Love Lost Along the Way

The night my boyfriend confessed his feelings for me, he cried so hard he could barely speak. He said he'd somehow seen the future and wanted me to make him a promise. I asked him why. He only said, “I don't remember. I just remember that the future me regretted everything. More than anything. “Yvette, no matter what happens in the future, promise you'll give me three chances, okay?” I was deeply in love with him then, so of course I agreed without hesitation. But later, he seemed to forget all about that promise. Especially when he became inseparable from his female assistant. It wasn't until I signed my name on the divorce papers that I finally understood why he'd asked me for those three chances. Because just as I signed my name, a voice suddenly sounded beside my ear. It was Luke. Luke Miller at nineteen. He was crying. “Yvette, you promised me, remember? “You said you'd give me three chances.” Chapter 1 “Yvette, you're such a generous person. I'm sure you'll step aside and let Luke and me be together, right?” The message on my phone was from Luke's assistant, Megan Spencer. Below that single line were dozens of photos and videos. The two of them locked in a passionate embrace beneath the Eiffel Tower. Whispering sweetly to each other inside the Louvre. Completely naked together on a beach in the Maldives. There were even photos of them having sex in front of a floor-to-ceiling window. Only then did I finally understand. Luke Miller was no longer the man I'd fallen in love with. We'd met when neither of us had anything. For the sake of his acting career, I'd worked from dawn until late at night. Every cent I earned went toward his performances, his auditions, and getting him from one production to the next. For seven years, I worked myself to exhaustion. I'd fallen asleep on the subway ride home. I'd drunk so much at business dinners that I'd ended up with a bleeding stomach. Little by little, I'd built a company from nothing. And Luke had finally become one of the most famous actors in the country. Everything we'd once dreamed of doing together... In the end, he'd chosen to do it all with his little assistant instead. I stopped hesitating. I had divorce papers drawn up. But just as I was about to sign my name, a voice suddenly sounded beside my ear. “Yvette, don't. “You promised you'd give me three chances, remember?” The familiar voice hit me like a bolt of lightning. My entire body trembled. I turned my head. Nineteen-year-old Luke was standing right beside me. His figure was faint and almost transparent. He was wearing the suit I'd bought him back then with money I'd earned from squeezing in extra part-time shifts. It had cost barely a few hundred dollars. But in my memory, he'd never looked more handsome than he had in that suit. I stared blankly at nineteen-year-old Luke. Then I suddenly smiled. “Fine. “Three chances.” Just then, my phone rang again. “Yvette!” Luke's furious voice exploded through the phone. “How many times have I told you to stop giving Megan a hard time? She's just my assistant! She already spends every day flying all over the place with me. She's exhausted enough as it is! “If you keep this up, forget about that trip to the beach I promised you!” I put the call on speaker. Twenty-seven-year-old Luke's angry voice filled the room. I turned to look at nineteen-year-old Luke and gave him a gentle smile. His face had already twisted with anger. “How can he talk to you like that?” His whole body trembled. “How the hell can he talk to you like that?” But twenty-seven-year-old Luke remained cold. “Yvette, you've really gotten bold lately. Now you've even got some guy there talking back for you?” His voice hardened. “You have thirty minutes to get to Feltel Tower, or else—” Nineteen-year-old Luke reached over and ended the call. I only said softly, “That's your first chance, Luke.” I wasn't even sure whether I was saying it to nineteen-year-old Luke... Or to myself. By the time I drove to Feltel Tower, forty minutes had already passed. Chapter 2 The area around the building was packed, and traffic was terrible. By the time I finally reached Luke's office on the top floor of Feltel Tower, I was already late. The moment I pushed open the door, Luke's voice rang out. “Yvette, I warned you. I told you to be standing in front of me within thirty minutes, and now—” “Mm-hmm.” I cut him off indifferently and walked over to the couch, taking a seat. Megan Spencer was in the office too. Her head was lowered, her eyes slightly red. Her right hand remained wrapped around her left wrist. My indifferent attitude seemed to set Luke off. He slammed a hand down on the desk. “Yvette, what kind of attitude is that? You still won't admit you were wrong?” Before I could even speak, Megan cut in. “Luke, it's okay. It's just a watch. Don't blame Yvette.” That only made Luke angrier. Yet when he turned to Megan, he forced down his