Love's Second Chance

Chapter 1

Zara Cardellini wanted to surprise Jonathan Xarr on the eighth anniversary of their relationship.

She specially requested a day off from her job at the dance company to visit his company. Little did she expect to hear an unknown woman's voice when she arrived outside the president's office.

"Writing articles is so difficult, Jonathan." The voice sounded demure, with a slight kittenish undertone.

It made Zara stiffen.

Subsequently, Jonathan's voice rang out. "Don't worry. I'll help you."

He spoke with a warm, gentle tone. It was a tone that Zara was once extremely familiar with.

Zara opened the door and entered, only to see that Jonathan wasn't sitting at his desk. He sat on the couch near his desk, and beside him was a young woman in a white dress. He was leaning in to look at the woman's laptop, which made him seem very close to the woman.

When Jonathan realized Zara had entered his office, he froze before standing like nothing was wrong. "What brings you here, Zar?"

Zara didn't respond. Instead, her attention was on the woman, who appeared young. She was probably around 20.

The more she looked at the young woman, the more she felt the latter had a striking resemblance to herself from eight years ago.

Jonathan stepped in to introduce the women when he noticed Zara's gaze. "This is Harper Gavino, Hayden Gavino's younger sister. She's currently interning at our company. Hayden asked me to look after her in his absence."

Zara nodded, suppressing any unsettling sensations she felt. "I came to ask you out for lunch."

Before Jonathan could speak, Harper shot to her feet with excitement. She exclaimed, "Zara? I'm a huge fan of yours!"

Zara was still in a daze, unable to process what had happened.

That was when Jonathan smiled at Harper, who was acting like a fangirl. Only after that did he explain, "Harper used to take ballet classes, too."

Zara was the youngest principal dancer at Yorwick City's ballet dance company. Because of that, many dancers saw her as their idol.

Harper immediately butted in when she heard the two were going out for lunch. "Can I come along?"

Zara would have agreed if this was an ordinary day, but today was her and Jonathan's eighth anniversary.

Before she could say anything, Jonathan patted Harper's head and said, "You little foodie. Come on, then. I'll take you out for a meal."

Zara naturally couldn't decline since Jonathan had already spoken up. So, she flashed a smile and went along with it. "Sure, let's all go."

So, the date went from a meal between two people to three.

…

In the restaurant, Jonathan had strict control over whatever Harper ordered. He seemed oddly responsible for the latter, almost like he was more than a friend or brother. Still, Zara kept mentally making up excuses for his behavior.

Harper pouted upon seeing Jonathan had ruled out over half of what she wanted to order.

Jonathan noticed the former wasn't speaking, so he said, "You can get a milkshake on the way back to the company."

Only then did Harper smile again.

For a split second, Zara felt like she was the unwanted third wheel at what should have been her eighth-anniversary date. She watched in silence as Jonathan took care of Harper in many ways.

She found his actions very familiar. That was because everything he did in that instant used to be specially reserved for her.

…

Zara was 20, and Jonathan was 22 eight years ago. He was a known wealthy heir and womanizer at the time. Meanwhile, she was the campus belle who devoted herself to practicing ballet and was never interested in dating.

They only interacted during Jonathan's graduation ceremony when Zara danced as part of the juniors' farewell to the seniors.

That was when she captured Jonathan's attention, and he began doing the extreme to pursue her.

Zara's parents divorced early on in their marriage. That caused Zara to have an unapproachable personality, and she didn't believe in love. So, she never planned on dating.

Even so, Jonathan was too passionate to resist. He had little patience toward women, yet he was surprisingly determined to be with Zara alone and courted her for half a year.

Jonathan invited Zara out for meals, making it a point to remember the foods she disliked. If she were on her period, he would even order warm, soothing teas for her.

He would show up at all of Zara's competitions. Whenever she won an award, he would be the first to deliver her a bouquet of fresh flowers.

He set off fireworks in the city for her and rejected several other girls because of her. Zara was the only woman in his heart. He only had eyes for her.

Zara's heart wasn't made of steel, so she eventually felt touched by his actions.

