I started in the den, clearing away framed photos, books we’d shared and all the papers and trinkets we’d accumulated together. As I placed the last item in a box, something fell out—a diary.
Flipping through it, I saw pages filled with our happy memories—dates, anniversaries and little notes about the silly things we’d done.
The paper had yellowed slightly, but the memories were still vivid. I hesitated, then decided to leave it behind.
But that wedding dress? It mocked me, hanging there as if nothing had changed. I couldn’t resist grabbing a pair of scissors. I slashed the dress to shreds in a few swift, emotionless motions.
It felt oddly satisfying.
I took it a step further, listing all the expensive gifts Vincent had ever given me online—for free, as long as the recipients paid for shipping. By the time I’d finished packing, almost everything had been sold. I scheduled a courier to take it all away the next day.
That evening, my phone buzzed, reminding me that I had tickets at seven o’clock immersive play tonight. A popular one sold out for weeks. I’d booked the tickets long ago when I thought Vincent and I would go together.
I didn’t plan to ask Vincent if he was still going because he had long forgotten about it. Just before the show started, he texted that he was busy with work and asked me not to wait for him for dinner.
I rolled my eyes and went alone. Since I couldn’t get front-row tickets, my seat was in the right aisle, not too close to the stage. The play was incredible—a heart-wrenching love story about life and death. By the end, I was moved to tears.
When the play was about to end, the actors went to the stage to interact with the audience. A giant screen lit up, announcing a random audience member selected for interaction. The big screen showed that Vincent had been chosen and sat next to Zoe.
Oh, it turned out that work was busy accompanying Zoe. They also got the privilege to buy the front row. The spotlight shone on them and they looked perfect together—Vincent, sharp and handsome; Zoe, radiant and elegant.
The actors asked if they were a couple. Zoe giggled and leaned into Vincent’s arm, not even waiting for his response. The crowd roared with cheers and teasing.