Chapter 86 Heartbreak–Burn It All to Ashes!
Ms. Greene…”
Nova stood up, her voice laced with surprise. Flora Greene had been her homeroom teacher in high school. She’d known about Nova’s difficult family situation and had gone out of her way to help her. She’d also been one of the first people to notice Nova and Kael’s relationship–something of a witness to their love.
Flora turned at the sound of her name. When she saw Nova, her face lit up. “Nova! It’s been ages!”
Nova gave a soft smile, pulling out a chair for her. “Yeah.”
She turned to the shop owner. “Another bowl of dumplings, please–same as mine.” Flora tried to protest, insisting on paying for her own meal, but Nova shook
er head. Flora laughed, sitting down across from her.
Where’s Kael? I heard from some former students that you two were back at Central High today. Kael’s setting up a surprise for you, isn’t he? That boy–some hings never change. He’s always been so dramatic when it comes to you.”
Nova’s hand paused as she poured water into a cup. A dark, painful look flashed in her eyes.
Cael had always been so passionate about her–so eager to make her happy. Even a stranger like Flora remembered that.
o why couldn’t she?
But things were different now. Everything was different.
bitter laugh rose in her throat. Right now, Kael was probably wrapped up with Sloane–whispering sweet nothings, sharing the “surprise” that was supposed o be hers. And he’d invited her to watch–to wear a fake dress and play the fool for them.
Vas he doing this to humiliate her on purpose?
lova licked her dry lips, her voice tight. “He’ll be here soon…”
I see.” Flora nodded, then seemed to remember something. She pulled a stack of envelopes out of her bag, handing them to Nova with a smile.
I was cleaning out my house the other day and found these–love letters Kael wrote you back in high school. I confiscated them at the time, but I thought they’d e a nice keepsake. I’ve been meaning to give them to you, and… well, fate works in funny ways, doesn’t it?”
lova’s eyes trembled. She took the envelopes slowly. They were thin, worn, and yellowed with age–but they felt like lead in her hands, heavy enough to crush
er chest.
he shop owner brought over Flora’s dumplings, packed in a to–go box. Flora glanced at her watch, hurrying to finish her coffee. “I’m running late for a
eeting. We’ll have to catch up another time, okay?”
ova nodded, watching her leave. She sat there alone for a long time, staring at the envelopes, before finally opening one.
heard you like drawing. Could you try liking me too?] Tucked inside were a few crumpled sketches–of her, sitting by the window in class, her hair tied back
1 a ponytail.
I keep trying. I’ll get close to you, no matter how long it takes.] Inside was a report card–his grades, once mediocre, now near–perfect.
lova’s fingers shook as she flipped through the letters. Tears blurred her vision. She clutched the papers to her chest, her heart aching so badly she could arely breathe.
ack then, she’d been a top student, pretty and popular. Boys had flocked to her, but she’d pushed them all away. Her parents‘ divorce had left her cared–scared of love, scared of being abandoned.
hen Kael had come into her life.
He’d been like the sun–warm, steady, and unyielding.
He hadn’t bombarded her with confessions or gifts. Instead, he’d brought her breakfast every morning, even when she’d refused it.
16:27
He Cried at My Funeral. I Laughed at His Gala
53.19
Chapter 96 Heartbreak Burn It All to Ashest
tre remembered her favorite snacks, her allergy to strawberries, and the way she liked her coffee.
He’d never broken a promise–when he said he’d get into NYU with her, he’d studied until midnight every day, giving up basketball and parties to make it happen.
Those memories were so vivid, so precious. She’d never be able to forget thein.
But the Kael she knew now–he didn’t see her pain. He didn’t notice how thin she’d gotten, how tired her eyes were.
The man who’d once kept every promise now lied to her without a second thought.
She’d pretended not to see his changing heart. Pretended not to hear his lies. Pretended not to smell the faint scent of Sloane’s perfume on his shirts.
But love couldn’t survive on pretense. Not forever.
Nova took a shaky breath, her eyes red and puffy. She carefully smoothed out the crumpled letters, her hands still trembling.
Ding–ding!
Her phone vibrated on the table.
Nova glanced at it, and her heart dropped.
Sloane had sent her photos–photos of handwritten letters. The handwriting was unmistakable: Kael’s.
Nova’s face turned pale. She tightened her grip on the old letters, her knuckles whitening.