Since they started dating, Jonathan stopped his womanizing ways. Their relationship then lasted eight years in the blink of an eye.

…

Zara basked in Jonathan's boundless and meticulous care whenever they went on dates eight years ago. They were now on a date eight years later, but Jonathan's focus was on another woman.

Zara later snapped back to reality.

A waiter brought over some dishes. Alas, he accidentally spilled the hot soup on Harper's arm, causing her to shriek.

Jonathan's expression shifted at once. He bellowed, "What the hell are you doing?"

He scooped Harper up frantically and bolted out of the restaurant when the latter's face pale. In doing so, he completely forgot about his girlfriend. She was still sitting at the table and staring in a daze as he vanished from her eyes.

The restaurant manager brought over a cake on a push cart soon after.

Zara had handmade that cake to celebrate her and Jonathan's eighth anniversary. She had asked the manager to bring in the cake halfway through the meal to surprise Jonathan.

However, the manager looked at the empty seats at the table and tensed awkwardly just then. He was even holding up a big banner that said, "Happy Eighth Anniversary."

The situation was evidently and ironically not a happy celebration.

"Ms. Cardellini…" the manager struggled to speak.

Zara forced a stiff smile while maintaining her composure. "You and your employees may enjoy the cake."

Then, she picked up her bag and left.

She had just exited the restaurant and looked at cars traveling down the busy street. There was an emptiness in her as she suddenly recalled their first anniversary. Jonathan booked an entire restaurant and even shipped over a thousand roses for her.

Zara disliked being flashy. So, she asked him not to make such a big deal over their anniversary.

Jonathan hugged her and replied, "But I want the whole world to know that I love you, Zara."

He was thoughtful and spent all his time with her during her birthday, Valentine's Day, and every anniversary in their first few years of dating.

However, Zara could tell Jonathan no longer put in effort for such events since two years ago. They would usually just have a meal together to celebrate.

After their passionate honeymoon phase ended, they gradually settled into a dull relationship.

Zara often comforted herself by saying all couples went through this. Yet, she never expected the man, who wanted the world to know he loved her, to forget their anniversary.

…

Zara later got home and took a shower.

For the first time, she didn't leave the bedroom after she was done showering. She merely stood as the water evaporated from her body. At the same time, she stared absently at the full-length mirror in her bedroom.

She was still a tall, slender woman with delicate and beautiful features.

Yet, that was when Harper's face flashed in her mind.

Harper was as beautiful as Zara, but Harper's gaze was livelier and brighter. Those were qualities Zara no longer possessed.

Nobody could be young forever, but there would always be someone younger. An instance of that was Harper, who was 20 years old today.

…

It was almost 10:00 pm when Jonathan returned home.

He had been caring for Harper at the hospital all this while. Even when he returned home, he continued to worry about her and made several calls to the hospital.

He told Harper, "You can't wet your wound, okay? Call the nurse if you need anything. Don't try to do it yourself."

Zara silently listened to him while hanging up his coat, which he had just taken off. Just then, she found strawberry-flavored candy in the pocket of Jonathan's coat.

Jonathan hung up at that moment.

"I thought you disliked eating candy." Zara held up some of the candy in her palm.

Jonathan glanced at the candy before putting them back into his suit pocket. "Harper likes those. I keep them on hand in case she gets bored during meetings."

Zara froze. She suddenly recalled that Jonathan used to keep her favorite mint candy on hand. It was for whenever she was nervous before performing on stage.

He would say, "There, there. Have some candy, and you won't feel nervous anymore."

Zara wondered when Jonathan had replaced her favorite mint candy with these strawberry ones. She didn't say anything but fell into a daze.

Jonathan could tell something was off with Zara's mood. He abruptly held her hand and placed something cold around her wrist. Only then did she snap out of her daze.

Zara lowered her head and saw that Jonathan had put a thin bracelet around her wrist. It had intricate metalwork. With one glance, she could tell it cost a fortune.

Jonathan hugged her, his warm breath tickling her ear. "Sorry, Zar. I couldn't be with you today on our eighth anniversary."

