Lanterns Rise, We Meet and Part

But I didn’t feel any pain at all— because the ache in my heart had already drowned out everything else.

Ever since I was little, I had always been the obedient daughter. My parents protected me well and planned out every detail of my life.

The best schools, the best major—even my future path was mapped out clearly.

The only thing that didn’t go according to plan… was meeting Gavin.

That afternoon, he walked into the wrong classroom and found me in the art studio.

He told me I looked like an angel in that moment.

He chased after me for a full year before I was finally moved.

Back then, he was so gentle. He’d hold my hand as we strolled through campus and whenever he kissed me, he’d do it so carefully— as if he was afraid of hurting me.

He said he wanted to see me the moment he opened his eyes, so we moved in together.

Until the day I graduated.

He looked at me in my graduation gown, his eyes burning with intense desire.

That night, he was especially passionate, especially wild. And from that day on, he started coaxing me into wearing all kinds of outfits.

I complied, shamefully, thinking it was just part of the fun in love. But now I finally understand—what he liked was always the "obedient good girl."

And in his eyes, I had long since become a “slut.”

Late at night, I was awakened by sounds from the living room. "Gavin, do you want me?"

"Be good, Bianca. Let's save your first time for our wedding night, okay?"

Bianca pouted playfully, acting coy. "Then when will you marry me?"

"How about in a week?"

In a week?

It felt like someone clenched my heart tightly—I could barely breathe from the pain.

In one week, he would be marrying another woman. And I... I didn’t even have the right to know.

"Then I’ll let you go for now," Bianca's voice was sweet and dripping with satisfaction.

The bedroom door was suddenly pushed open, rough and forceful.

"Lana, get up. Give the bed to Bianca. From now on, she’ll be living here."

His tone was full of entitlement. "She doesn’t like having other women around. Pack your things and move out tomorrow."

He yanked me up roughly and a sharp pain shot through my wrist. "You sleep on the couch tonight."

He didn’t even glance at me before turning to comfort Bianca.

I stumbled into the living room, collapsing onto the sofa where we once watched movies together, once held each other.

Now, it was the only place left for me in this house.

The bedroom finally quieted down.

Suddenly, I felt someone approaching from behind. "Thinking about me? Perfect. I’m in the mood for you too."

As he spoke, Gavin tried to pin me down on the sofa.

The hands that once touched me so tenderly were now forcefully reaching under my dress.

"Did you miss me?"

In that instant, all I felt was disgust—so sick I wanted to throw up.

"Gavin, do you even know what you're doing?" I struggled with all my strength. "Aren’t you afraid your precious Bianca will hear you?"

"Doesn’t that make it more exciting?"

I turned my head, dodging his attempt to kiss me.

"Why don’t you go touch Bianca? Why come to me?"

"Obviously because you’re slutty enough."

His words hit me like a bucket of ice water to the head.

"Bianca isn’t like you. Our first time will be on our wedding night."

At the wedding night, I shoved him away, my whole body trembling with anger and despair. "Gavin, you're about to get married—why are you still messing with me?"

"Oh, so you're jealous?"

He sat up with a laugh, that smile full of smugness and contempt.