Goodbye to Yesterday's Love

I stayed at my father’s grave for a moment, thinking about leaving the town that had been my hometown for twenty-two years.

However, suddenly a cool breeze hit me as if it was my father greeting me.

I could not help whispering, “I’m sorry, Dad. I don’t think I can stay here anymore. Everything I loved about this place... it’s gone.”

My tears flowed easily as I said that. But when I closed my eyes, I seemed to hear my father’s whisper, he seemed to say, “That’s fine, dear. You deserve your own happiness.”

As soon as I opened my eyes again, I looked around to find my father. But all I found was an empty grave.

So, I took a deep breath and forced a smile to say to my father, “Sure, Dad.”

I had actually started thinking about leaving shortly after graduating from university. Still, my father’s jewelry business, a family legacy passed down from my grandfather, had kept me rooted there.

I could not simply walk away from something so deeply tied to my family. So, I studied business, hoping to carry on my father’s name and preserve his work.

But my plans shattered in my third year of college when my father passed away. With him gone, it felt as if everything meaningful had vanished from the world.

I was used to people leaving; I had learned early on to adapt. My mother had returned to her home country after divorcing my father when I was only seven, leaving a void I had thought would never be filled.

But my father, ever my rock, had filled that emptiness with gentle promises and endless support.

“It’s not just me, honey,” he would tell me. “You have your grandparents, and you will always have Morgan and Nate by your side. You will never be alone, Ariel.”

Starting from that day, Morgan and Nate had been with me. They were the sons of close family friends, which ended up becoming my constant companions.

We had grown together, filling each other's lives with laughter and shared dreams.

Nate had promised he would become a doctor. His eyes even shone with determination as he said, “One day, I will be the one to perform surgery on you myself, Ariel. I will make sure you’re strong, healthy, and no longer have a congenital heart condition.”

Morgan, with his steady confidence, had vowed to follow in his family’s footsteps as a lawyer.

“I will be the lawyer so I can look after the business with you,” he would say, giving me hope for the future.

As a result, for fifteen years, these two friends had filled my life with joy, companionship, and support. Even my mother, though far away, never forgot my birthdays and sent gifts that made me feel connected to her, no matter the distance.

My father, too, had been my unwavering support through it all, cheering me on as I grew into a strong, spirited woman despite my health challenges. So, I could not simply leave the house and studio he had poured his life into.

After my visit to his grave, I headed to my father’s studio, hoping to find someone trustworthy to manage it in my absence.

I was lost in thought when my phone buzzed. It was a message from Demi.

[Demi: Hey, if you feel guilty, bring some clean clothes to the hospital, quick.]

I frowned, feeling a flash of irritation. Guilt? She expected me to feel guilty?

I tapped out a short, detached reply. [Ariel: I am busy.]

At the same time, I saw a notification that Demi had just posted on social media. It was a photo of her with Nate and Morgan with a caption, [So happy to have you guys. I don’t know what would have happened to me if there were no @Your_Morgan and @Nate_Than.]

Demi also tagged Nate and Morgan’s accounts, so from her post, she got a lot of sympathy in the comments column. They even asked what happened to Demi, while some felt jealous because Demi was surrounded by two handsome men.

That post made me sick and I immediately locked my phone to focus on my original purpose of coming to the studio.

However, I was unable to find any contacts at the studio, so I decided to head home and check my father’s study.

As I walked up the front path, I noticed two familiar figures stepping out of a car. They were Morgan and Nate.

I froze, watching as they used their spare key to enter my house. That key had been meant for emergencies, to protect me if something went wrong when I was home alone. But then, it was being used for Demi.

As soon as Nate saw me, he stormed over, his face clouded with anger.

“Ariel, do you even care about anyone other than yourself?” he snapped, his words slicing through me. “Demi is in the hospital because of you, and here you are, busy with your own business!”

Morgan followed; his expression was equally cold. He looked at me as if he barely recognized me.

“If anything serious happens to Demi,” he warned, “you will be facing a lawsuit. Think about that, Ariel.”

Without waiting for my response, he turned on his heel and strode into the house with Nate close behind, leaving me speechless on the doorstep.

The resentment simmered within me, bubbling over as I tried to process their words.

They did not care about my side of the story, nor did they remember what day it was. All their loyalty, all their concern, it was no longer for me.

I felt my heart harden as I realized how far we had drifted.

My gaze landed on a set of jewelry I used every day. It was the gift they had given me on my eighteenth birthday.

It was a beautiful set, something they had scoured the city for a one-of-a-kind design and unique to me. So, I had treasured it, wearing it often just to see the pride in their eyes.

But if they no longer valued me, why should I keep it?

That was why, as I came to my room, I took the small jewelry box resting on my dresser, placed the jewelry back in the box, took a deep breath, and headed out to return it.

Just as I reached the door, Morgan and Nate were coming out of Demi’s room, having packed a bag of clothes for her.

“Here,” I said coolly, holding out the box to Nate.

He stared at it, confusion flickering in his eyes. “Isn’t this the set we gave you for your eighteenth birthday?” His voice was softer, tinged with surprise.

“Yes,” I replied, meeting his gaze with a calmness I didn’t feel. “I thought it was time to give it back.”

Morgan’s brow furrowed as he took a step closer, glancing between me and the box. “Why would you give it back to us? We spent weeks trying to find this for you, Ariel,” he said, a hint of hurt in his voice.

I shrugged, keeping my tone steady. “The style doesn’t suit me anymore. But I know it costs you both a lot, and I appreciate the effort. I thought you might want to sell it or maybe put it in a museum. It’s up to you.”

Nate looked taken aback. “Ariel, you used to love this set.”

“Did I?” I replied, a bitter smile tugging at my lips. “It seems I was wrong. Maybe I thought you both cared about me, too, but I guess I was mistaken there as well.”

Morgan and Nate’s jaw clenched, but they said nothing. There was a flicker of something in his expression, maybe hurt, but I did not care.

I let go of the box, placing it in Nate’s hands, and turned back to my room without another word.

The countdown of leaving appeared in my mind, and I couldn't help but pull out a bitter smile. Leaving was the right decision.

I wonder how they would react when they knew the truth.