Turning My Back on Love

I couldn't understand. I was the girlfriend George was in a relationship with for years, yet why did I have to let Winona have the wedding plan I'd painstakingly worked on?

Why did I have to let Winona have the wedding dress I'd personally designed?

Last but not least, why did I have to let Winona have George?

I couldn't stop myself from crying, but I did bite the back of my hand to muffle any sounds I made.

After a while, I took several deep breaths to calm down.

I kept telling myself that the quicker I finished packing, the sooner I could leave.

That night, I was already asleep when cold fingers reached out to touch my waist. When I opened my eyes, George's eyes were staring right into mine.

He spoke in a low voice, sounding rather pitiful. "Mary, I can't sleep alone."

When I remained silent, he moved his head closer.

At that moment, his phone, which he had placed beside his pillow, lit up. The light coincidentally illuminated the love bite on his neck, making it appear glaringly obvious.

I hurriedly turned my face away to avoid his approaching lips. Bile rose in my throat at the sight, and I felt like vomiting.

Noting my discomfort, George quickly asked, "Mary, what's wrong?"

I pointed at the door. "Get out. I just want to sleep by myself."

In the hazy darkness of the room, I vaguely saw a surprised expression on George's face, although I didn't know if I had imagined it.

After what happened, I lost all semblance of drowsiness.

Unbidden, a memory came to me.

One evening, I'd decided to take a shortcut by going through an alleyway behind the school. Unfortunately, I had run into a thug with malicious intentions toward me.

Just as I was panicking, George had appeared out of nowhere and charged at the thug, who was wielding a knife. Despite the danger, George had risked his life to protect me.

At the time, we'd actually been giving each other the cold shoulder due to an argument, so I was surprised at his sudden appearance. Worried he would be hurt by the thug, I'd shakily taken out my phone to call the police.

After the thug had run away, he'd wrapped me up in a tight hug. "Don't be scared, Mary, I'm here. No one can hurt you with me around."

Still trembling from the fear, I'd asked worriedly, "George, are you okay? Are you injured?"

George had been clutching his arm, but he still shook his head at me. In the dim light of the alleyway, all I could see was the love and concern shining in his eyes.

"It doesn't matter what happens to me, as long as you're fine."

The sincere and youthful George of the past slowly changed into the current George.

In an instant, I felt an emptiness yawning inside me, as well as an overwhelming sense of loss.

Just how did George and I end up like this?

Before I'd realized it, it was already morning. My phone calendar reminded me to pick up the wedding ring from the jewelry store today.

The ring had been carved with jasmine designs—the flowers George used when he proposed to me.

Since I wouldn't get to use it, I would destroy it.

After checking my receipt, the jeweler raised his head and said, "Someone has already come to retrieve this. Let me check the surveillance for you."

In the surveillance footage, George entered the shop with Winona, who was hugging his arm. George then took out the ring and slipped it onto her finger.

Winona seized the opportunity when George lowered his head to stand on her tiptoes and kiss him.

George froze in surprise, but he didn't move away.

Waving the hand with the ring on it, Winona was smiling dazzlingly as she asked, "George, does it look good on me?"

Noticing how pale I had gone, the jeweler asked if I needed any help. However, I forced myself to smile and told him I would handle the matter myself.

Following that, I called Winona.

"Mary, do you need something?"

"The ring with the jasmine design is with you, isn't it? Return it to me."

I had barely finished speaking when George's voice came over the line.

"Mary, I know what the ring means to you, but since Winnie likes it, just give it to her. She's younger than us, so we should indulge her."

I could vaguely hear Winona in the background, saying in an aggrieved tone, "George, Mary is upset, isn't she? Maybe I should return the ring to her."

"Winnie, keep it if you like it. As your sister-in-law, she won't mind."

As I listened silently to the conversation between the two, a familiar ache burned in my heart.

I couldn't help but scoff at myself for not learning my lesson despite being burned so many times before.

No matter what, when it came to Winona and me, I would always be the one thrown aside.

Wiping the tears leaking from the corners of my eyes, I took in a deep breath before saying, "You can keep the ring. I don't like it anymore, nor do I want it."

I didn't want George anymore either.