He had finally recalled what day it was. After a pause, he added, "Don't mind Harper. I have no choice but to look after her because Hayden entrusted me with her care before he left the country."

Zara's arms were on each side of her body. She balled her fists but ultimately said, "I understand."

Jonathan kissed her forehead. He figured he had resolved the matter and headed to the bathroom for a shower.

Meanwhile, Zara remained on the spot, but her heart wasn't at peace.

Back then, Jonathan would do everything in his power to cheer Zara up if she wasn't in a good mood. Once, they had fought, and Zara hadn't answered his calls because she wanted to calm down. To her surprise, he took a more than ten-hour flight back from a foreign country, Atraria, to see her.

Yet, even as he apologized now, Zara could tell something was off. He was so obviously thoughtless and bland that Zara couldn't lie to herself anymore. She had to accept that Jonathan was different from before.

She felt suffocated. It was as if a boulder had crushed her chest.

Chapter 2

One of Jonathan's friends was getting married and had arranged for a bachelor party.

Zara accompanied Jonathan in attending the party. They entered the private room, which was full of familiar faces. Even Harper was there.

Yet, Jonathan's expression dimmed once he saw her. He approached to ask, "Who allowed you to come to such a place?"

Indeed, Harper was dripping with innocence and clashed with the wild environment.

"My brother's abroad on a business trip, so I'm here to pass a gift to the groom on his behalf."

Jonathan's frown eased slightly after hearing that. Still, he reminded her countless times not to drink any alcohol before returning to Zara's side.

Zara subtly suppressed any ruffled emotions in her heart as she watched Jonathan show concern for Harper.

Just then, the star of the party arrived. Everyone gathered around to congratulate him. That also shifted Zara's focus off Jonathan and Harper.

Everyone sipped on wine while chatting.

"Dude, I never imagined you'd be the first among us to get married."

"Yeah! I always thought Jonathan and Zara would be the first."

"I agree. They've been dating for eight years. It's about time they tied the knot."

Zara forced a tense smile while turning to look at Jonathan. As expected, the latter maintained a neutral expression as if he hadn't heard it.

Marriage was a banned topic between them.

Zara had proposed to Jonathan three times before, but she always got rejected. She had a slight desire to get married after she turned 25. However, Jonathan never brought up marriage, so she decided to propose.

The first proposal was on her 26th birthday. Jonathan wanted to wait a little longer, declaring they weren't mature enough for marriage.

The second time was after he had secured a big business project. He claimed to be overwhelmed with work at the company, so he wanted to wait until he was free to discuss a marriage.

The third proposal was half a year ago.

At the time, Jonathan said, "Zar, I don't believe in marriage. My love for you is genuine, but I don't want to get married. Nothing will change between us, apart from us not getting married. Let's keep going on this way, okay?"

Because of that, Zara continued to do things his way until now. She was 28 years old at the present.

Zara didn't wish to partake in that conversation anymore, so she stood to get some snacks from the dessert table. She leaned against the table while taking a bite of her snack. Just then, a decently tall and handsome man approached her.

His gaze filled with noticeable surprise toward her.

Zara was the ideal beauty standard. She had beguiling facial features, but they also gave the impression that she was unapproachable. That kind of beauty ignited men's desires to win her over.

"Hey there, gorgeous. Can I get your phone number?" the man asked candidly.

Zara glanced at him. The man had clearly just joined this social group because he didn't even know she was dating Jonathan.

She was about to respond when some of Jonathan's friends noticed what was happening. With smiles on their faces, they approached to ask, "Are you serious, dude?"

The man froze, unsure of what they meant.

Then, the group of friends brought the man to Jonathan, eager to watch things play out. They chuckled while saying, "Hey, Mr. Zarr. This guy wants to pursue Zara. How do you feel about that?"

That was also when the man realized Zara already had a boyfriend. To make things worse, her boyfriend was Jonathan, a wealthy heir. His face paled while his brows furrowed into a deep V as he scurried off.

