, Lily," he said flatly.
"Olivia helped me get the director's position.
What can you offer me?"
For a moment, I just stared at him.
Then something inside me snapped.
"What can I offer?" I burst out.
My voice shook, but I didn't stop.
"I gave up my education for you.
I sacrificed my future, my dreams.
I went into debt just to support you!"
My chest hurt. Breathing hurt.
"What more could I have possibly given?"
There was a flicker in his eyes. Regret. Maybe guilt.
But it disappeared almost instantly.
Too late.
Way too late.
Olivia's expression darkened.
"How dare you!" she snapped.
"You'll regret speaking to us like that!"
I didn't answer.
Didn't argue.
Didn't scream again.
I just turned around.
The tears finally fell, hot and uncontrollable, blurring everything as I walked out.
Their voices followed me, loud and distant, but I didn't stop.
I didn't even look back.
The flower I brought lay crushed near the door.
Just like my expectations.
Outside, the rain had started pouring heavily, soaking me within seconds.
My clothes clung to my skin, cold and uncomfortable, but I barely noticed.
A car sped past, splashing dirty water onto my legs.
I didn't react.
Through the rain-streaked window,
I caught a glimpse of them inside the car — Ethan and Olivia — laughing.
Laughing.
I don't remember how I made it to Angel's apartment.
Only that by the time I reached her door, I was drenched, shivering, and exhausted.
She opened the door and gasped. "Oh my God,
Lily! What happened to you?!"
I tried to speak.
Nothing came out.
Instead, I collapsed into her arms and started crying properly for the first time that night.
"Ethan… he… he's with Olivia."
Angel stiffened instantly. "Those bastards! I swear, I'll—"
She stopped herself and pulled me closer.
"Hey, hey. It's okay.
You're safe now."
"I was so stupid," I whispered weakly.
"No," she said firmly, cupping my face.
"You loved him. That's not stupidity."
I stared at my reflection in the bathroom mirror later, barely recognizing the person staring back.
"My God… I look like a mess."
Angel stood behind me, hands resting gently on my shoulders.
"You're not a mess. You're hurt.
There's a difference." She gave a small sigh.
"Go shower.
You're soaked.
You'll get sick if you stay like this."
I nodded slowly.
The hot water ran over me, but it didn't wash anything away.
Not the images.
Not the laughter.
Not the way he looked at her.
My stomach twisted.
I hadn't eaten all day, but the thought of food made me feel worse.
Everything just replayed in my head.
Over and over.
That smirk.
That ring.
That voice.
Angel appeared at the doorway later with a towel and a drink.
"Here. Drink this first," she said softly.
"You need something warm."
She dried my hair, fussed over me quietly, and tucked me into bed like I might fall apart if she didn't.
I finally sank into the pillow, feeling the full weight of the day crash down on me.
Angel sat beside me, rubbing my back in slow, steady motions.
"Shhh. Just sleep, Lily.
You can think about everything tomorrow."
I leaned slightly toward her without thinking.
For the first time since the door opened....
I felt a little less cold.
My eyelids grew heavy.
My body finally gave in to the exhaustion.
And somewhere between the sound of the rain and the steady rhythm of her hand on my back—
I fell asleep.
For the first time since everything fell apart.