temper and spoke gently. “What do you mean, don't blame her? She was petty enough to take back the birthday present I gave you.” His voice softened. “Don't worry. I'm not going to take her side.” Then he turned toward me, his tone instantly turning sharp. “Yvette, I'm giving you one last chance. Give Megan her watch back.” I couldn't even remember how many times something like this had happened. Megan had framed me over and over again. No matter how much I explained, Luke never believed me. The man who had once trusted me unconditionally now doubted me without hesitation. I couldn't be bothered arguing anymore. I stood up, unfastened the slightly worn watch around my left wrist, and casually tossed it at Megan's feet. The gesture made both nineteen-year-old Luke and twenty-seven-year-old Luke lose control. Nineteen-year-old Luke looked at me with tears in his eyes. “Yvette, please. Don't... don't do this.” Twenty-seven-year-old Luke's eyes, meanwhile, turned red with fury. “Yvette! Have I been too damn nice to you?” --- The watch lying near Luke's feet was the only watch I owned. Back then, he'd landed his first acting role. It was only a supporting part, but he'd been thrilled for days. After filming wrapped, he'd used what little money he'd earned to buy me that watch. It had only cost a couple hundred dollars. From that day on, I'd never worn another one. I still remembered the day he'd given it to me. He'd held my hand sincerely, his eyes faintly red, as though he felt guilty that he couldn't give me more. “Yvette, this is all I can afford right now.” His voice had been soft. “But when I start making real money, I swear I'll buy you the watch you've always wanted.” And later, he did buy that watch. Just not for me. He gave it to Megan. I couldn't be bothered saying anything else. I turned and headed for the door. “You!” Twenty-seven-year-old Luke was so furious he could barely get the words out. Megan, on the other hand, immediately began soothing him. “Luke, calm down. Maybe the birthday present you gave me means a lot to Yvette.” Her voice was soft and understanding. “If that's the case, then I guess I was wrong. It's only natural that Yvette would have someone take it back. “Don't blame her. I'm fine.” Her voice dropped. “Besides, no one ever celebrated my birthday with me growing up. I'm already more than happy that you spent mine with me.” She gave a small, sad smile. “I don't need a present.” Her words gradually calmed Luke's ragged breathing. At last, he looked at me with slightly less hostility. “Yvette, give Megan her watch back.” He paused. “I'll buy you a better one later.” Chapter 3 “No need.” I spoke coldly. “I don't want the one on the floor, and I don't want anything you buy me in the future either.” Then I strode out of the office. But nineteen-year-old Luke suddenly rushed after me and grabbed my arm. “Yvette, wait. Please.” His eyes were red. “Can we go back and get that watch? I gave it to you.” His tone was tentative, as though he was afraid I'd be angry with him. Looking at that handsome, familiar face, my heart softened despite myself. “Okay.” I looked at him. “But this will count as your second chance. Are you sure you want to use it?” Nineteen-year-old Luke nodded firmly without the slightest hesitation. I reached up and ruffled his hair. Then I turned around and headed back from the elevators. I pushed open the office door again. And what I saw sent nineteen-year-old Luke completely over the edge. Megan had her arms around twenty-seven-year-old Luke, leaning close to his ear as she whispered something intimately. The moment I walked in, they quickly pulled apart. “Yvette, when did you become so rude?” Luke snapped. “Don't you know you're supposed to knock before entering someone else's office?” I gave him a cool glance and walked straight toward them. I bent down to pick up the watch. But Megan quietly stepped on the strap. I had no choice but to straighten again. Megan lowered her gaze. “Yvette, I was only trying to calm Luke down because he was so angry. Please don't misunderstand.” The moment Megan put on that wounded act again, Luke immediately lost his temper. “Yvette, look at yourself.” His voice was full of disgust. “Megan is always so thoughtful, and all you ever do is make things difficult for her. Apologize.” I ignored him. Keeping my eyes fixed on Megan, I forced down the anger rising inside me. “Move your foot, please.” Megan pretended not to hear. “Yvette, I really didn't mean anything by it.” Suddenly, Luke grabbed my chin. “Apologize to Megan.” I looked at his furious face. Then I turned slightly toward nineteen-year-old Luke. He stood frozen. Tears streamed silently down his face. The sight of him made my chest ache. Just like that, the anger inside me disappeared. I spoke softly. “I'm sorry.” --- “Oh, Yvette, you don't have to do that. Really.” Megan carefully stepped backward. But I clearly caught the faint smile