Zara knew best how intensely possessive Jonathan was. He could never tolerate any males lingering around her.

Once, a guy didn't know any better and confessed his feelings to Zara. He ended up getting kicked so hard by Jonathan that his ribs broke. He was even ordered never to show up in front of Zara.

Jonathan's friends intentionally wanted to see something like that happen again.

Zara was about to calm Jonathan down, but she was shocked to see a very composed reaction on his face. He shot a cold stare at the man but didn't bother saying anything, much less beat up the man.

That caused Zara to freeze mid-step.

Yet, in the next second, Jonathan looked up and noticed that Harper was being flirted with by a man in a corner of the private room. His demeanor grew grim as he got up and headed over.

"Hey, beautiful, just tell me your phone number—"

A thud interrupted the man's words. He hadn't finished speaking before he got aggressively kicked, causing him to land about three feet away.

The entire private room fell silent as alarmed gazes snapped in that direction. Everyone then noticed an upset Jonathan shielding Harper behind him. His glare alone could have killed the man, and he spoke with the frostiest tone. "Do you have a death wish?"

Jonathan had learned combat skills, so he was more brutal when beating up others. He continued to attack the man as if one kick wasn't enough, and he wanted to kill the man.

All at once, the massive private room fell into an uproar. The sounds of fighting, shouting to stop, and various shattering wine bottles rang out.

Harper hid in the corner, feeling frightened by everything. "I'm scared, Jonathan…"

Zara had been holding Jonathan back from the fight, but she felt him stiffen in her arms for a split second. Then, he stopped fighting at once and turned around to look at Harper, whose eyes had reddened.

Jonathan sped past the people who tried to stop the fight and approached the crying Harper. "Don't be afraid. I'll take you away from this place right now."

He covered Harper's eyes before gingerly leading her out of the room. While doing so, he didn't acknowledge Zara, who stood nearby.

Zara remained on the spot, her muscles stiffening like she had fallen into a frozen lake. Jonathan's aggressive attack on the man and his gentleness when taking Harper away played in her mind repeatedly.

Whispers and discussions about her had also broken out in the room. She didn't wish to deal with that situation, so she composed herself, picked up her bag, and left.

Yet, she soon realized it had rained at some point once she got outside.

She looked at the heavy rain and recalled a rainy day many years ago. Her divorced parents had finally made time to spend the day out with her. Alas, they got into a car accident and died.

Since then, rainy days and driving had become a type of trauma to Zara. She didn't even dare to learn to drive, so she always traveled by taxi.

Yet, there were places where she sometimes struggled to hail a taxi. After she met Jonathan, he would always show up on time in his car and offer her the utmost reassurance, regardless of where she wanted to go.

Zara stared into the space while standing at the club's entrance. She remained that way until the sound of an engine rang out from not far away. Then, a Maybach suddenly pulled over before her.

A handsome man got out of the car after that. He held an umbrella while walking toward Zara. "Zara? What are you doing here alone?"

That was when Zara looked up at the towering man before her. It was Hayden Gavino, Harper's older brother. She was surprised to see he had returned to the country.

She assumed he had rushed back after hearing about Harper's incident earlier. With a polite nod, she explained, "Harper's fine. Jonathan has just brought her away from here."

To her surprise, Hayden frowned and didn't ask about Harper. Instead, he gazed at Zara's bruised ankle. "You're hurt."

Zara hadn't realized it until now. However, she figured she had likely injured her ankle by accident earlier. "It's a minor injury. It shouldn't be a problem."

She didn't expect Hayden's face to darken even more. In the next second, he dumped his umbrella aside, wrapped an arm around her waist, and carried her off the ground. Before she could even process her surprise, Hayden locked the car door and vanished into the rainy night.

Hayden later returned with some cotton swabs and a medicated cream. His expression stayed stern as he removed Zara's shoe before gently applying the cream to her bruise.

Zara couldn't help but try to break free, yet Hayden grabbed her leg and prevented her from moving again.

She wasn't close with Hayden. Moreover, Hayden was part of Jonathan's friend group. He was also considered a highly desired but unattainable type because he was always cold to everyone.

