Chapter 5

For the entire week that followed, Vincent didn’t come back.

But I knew exactly what he was up to—thanks to Serafina, who couldn’t resist posting every moment on Instagram. It was impossible not to know.

The two of them sailed off on a private yacht, dined at a cliffside restaurant in Positano, and kissed beneath the sunrise on Capri Island.

Through her social media, I once again saw a completely different Vincent.

It turned out he could act like a man deeply in love—just never in front of me.

I didn’t dwell on their daily escapades. Each time, I’d glance briefly and scroll past quickly.

I wasn’t idle myself. The apartment was cluttered with too many things, and it took me days to fully clean and organize the space.

I also made time to visit my parents in the countryside. I told Mr. and Mrs. Hayes that I was about to join a confidential project team and might not be able to contact the outside world for a long time.

My father looked surprised.

“You and Vincent are about to get married. If you join this, won’t you two end up living apart for a long time?”

My mother’s eyes were full of worry as she held my hand and tried to persuade me.

“Think it over, Eleanor. You and Vincent have come so far to get to this point. I’m afraid if you join this project, Vincent might not agree, and then your wedding…”

I understood what they meant.

For years, my parents had witnessed my unwavering devotion to Vincent. They were also painfully aware of his attitude toward me.

Before we got engaged, they had gently urged me to reconsider. They believed I didn’t hold much weight in Vincent’s heart.

But back then, I was confident that I could change him, that I could make him fully accept me.

So, they had reluctantly given their blessing.

Now, as the wedding approached, they were worried that if I suddenly left, Vincent wouldn’t agree—or worse, he might call off the engagement entirely.

They feared I’d get hurt and wanted me to think carefully.

But this time, it was me who had decided to cancel the wedding.

When I told my parents, there was a long silence.

I didn’t mention Vincent’s affair or the child Serafina was carrying. I was afraid the truth would devastate them. Instead, I said I wanted to continue pursuing my research career.

My parents exchanged a glance. Since I had made up my mind, they chose to support me fully.

In the end, my father simply sighed, patted my shoulder, and said, “As long as you don’t regret it, that’s what matters.”

After returning to the apartment, I called my best friend Chloe to help me get rid of all the packed items. Boxes were stacked high in the living room, taking up a lot of space.

It took both of us several trips up and down the building to finally haul everything to the trash compactor downstairs. The room felt instantly empty.

Chloe looked around and sighed.

She still remembered two months ago when Vincent’s proposal had succeeded. I was so ecstatic that I dragged her into celebrating all night with champagne, gushing about how my dream had finally come true.

And now, barely two months later, I had decided to call off the wedding.

“God, Eleanor, you’re serious about this? I thought you were just venting when you said you’d cancel the wedding.”

“I’ve watched you chase after Vincent Moretti for years. Tell me, what on earth happened?”

Maybe it was because I was about to leave, but I suddenly felt the urge to unload everything.

I told Chloe every detail of what had happened this past month, including the fact that Serafina was carrying Vincent’s child.

Chloe had been there through everything between Vincent and me. When I finished, she cursed under her breath.

“You’ve been nothing but good to him, and this is how he repays you? Knocking up another woman before the wedding and expecting you to be fine with it? What the hell is wrong with him? Is his brain made of concrete?”

I shook my head, swallowing the bitterness in my heart.

“Who knows? He said Serafina saved his life, and he wants to fulfill her every wish.”

Chloe looked outraged, practically ready to jump out of her seat.

“But you’ve saved his life too, Eleanor! Why doesn’t he feel the need to do the same for you?”

I said nothing.

Maybe he just didn’t love me.

But it didn’t matter anymore. I was leaving him soon.