Elias had told Mira not to pay attention to the online jokes—after all, he was a firefighter, and it was his duty and responsibility to put out fires and save lives. Mira, of course, hadn’t let those comments bother her. That was, until she discovered that Elias and Vera had added each other on Facebook.
Over the past three months, Vera had frequently threatened to commit suicide. Whenever she became overwhelmed with despair, she would call Elias, saying she no longer wanted to live. Without fail, he would rush to her side, even in the dead of night, offering his support and counseling her endlessly.
Now, Elias, a married man, was planning to give Vera a wedding in an effort to make her cherish her life. The realization struck Mira like a slap to the face.
Her jaw tightened, and she glared at the scenery flashing by outside the car window, her eyes burning with the weight of the emotion she struggled to suppress. It felt as though her heart was being squeezed, crushed under the weight of betrayal.
That evening, she ordered takeout and ate mechanically, each bite tasteless as her mind raced. She sent her various medical reports to her high school friend, who studied medicine, hoping for some clarity.
Not long after, the door opened, and Elias entered, his presence as cold as the winter air surrounding him. He walked over, setting a bag down on the coffee table.
"After thinking it over, I couldn’t let my Mira spend the anniversary alone," he said, his voice softening as he leaned in and kissed her forehead. "I rushed back as soon as I finished my mission. It’s not too late, is it?"
Mira’s pupils flickered, her heart fluttering for a brief moment before it sank. Before she could process the emotion, Elias pulled out a transparent lunch box from the bag.
"I packed this before I started my shift," he explained, opening the lid. "After you eat, we can figure out how to make up for the anniversary tomorrow. I swapped shifts with someone for the day."
Mira gazed at the three dishes inside the lunch box, recognizing them immediately. They were identical to the ones Vera had posted earlier. Her voice trembled as she asked, "Where did the food come from?"
Elias hesitated for a moment. "Oh, it’s from Simon. He insisted on treating us after we finished our shift. His daughter passed her piano exam, so we celebrated."