Zara knew Hayden first during her university days because they were in the same club. However, they were only acquaintances because they didn't spend long in the club. Afterward, Zara spent even less time around Hayden because she started dating Jonathan.

She never imagined Hayden would treat her wound himself at this moment.

Fortunately, he didn't do anything apart from dealing with her bruise. Following that, he disposed of the cotton swabs and started the car engine.

Hayden said nothing as he tacitly drove to the area Zara lived in.

Zara finally snapped out of her daze when the car stopped outside her building. Although she found Hayden's behavior too overbearing, she still felt obliged to thank him for his help. "Thanks."

Only a hum of acknowledgment came from Hayden before he drove off.

Zara thought, "He's as aloof as always."

…

Jonathan only came home late at night. Once he did, he apologized to Zara at once. "Sorry, Zar. I didn't mean to ditch you. The place was just too chaotic, and I feared something bad would happen to Harper."

Zara's emotions had significantly settled down by then. She was silent while meeting the former's gaze, then said, "Don't you think you're looking after Harper a little too much?"

Harper was only being flirted with by a man, yet Jonathan kicked up such a big fuss and ruined someone else's bachelor party.

"Do you not want other men to be close with Harper that badly?" Zara questioned.

Jonathan was rocked to his core by that statement. "I was entrusted to look after her. She's still young, so I'm worried men will deceive her. That's all."

Many emotions stirred in Zara. No matter how much Jonathan explained it, she could tell his reaction at the party was identical to when he used to scare off Zara's suitors. She wasn't a naive little girl anymore, after all.

Zara ultimately replied, "Well, Hayden's back now. So, you can stop being Harper's temporary older brother now, right?"

Jonathan's gaze dimmed. "Zara, I've explained it to you many times. I only see her as a little sister. You've never been this unreasonable before."

All warmth had left his face as he stormed out of the bedroom and into the study.

Zara was left standing in the same spot, a prickly sensation eating at her heart.

…

After that night, Zara and Jonathan's relationship turned inexplicably tense. Although they hadn't argued, they weren't as close as before.

They stayed like that until the Xarr family invited the couple to the Xarr residence for a family meal.

Bernard Xarr and Lydia Carter, Jonathan's father and mother, mentioned a topic they always discussed at the dining table. "When do you guys plan on getting married? When will you give us grandchildren?"

Jonathan had never told his family that he didn't believe in marriage.

Not to mention, Lydia never approved of Zara, an orphan whose parents had died. If Jonathan hadn't insisted on being with Zara, she never would have accepted Zara into the family. Now that the two had dated for eight years but didn't marry, Lydia felt even more discontent with Zara.

"Zara, are you unwilling to marry because you're in that dance company? Didn't I tell you long ago to quit your job, get married, and have children?" Lydia scowled at Zara, who lowered her head and kept silent.

Jonathan finally spoke up. "It was my idea not to marry. Work at the company has been overwhelming, so we're not in a rush to get married."

Bernard frowned. "You're already 30. How can you not be in a rush?"

"I told you to choose someone more suitable for you—someone who can aid you even when your company's busy. What's the use of having a partner whose only strength is her good looks?" Lydia sneered.

"Please stop it, Mom." Darkness shrouded Jonathan's face.

Only then did Lydia unwillingly shut her mouth.

After dinner, Jonathan went with Bernard into the study to talk about work. As for Lydia, she naturally headed to her room because she refused to spend time with Zara.

Zara felt uncomfortable and decided waiting in the car outside was best.

Jonathan's assistant, Joel Robshaw, had driven the couple here today.

Joel noticed how worn out Zara seemed through the rearview mirror. Wanting to make things less awkward, he spoke up. "You're attending the company's gala next week, right, Ms. Cardellini?"

While saying that, he showed a picture on his phone to her. "Look. Mr. Xarr asked me to order a custom gown for the company's 60th anniversary gala this year. I bet he's planning to surprise you."

He figured Jonathan would definitely ask Zara to attend the event. After all, she was a professional dancer and Jonathan's girlfriend.

