ROWAN I looked away.
I didn’t want to hear this.
I didn’t want him to make me remember all the good moments because those were the exact memories making it difficult for me to hate him completely.
He suddenly reached into his pocket and pulled out a small card.
He held it toward me.
I stared at it but didn’t take it.
“Please take this.” He Urged but I remained still.
“Even if you don’t want to forgive me for something I didn’t intentionally do, please just try to come to my family party.
“We’ve been planning it for a long time, Rowan.
You promised you were going to come with me.
You promised you would be my plus one.” I stared at him.
That was true.
I had promised to come with him before everything happened.
“Please don’t break that promise now,” he begged.
I let out a tired sigh indirectly telling him that I wasn’t interested but he continued talking.
“I already told everyone about you.Just pretend for one night that we’re still together.
Please.
Just for tonight.” He took my hand, forced the card into my palm, and closed my fingers around it.
I stared at him like he had completely lost his mind.
“Pretend?” “Yes.” He nodded desperately.
“Just for one night.
Please.” I looked away, already feeling a headache coming.
Why was he making this so difficult?
He knew I was trying to move on and that I was still hurting, yet he wanted me to walk into a room full of his family and pretend we were still happily together.
The thought alone felt like torture.
“I can’t do that.” “You can.” “No, Kelvin.” “Please.” I stared at him, growing more frustrated by the second.
“Why are you so obsessed with me going with you?
Can’t you just go alone?” He went quiet for a moment.
“You can get someone else to go with you.
You have plenty of options, don’t you?” I scoffed.
“No, actually, don’t waste your strength looking for someone else.
Go with my rival instead.
I’m pretty sure your family is already familiar with him.” “Because I don’t understand why you need me there so badly when you already ruined everything between us.” Kelvin lowered his eyes for a moment before looking back at me.
“I know you probably won’t believe me anymore when I say I didn’t intentionally cheat on you, and I know I have no right to ask you for anything after what I did.
But I just hope you’ll come to the party.” I didn’t answer him.
He stood there for a few seconds, almost as if he was waiting for me to change my mind.
When I still said nothing, he gave me a small, defeated smile.
“I’ll be waiting for you.” He slowly turned toward the door, but he didn’t leave immediately.
His hand rested on the doorknob as he glanced back at me one last time.
“Please come, Rowan.” With that, he walked out of the house.
“Kelvin, come take your card!” I called after him.
He didn’t answer.
He just kept walking until the door closed behind him What the hell was I supposed to do with this man?
I opened my hand and looked at the invitation.
The party was scheduled to start at 8 p.m.
I tossed the card onto the table, dropped onto the couch, and lay there staring at it from across the room.
I didn’t know what to do.
He hurt me so much.
Why should I pretend?
Why should I show up at his family party and act like everything was fine… like we were still lovey-dovey?
I groaned and covered my face with both hands.
I then dropped my hands and stared at the invitation on the table.
Maybe I shouldn’t go.
That would obviously be the sensible thing to do.
I could stay home, ignore Kelvin’s calls and messages, and pretend none of this ever happened.
But another thought slowly crossed my mind.
What if this was the last time?
What if I went there, played along for one night, and finally said goodbye to everything we had?
Maybe that was what I needed.
Maybe spending one last evening with him, knowing it was over afterward, would finally help me close this chapter of my life.
I stared at the invitation for a long moment before sighing.
“You’re not going because you want him back,” I whispered to myself.
“You’re going because you promised.” I paused before adding quietly, “And because after tonight, you can finally let him go.” That sounded reasonable.
I picked up the invitation and looked at it one more time before dropping it back onto the table.
I knew I might regret this.
I knew I was willingly walking into a room filled with Kelvin’s family, memories, and everything I was trying so hard to leave behind.
But I had already made up my mind.
I got up from the couch and headed to my room to freshen up and get ready.
⸻ ✦ 𝐀𝐓 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐘 ✦ The moment I arrived at the party, I knew I had made a terrible decision.
The place was already alive with people.
Beautiful lights covered the venue, soft music played in the background, and elegantly dressed guests filled the hall.
Servers moved between the tables with trays of drinks and small plates of food while people sat around, talking, laughing, and enjoying themselves.
I stepped inside and looked around, trying my best not to appear as nervous as I felt.
Where the hell was Kelvin?
I couldn’t see him anywhere.
He was the one who practically begged me to come, and now he wasn’t even here to receive me.
I walked farther into the hall, and a server approached me with a tray of drinks.
“Sir?” I glanced at the glasses before taking one.
“Thank you.” I took a small sip, more out of nervousness than thirst, then looked around the room again.
Still no Kelvin.
I slowly made my way to one of the empty seats and sat down, holding the glass between my fingers.
Why did I agree to come?
I should have stayed at home.
I was already regretting this.
I took another sip and glanced at my phone, wondering if I should just call Kelvin and tell him I was leaving.
I was about to unlock my phone when a familiar voice came from behind me.
“Hope you are enjoying the party?” My entire body stiffened.
I knew that voice.
There was absolutely no way I could mistake it.
Slowly, I turned around.
My eyes widened.
My mouth fell slightly open as I stared at the man standing behind me.
What the hell was he doing here?
“What is Mr Professor doing in the party?”