at the corner of her mouth. I ignored whatever Luke said next. I bent down and picked up the watch, now battered and damaged, then turned and left the office. On the way out of Feltel Tower, nineteen-year-old Luke cried so hard he could barely speak. He apologized to me again and again. I gently patted his head. “It's okay, Luke.” “You didn't do anything wrong.” I looked at his handsome face and asked softly, “Do you know what tomorrow is?” Luke stared at me blankly. Then he glanced at the date on the car's display. His face suddenly flushed. Excitement lit up his eyes. “It's the day I'm supposed to propose to you.” He was right. Six years ago, on our first wedding anniversary, Luke and I had made a promise. No matter how much or how little money we had by then, six years later, on Valentine's Day, he would propose to me again. At the beach. “Good memory.” I smiled at him. “So will you come with me tomorrow?” Nineteen-year-old Luke looked at me, his eyes shining like stars. For a long moment, neither of us looked away. Then, as though he'd finally made up his mind, he told me a secret. “Yvette, do you know why I was able to see the future?” I shook my head. “The night I confessed to you, I made a wish on a shooting star.” His voice was quiet. “I wished to see my future. “But after seeing it, I wouldn't remember any of it.” He paused. “Not until midnight tomorrow night. “That's when I'll remember everything I saw.” Chapter 4 Another tear slipped down nineteen-year-old Luke's face. “So tomorrow night, he'll regret everything.” But neither of us expected twenty-seven-year-old Luke to actually show up at the beach. He just wasn't there for our promise. “Yvette, you actually followed me here?” Luke's face darkened the moment he saw me. “So now you're spying on me too. Fine. Very nice.” The beach where we'd once promised he would propose to me again was now covered in roses. Behind them, all kinds of fireworks had been set up, ready to light the sky. And standing in the middle of it all was twenty-seven-year-old Luke. Even when he saw me, he didn't let go of Megan's hand. “That's all three chances, Luke.” I whispered the words softly. Beside me, nineteen-year-old Luke desperately shook my arm. “Yvette, please. Don't.” His voice was almost pleading. “Maybe he prepared all this for you. Let's go over and see, okay?” But twenty-seven-year-old Luke's voice was ice-cold. “Yvette, get over here!” I turned and gave nineteen-year-old Luke a gentle look. Then I walked forward. “Yvette! What the hell do you want now?” Luke immediately tore into me. “You took Megan's watch and I let it go. Now I'm putting on a fireworks show at the beach to make it up to her, and you're here trying to ruin that too?” “Not really.” I shrugged. “I'm just here to watch the fireworks. If you don't mind, bring us two chairs.” Luke seemed momentarily speechless. I ignored him. I took nineteen-year-old Luke's hand and led him off to the side to sit down. I kept trying to comfort him. But he wouldn't stop crying. When twenty-seven-year-old Luke saw that I wasn't going to cause a scene, he finally relaxed. Then, without even bothering to hide it, he wrapped his arms around Megan and began whispering sweetly to her. I watched without feeling a thing. I only tightened my hand around nineteen-year-old Luke's cold fingers. Time passed. The night grew deeper. Just before Valentine's Day came to an end, fireworks burst across the sky. Beneath the brilliant lights, I took out the engagement ring I'd prepared in advance. Then I dropped to one knee in front of nineteen-year-old Luke. “Luke.” My voice was soft. “Will you marry me?” He covered his mouth, tears trembling in his eyes. “You... you still want to marry me?” “Of course.” I looked straight into his eyes. “I'll always love the you standing in front of me right now.” The light in his eyes was the part of him I would love forever. For a long time, he couldn't speak. Then he nodded hard and held out his left hand. “Yvette, yes.” His voice broke with emotion. “Yes, I will.” I smiled. My heart felt strangely full as I gently took his hand. I was just about to slide the ring onto his finger when the clock struck midnight. Nineteen-year-old Luke began dissolving into countless points of light. Right in front of me. My tears finally spilled over. “Goodbye, Luke.” My voice trembled. “The Luke I loved.” Just then, a woman's voice sounded abruptly behind me. “Luke, Yvette looks so pathetic.” Megan's voice was sweet, almost pitying. “She's all alone, kneeling there with a ring. Who is she even proposing to?” Then she laughed softly. “I guess I'm the lucky one. At least I have you with me.” I turned around. At some point, Megan had led Luke over behind me. She was holding his hand. And from the angle where Luke couldn't see her face, she was openly smirking at me. But Luke wasn't looking at her. He was staring at me. Tears were already streaming down his face.