Chapter 3

The atmosphere between Zara and Jonathan was slightly tense as if they had a cold war. However, when this happened before, Jonathan always broke the tension with surprises.

Zara glanced at the image on the phone before forcing a smile. "Maybe."

It wasn't long before Jonathan joined her in the backseat. Knowing she had suffered unfair treatment today, he held her hand and comforted her. "Don't take Mom's words to heart."

The warmth from his palm radiated onto her hand.

Zara no longer wished to continue their cold war. So, she leaned against his shoulder. "How will we explain the marriage situation to them in the future?"

Jonathan couldn't help but kiss Zara's head since she admitted defeat first. "I'll handle it. Don't you worry."

…

After learning about the company gala from Joel, Zara arranged her schedule beforehand. She even turned down the chance to participate in a dance competition because of the gala.

Yet, Jonathan didn't tell her about the gala until the day.

Zara watched as Jonathan changed into a suit and left the door. She said nothing but changed into a coat before following him out.

When she arrived at the gala's massive hall, she stiffened like a statue.

As the company's president, Jonathan needed to have the first dance. Not far away, Harper was in the middle of the hall. She donned a blue gown and danced with Jonathan as everyone watched.

That blue gown was the one Joel had shown Zara. It turned out that Jonathan wasn't gifting it to her. Instead, he intended it for Harper.

The woman he wanted as his dance partner tonight wasn't Zara. It was Harper.

As the dance ended, all the lights shined on Jonathan and Harper. Everyone clapped enthusiastically. No one noticed Zara, who stood at the entrance.

Meanwhile, Zara's eyes fixed on Jonathan. She watched as he only focused on Harper, and it seemed like many emotions welled in his eyes.

Harper's ears reddened as she spoke abruptly. "Jonathan, can I kiss your cheek? Consider it a goodbye kiss."

Jonathan stayed quiet, but it seemed to be a silent approval.

Harper gathered the courage to tip-toe.

When she was about to kiss Jonathan, Jonathan's gaze landed on Zara, who stood in the audience. He tensed and instinctively pushed Harper away.

Zara stared at Jonathan for a few seconds in silence. Then, she turned to leave. She had just exited the hotel when a great force grabbed her wrist.

Jonathan slightly panted as he ran outside to stop Zara. "Zar!"

Zara shot him an indifferent glare. "Let go of me!"

She had always been this way. Whenever she experienced injustice, she never cried or caused any fuss. Instead, she behaved coldly to conceal her heartache.

That was because nobody supported her during her parents' deaths. So, she couldn't allow herself to appear weak. Even if her pain were unbearable, she would force herself to endure it. She would tell all those who wanted to see her suffer that she wasn't in pain.

Jonathan used to feel bad and concerned for her back then. However, he only felt panicked now that he was the target of her frosty stares. "Please hear me out. The truth isn't what it looks like.

"Harper's internship is ending. I promised to fulfill one request from her if she could get excellent results during her internship. Her request was to be my dance partner.

"Plus, you've been busy working until late these days. I didn't ask you to be my partner because I was worried you'd be too tired. Besides, I was only trying to brainstorm a way to lecture her for asking to kiss me earlier. That's why I blanked out and let it happen."

It wasn't long before Harper rushed outside, too. She teared up at Zara, murmuring, "I'm so sorry, Zara. I grew up abroad, where kissing people on the cheek is normal.

"I just wanted to give Jonathan a proper goodbye. I swear the kiss doesn't mean anything. Please don't be upset."

She put on a pitiful act. Rather than appearing apologetic, she seemed more like a victim who had been picked on.

Zara suddenly felt exhausted when dealing with Harper, who whimpered the entire time like a wronged victim. She refused to make things difficult for the young Harper. So, regardless of whether she believed the latter's excuse, she could only convince herself to trust Jonathan.

Once Jonathan calmed Zara down, he no longer reached out to wipe Harper's tears. Instead, he remained silent and kept his distance from Harper.

Hayden soon arrived at the scene. He merely glanced at Zara before forcibly dragging Harper away.

