Mistakenly Devoted to Fleeting Years, Memories Hard to Let Go

After being with Elliot, Millie’s dream had always been to visit an amusement park with him. But Elliot would brush off the idea whenever she brought it up, claiming it was childish and beneath him. He never once joined her.

It wasn’t until a few days ago, when she and Tiffany Molina took her son to the park, that she accidentally bumped into Elliot with Hilary. That’s when she realized how considerate Elliot could be.

For every toy Hilary showed the slightest interest in, Elliot immediately bought it for her. If Hilary so much as pouted, he’d be there with a bottle of water, ready to hand it to her.

Pirate ships, haunted houses, bumper cars—none mattered to him how juvenile the rides were. If Hilary wanted it, Elliot was right there, playing along with an eagerness Millie had never seen.

Their striking appearances caught the attention of passersby and soon enough, someone recognized Hilary and a crowd gathered, asking for autographs and photos.

While Hilary lowered her head to sign, Elliot stood quietly beside her, wrapping his arm protectively around her, shielding her from the swarm of people. His gaze never left her, his smile one of pure indulgence and pride.

Snapping out of her thoughts, Millie was about to turn down Elliot’s invitation to the park. But when she saw his message, something inside her shifted and she agreed.

They rode every ride in the park, but the joy she had once imagined was nowhere to be found.

It dawned on her—perhaps this was what expired happiness felt like.

During their breaks, Elliot kept glancing at his phone, his attention clearly elsewhere.

After finishing her ice cream cone, Millie stood up. “Let’s go back.”

She couldn’t help but wonder, was he eager to go back and see his little childhood sweetheart?

If she remembered correctly, today was Hilary’s birthday.

Their birthdays were only a day apart, but their lives had been worlds apart.

Hilary was always cherished, adored and surrounded by love. Everyone flocked to her, treating her like royalty. Even her own mother had chosen to love Hilary over her.

Back then, Millie had never imagined that she would see her mother again.

It was just an ordinary weekend afternoon. The school had set aside a few hours for parents to visit and many students eagerly awaited the sight of their mothers bringing home-cooked meals to brighten their days.

The dormitory was always filled with the mouth-watering aroma of various dishes. A roommate’s mother would often invite Millie to join them. Still, she always turned down the offer, pretending she had already eaten and retreating to the silence of her room.

That day, she heard a commotion echoing down the hallway. Curiosity piqued, she peered over, only to see Haley pushing a well-dressed woman out of the dorm room. The woman’s lunchbox, beautifully packed, fell to the ground with a loud crash, soup splashing across the floor.

"I’ve never seen anyone so shameless!" Haley snapped, her voice dripping with venom. "Throwing yourself at someone else’s child! If you can’t have your own, go find a stray dog on the street…"

Her cruel words cut through the air, catching the attention of other parents nearby, who hurried to intervene. But Haley didn’t stop—she pointed at the woman, her accusations growing sharper with every word.

But the woman simply smiled, an apologetic curve of her lips. She crouched down, silently wiping up the mess.

At that moment, Millie rushed forward, her heart pounding in her chest as though a force beyond her control had taken over. Grabbing the woman’s arm, she trembled, her voice a whisper barely above the noise of her racing thoughts.

"Mom..."

Haley’s eyes widened in disbelief. "She’s your mom?"

The woman, who had remained so calm, now looked at Millie with wide, shocked eyes. Her gaze softened as tears gathered in her almond-shaped eyes. She gently pushed Millie’s hand away, her smile laced with bitterness.

"Child, you’ve got the wrong person."

From that moment onward, rumors and bullying began to take root, spreading like venomous snakes, tightening their grip around Millie. The more she fought back, the fiercer the punishment grew.

And then, Elliot appeared.

He stepped in, a shield against the harshness and cruelty, protecting her from the relentless torment that had threatened to swallow her whole. He was her guardian for three years, allowing her to breathe in the suffocating chaos of high school.

To Millie, Elliot was like a ray of sunlight breaking through the clouds, a beacon of warmth in a world that had always seemed so dark and cold.

She pursued him with the same fervor as a moth to a flame—changing her career dreams and following him to the same university, all for the chance to become someone worthy in his eyes.

Millie had once thought that Elliot had pulled her from the mud, that he was the one to lift her out of the dirt. But in the end, he had simply used her as a pawn.

She believed she had married for love, only to realize, too late, that her heart had been wasted on someone undeserving.