Wiping Away Traces of You

The wedding was lively, and nearly all the elites were present.

Cooper was dressed in a custom white suit and looked blissful as he held Jessica by the waist.

Jessica had changed into her wedding gown. Edgar thought she was simply stunning. Elegant, regal, and poised.

Time seemed to have favored her, leaving not a single mark on her face. 13 years had passed, yet she was just as beautiful as the day she had pulled him out of the wardrobe all those years ago.

His gaze lingered on her to indulge in a few more stolen moments. Only then did he step forward and present his wedding gift with both hands.

"Jess, congratulations on your marriage," Edgar said sincerely.

He truly wished her happiness and good health in the years ahead.

Jessica accepted the gift while casting a searching look at Edgar. Although she said nothing, a tumultuous emotion—something she couldn't allow to surface—seemed to churn wildly in her eyes.

Unfortunately, Edgar didn't see it.

After presenting the gift, he left the wedding quietly as he simply couldn't bear to witness Jessica marrying Cooper with his own eyes.

He didn't have that kind of strength. While he genuinely wished Jess well, he would never accept Cooper.

After leaving the wedding, Edgar went to the cemetery, where he laid one final bouquet of fresh flowers on his parents' graves.

"Mom, I think I finally understand why you chose to end your life. Living is so painful. Why didn't you take me with you? You hated Dad so much, but you took him. You said I was the one you loved most, yet you left me here alone."

The world was so vast, and suddenly he felt unbearably lonely. It seemed that no one had ever truly chosen him and loved him unwaveringly. Not even his mother.

"Never mind. If even you couldn't love me, Jess has already done more than enough. If you and Dad are watching from above, don't bless me. Bless her instead."

With that, Edgar bent down, planted a kiss on the gravestone, and turned to leave. He went to a restaurant and patiently waited for Jessica to join him for what would be his final birthday.

Fireworks erupted in the sky in the distance, their light bright enough to display large characters that read, "Congratulations Jessica and Cooper on your marriage!"

How extravagant. But admittedly, it was romantic.

Jessica was the type to spare no effort to pamper the person she loved. It was just a pity that the person she loved was never him.

As time ticked by, the laughter and noise from the direction of the wedding continued.

Even in the restaurant, people were animatedly discussing the event and marveling over how Cooper's wedding attire cost billions, adorned with real diamonds, and how Jessica had willingly splurged to invite his favorite singer to perform at their wedding.

Edgar listened quietly. The world was so vibrant, yet he was alone and isolated.

When it was finally 3:00 pm, he wondered if Jessica would be arriving soon.

An hour later, the appointed time had passed, yet Jessica was still nowhere to be seen. Perhaps, he thought, something had delayed her.

At 5:00 pm, the wedding had long since ended, and the restaurant patrons had stopped talking about it. However, Edgar still didn't see Jessica.

His phone buzzed with a notification. It was an Instagram post from Cooper.

"The wedding's done, and our honeymoon starts now. First stop, Sadores. Boarding the plane."

The photo showed two stacked plane tickets. The top one bore Cooper's name, and Edgar didn't need to guess to know whose name the bottom one bore.

The flight was scheduled to depart at 5:30 pm. At that moment, Edgar finally understood that Jessica wasn't coming.

The cake on the table had begun to melt. Edgar picked it up, his motions wooden and lifeless, and brought a piece to his mouth.

Why was the frosting salty? It tasted awful.

He forced himself to finish the cake, paid the bill, and left.

"Edgar, I wish you an unhappy birthday. May your death bring an end to your pain."

That was his birthday wish for himself.

Edgar drove to the cryonics lab. Inside, the staff were already waiting for his arrival. No one celebrated his birthday, but at least there were people to witness his death, even if they were strangers.

Reaching into his bag, he pulled out a letter and handed it to Harry. "If someone comes looking for me, give them this letter. If no one does… throw it away."

Nothing important was written anyway.

Harry accepted the letter. "I'll keep it safe."

Then, Edgar turned and walked toward the capsule that would become his coffin. He lay inside, just as he used to hide in the closet as a child whenever his parents fought to seek comfort in the cramped space.

The world was too vast and too complicated. He couldn't cope with it. So, he returned to his "wardrobe."

"All systems ready. Begin the cooling process."

At Harry's command, cold vapor enveloped Edgar, and he lost consciousness instantly.

Goodbye, Jess. Congratulations on your wedding.