From Now On, My Years Have Nothing to Do with You

4: 4

Nicholas walked out carrying all his anger with him.

He left the pile of luggage behind.

So I shipped every bit of it to his rented apartment, freight collect.

Without his things, the whole place felt a lot emptier.

Now I could finally decorate it any way I liked.

Nicholas reached out to me a week later:

【Carrie, let's get married.】

The proposal came out of nowhere, and I wasn't ready for it.

This was the very thing I'd once dreamed of.

Say yes, and I'd walk into marriage with the man I loved.

The hotel, the dress, the honeymoon spot.

I'd had all of it ready long ago, all for this moment.

But, Nicholas.

The timing was wrong, in the end.

I replied with a bitter smile:

【We're already over.】

【Save your proposal for someone who actually needs it.】

Saturday night.

I came back from picking up a delivery.

Nicholas was already sprawled on the couch, reeking of alcohol.

Cornelia was in the kitchen making hangover soup.

When she saw me, she came out smiling.

"Sis, Nick's had too much to drink. He absolutely insisted on coming here."

Nicholas heard the noise and grabbed my hand.

"Carrie, do you have any idea how much courage it took me to propose?"

"I don't get it. Why won't you just say yes?"

I pushed his hand away, then turned and saw the diamond ring on Cornelia's finger.

The diamond was bright and glittering, and very familiar.

My mind went back a long way.

Back then we were still sweet on each other.

Nicholas had taken me to the store to pick out a ring, had my size measured.

He said when the time was right, he'd slip that ring onto my finger himself.

Cornelia noticed where I was looking and hurried to take the ring off.

"I was only wearing it for fun. I'll give it back right now."

But the ring wouldn't come off, like it was glued to her finger.

She teared up, helpless, like an innocent child.

I let out a cold laugh.

"Cornelia."

"Could you stop with that pitiful little two-faced act?"

"It's honestly sickening."

Cornelia froze for a second, then the tears came rolling down, fat and heavy.

"Carina, you're going too far!"

Nicholas sobered up in an instant, his face going dark.

"Apologize to Carrie, now!"

I looked at him calmly.

"Why on earth would I apologize?"

Nicholas stood up to argue and accidentally kicked my delivery box.

"Wall Decor Kit..."

He looked around, stunned.

"You changed the whole layout of the place?"

"Yes. The study too."

"Who gave you permission to touch my study?!"

Nicholas stormed toward the study.

"Where's all my stuff?!"

"Why is everything gone off the walls?"

I walked over, unhurried.

"Your things were shipped to your rented place. Didn't you get them?"

"As for the photos, they made me sick, so I threw them out with the trash."

He clawed at his hair, agitated.

"I live here too. What gives you the right to throw me out?"

"The fact that I'm the one whose name is on the place."

"Damn it!"

Nicholas lost it completely.

"Carina, I had a really romantic proposal all set up down by the water."

"But the way you are now, you don't deserve my proposal at all!"

A proposal by the water had always been my wish.

At that moment, I couldn't put what I felt into words.

He was finally about to keep a promise.

Just after we'd broken up.

Nicholas took Cornelia's hand.

"Carina, today's the day I finally see exactly what kind of person you are."

"And you don't need to apologize to Cornelia either. She can't take it!"

"You wanted a breakup, didn't you? Fine, I'm giving it to you. Don't come crying to get back together later!"

And with that, Nicholas left.

He never contacted me again after that.

I kept decorating the place the way I liked.

The new company was good, and I settled into the work fast.

It was like starting a whole new life.

A month later.

I made plans to go out with a new coworker.

He lived in the faculty housing at a university.

Knowing I wanted to wander around the campus, he'd sent the invitation on purpose.

Owen Stephens sent me a photo of Nicholas and Cornelia together at their family home:

【Sis, why did my brother bring Cora home and not you?】

Cornelia was still wearing that ring on her finger.

I replied evenly:

【Stop calling me Sis.】

【Your brother and I have already broken up.】