Chapter 3

The car stopped in front of a visitor center at the foot of the mountain.

Over twenty employees were already gathered outside.

I got out from the back seat, and Hayley got out from the passenger seat.

Instantly, everyone's gaze bounced between the three of us, followed by whispers.

"What's going on?"

"Looks like our 'founder's wife' is losing her footing. Should we start being nicer to Hayley?"

"You go ahead. I'm not interested in sucking up to that kind of person."

The murmurs weren't quiet enough—they drifted right into Hayley's ears.

Her eyes immediately reddened.

Wyatt's face darkened, and his voice turned icy.

"We're here to relax. The company doesn't keep people who stir up drama."

Everyone shut up at once.

It was blatant protection—anyone could see that.

A flicker of faint triumph crossed Hayley's lips, but she still added in a timid voice, "It's my fault. I was carsick, so Cora gave me the passenger seat. Please don't misunderstand..."

I shot her a look.

I had no interest in playing along with her performance. I shouldered my backpack and started up the hiking trail alone.

Before long, Wyatt caught up with Hayley in tow.

His lips pressed together as he glanced at the heavy pack on my back.

"Can you handle that? Give it to me if you can't."

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the bright pink women's backpack on his own back.

"No need."

His brows furrowed deeper.

He gave me a long, hard look, then quickened his pace and passed me.

Hayley carried nothing.

As she walked past me, the corner of her mouth lifted, and she spoke in a voice only the two of us could hear—

"Cora, let me know if it gets too heavy, okay?"

I shot her a sharp look.

The little smirk on her face froze instantly. She shut her mouth and scurried after Wyatt.

In my earpiece, my younger self was crying.

"I didn't believe it at first, but now... I believe all of it."

She sobbed, "You know, Wyatt came to find me just now. He said we'd apply to Stanford together. He said we'd be together forever."

"How did the future... turn into this?"

My steps slowed.

How could I not know. That was the day of college applications. School let out early.

Under the setting sun, Wyatt walked me home.

As I was digging out my keys at the front door, he suddenly hugged me from behind, his ears so red they looked ready to bleed.

"Cora, I want to be with you forever."

"Go to college together, work together, get married and have kids, grow old together. You're in every single picture I have of my future."

That day, I said yes.

I lifted my eyes.

Ahead in the distance, Wyatt was bent over, letting Hayley wipe the sweat off his face.

A bitter smile tugged at the corner of my mouth.

So "forever" was that short.

Only ten years.

I asked myself in the earpiece, "So... did you give him an answer?"

There was a long silence before she choked out, "No. I didn't dare."

"He looked so sad when he left... But I don't want to make you hurt anymore."

I stopped walking.

And then, I let out a soft laugh.

The sun blazed overhead.

We didn't reach the summit campsite until noon.

Hayley pulled out her water bottle, unscrewed the cap, and held it naturally to Wyatt's mouth.

"Wyatt, you must be tired! Let me fan you."

She was a lively girl.

A lot like I used to be.

Wyatt didn't refuse, a hint of helpless but indulgent amusement on his face.

I opened my backpack and started setting up the tent.

Wyatt came over and took the tools from my hands.

I resisted out of habit. "No need. I've got it."

He glanced at me. "The forecast says strong winds tonight. I don't want the tent collapsing on me in the middle of the night."

I pressed my lips together.

Honestly, I'd never planned on sharing a tent with him tonight.

So the one I brought was a single-person tent.

Wyatt noticed too. His face hardened instantly.

"Cora, you don't need to test my loyalty with these games. It's boring," he said.

"I told you, my wife will only ever be you. It will never be anyone else."

After saying that, he helped me pitch the tent with a blank expression, then turned and walked off toward Hayley's side.

Her tent was spacious—a two-person tent.

The sun set in the west.

That evening, everyone set up the grill, but rain began to drift down from the sky.

I ducked into my tent.

Soon after, Wyatt followed me inside.

He got into his sleeping bag, but his brow stayed tightly furrowed.

I knew what he was worried about.

He was worried about whether the girl in the next tent would be scared.

He tossed and turned for nearly half an hour before finally taking a deep breath and turning to me.

"Cora, the rain's heavy. I'm afraid Hayley might be scared alone. What do you think..."

I opened my eyes and looked into those familiar eyes—eyes that once held only me.

"Go."

Wyatt froze.

But his expression grew even darker, a kind of unease even he could feel settling in.

He wanted to say something, but facing my utterly calm demeanor, the words wouldn't come.

"I... I'll come back once she's asleep."

He unzipped the tent and walked out.

The next second, Hayley's delighted voice came from outside. "Wyatt! You came!"

In my earpiece, my younger self spoke in a daze.

"Did he forget... that you're scared of the dark too? Scared of thunder? He used to say that for every stormy night from now on, he'd stay right by your side."

I listened to the howling wind and driving rain outside.

And the laughter from the next tent that couldn't be blocked out no matter what.

Inside my chest, it felt like it was raining too.

A rain with no end in sight.

That night, Wyatt never came back.

Neither my eighteen-year-old self nor I got any sleep.

It wasn't until the first light of dawn touched the sky that a hoarse voice came through the earpiece.

"Cora, at prom... I won't say yes to him."

"I promise you. We'll leave. We'll go far, far away."