Sloane: [Kael wrote these for me. Handwritten, just like the old days.]
Below the message was a video.
In it, Kael was sitting at his desk, pen in hand, writing. Sloane was leaning over his shoulder, her chin resting on his neck, smiling sweetly. “Read it to me, Kael. Please?”
Nova’s brow furrowed. He won’t. He’ll never do that for others.
Once, she’d begged him to say something sweet–to tell her he loved her out loud. He’d brushed her off, saying he wasn’t good with words.
she’d believed him–figured writing letters was already a stretch for his reserved personality. She’d never pushed him again.
But the video proved her wrong.
Cael picked Sloane up, setting her on his lap. He wrapped his arm around her waist, his voice teasing. “Greedy girl. Who do you think you are, ordering me round?”
loane giggled, squirming in his arms. “Yes, I am greedy. So… will you read it? Or sing me a song? Please?”
fova’s heart twisted. He’d never sung for her. Not once.
if their friends‘ parties, everyone had teased Kael about being a “secret romantic“-saying he was good at singing love songs. But no matter how much they’d
egged, he’d refused to sing. Eventually, she’d thought they were lying. That he couldn’t sing at all.
But in the video, Kael laughed. He leaned down, pressing a kiss to Sloane’s lips, then began to sing–his voice deep, rich, and softer than a cello’s melody.
I want a helicopter. I want to fly to the stars with you. I want to melt into you–melt into the galaxy with you. Every day, every night, I think about you. This weetness makes me believe in fate…”
I was a love song. A song about devotion, about forever.
3ut to Nova, it sounded like ice. She felt cold all over–like a clown who’d wandered into the wrong party, uninvited and unwanted. Her fingers shook as she hit pause.”
she laughed, a hollow, broken sound. Tears streamed down her face.
16:27
Chapter 86 Heartbreak–urn It All to Ashes!
The one thing she’d always wanted–to hear him sing, to know he loved her that deeply–and she’d had to see it through Sloane’s video.
How Ironic!
Nova bit her lip, the taste of blood in her mouth.
Sloane sent a voice message, her tone dripping with malice. “He said it’s the first time he’s ever sung a love song for anyone. Did he ever sing for you, Nova? Poor thing…
Those words were a knife. They sliced through her last defense, leaving her bleeding and exposed.
Nova’s hands trembled as she typed a reply–sharp, bitter, and full of pain.
[Only a dung beetle thinks dog shit is a treasure. You’re the only one who doesn’t find him disgusting.]
She hit “send” and tossed her phone onto the table. No more messages came.
Nova picked up the old love letters, her steps unsteady as she left the dumpling shop.
By then, Kael must have grown impatient–his call came through moments later. “Nova, have you arrived yet?”
His gentle voice made her hesitate for a second. If she hadn’t seen him cheat with her own eyes, she might have believed he was truly devoted.
For a split second, she wanted to scream at him–to demand answers, to let out all the pain she’d bottled up.
But instead, she just smiled a bitter smile, her eyes red and swollen. “Something came up. I can’t make it…”
She hung up without waiting for a reply. Then she found a nearby clothing store, changed out of the fake Chanel dress, and headed alone to a narrow alley behind Central High.
The gray–white wall was covered with the marks of time–scratches, faded graffiti, traces of rain. But Nova spotted her own handwriting instantly, etched into
the stone years ago.
[Nova loves Kael Voss forever.]
[Today we got married.]
I will love you always.]
Tears welled up in her eyes. She reached out, her fingers brushing the cold, rough stone of the wall. Kael would never know how much courage it had taken for her to say yes to him–to let him into her heart, to marry him, to break down all the walls she’d built after her parents‘ divorce.
Nova took one last long look at the words that had once meant everything to her. Then she picked up a sharp stone and started scrubbing them away–hard, until her knuckles turned white, until the letters faded into smudges. It was like she was erasing the last of her attachment to him, one scratch at a time.
When she was done, she pulled the old love letters and the fake dress out of her bag. She flicked a lighter, and the flame caught–first on the edges of the paper.
hen on the fabric.
As the fire burned, Nova’s eyes were cold–no sadness, no anger, just empty indifference.
Kael arrived a few minutes later, out of breath from running. As he saw the flames, his eyes widened sharply.
‘Nova!”
10.37
♡ (2)
(0)