Harper likely wanted to avoid getting involved in scandals because of this incident. So, she left the company before her internship ended and returned to her university.

The night she left, Jonathan came home late. When he did, he looked Zara dead in the eye. "Harper left early."

Despite his calm tone, Zara couldn't help feeling as if he were blaming her for a split second. It sounded as though he were blaming her for making a big deal of things and scaring Harper away.

Since that day, the two's relationship turned tense again. It felt like something was different, even though nothing had changed between them.

Jonathan treated her with growing indifference every day when he came home. There were also times when they had nothing to say to each other despite lying on the same bed. He no longer hugged her to sleep like before.

Instead, they lay with their backs facing each other like strangers.

That went on until one night when Jonathan came home extra late. Yet, Zara could sense Jonathan's mood had improved. He wasn't indifferent all the time anymore, and he gradually regained his smile.

…

Jonathan went to shower in the bathroom after waking up one morning.

Zara heard the former's phone vibrate on the desk. Thinking it had something to do with work, she wanted to bring the phone to the bathroom for Jonathan. However, every muscle in her body froze once she saw what was on the screen.

It was a text from Harper. "Thanks for accompanying me to my class reunion party last week, Jonathan! I said I'd buy you a meal today, so hurry out of your house! Can we go to the amusement park today?"

Chills traveled down Zara's spine as she silently clicked on the two's chat history. It turned out that Jonathan came home late last Thursday because he accompanied Harper to a party.

"So, Harper's the reason his mood improved?" Zara thought. She put down the phone and turned to look at the bathroom. Her heart felt empty as she listened to the faint sound of the shower water.

Jonathan later returned to the bedroom and saw Zara sitting at the bedside. "What's wrong?"

Zara spoke with a neutral voice. "Are you free? We haven't had a meal together in a while. If you're free, let's go out on a date."

Jonathan realized he had indeed been overly cold to her. He massaged the spot between his brows and didn't refuse her request. "Sure, I'll make the reservations at the restaurant."

Chapter 4

Jonathan parked outside the restaurant that couples frequented.

The two were about to exit the car and enter the restaurant. That was when Zara took out the phone, which had been inside her pocket the entire time, and handed it to Jonathan. "I brought your phone out for you."

Jonathan hummed in acknowledgment, then instinctively glanced down at it. A few seconds later, silence filled the space around them.

Zara's heart sank deeper into her chest. "What's wrong?"

Jonathan put away his phone and spoke impassively. "Something came up at the company. I don't think I can join you for this meal. You'll have to eat alone. I'll go with you next time, okay?"

That sank Zara's heart into the pit of her stomach. Her lips tugged as she questioned, "Is it that important? Can't you go another time?"

"Yeah, it is." Jonathan probably felt guilty because he leaned in to kiss her cheek. "I'll go with you next time, Zar."

After saying that, he drove off.

Zara watched him leave, her heart sinking deeper until it vanished entirely. As expected, she saw several new posts on Harper's Instagram that afternoon.

Harper's nine latest posts were pictures of delicious food and her trip to the amusement park. One of the pictures showed a man's hand, which Harper had deliberately posted.

Nobody knew that hand better than Zara. That hand caressed her face, hugged her tight, and held her hand numerous times.

That hand in the picture kept reminding Zara that her boyfriend of eight years had turned down their date to accompany another girl to the amusement park.

…

Zara sat in her quiet bedroom. She shut her eyes, thinking that perhaps she and Jonathan should have a proper chat this time. She waited until the sky darkened, but Jonathan never came home.

Instead, Zara received a call from Jonathan's friend, Cole Hoffman.

"Zara, Jonathan's at the race track and is racing against someone with his life on the line. Please hurry over and convince him not to do it!" Cole sounded beyond anxious.

A frown marred Zara's face as she headed out.

Jonathan used to participate in racing. However, he promised to cherish his life and stop racing after they started dating.

Zara rushed to the race track at lightning speed but was too late. Jonathan had already driven onto the track.

A group of people gathered around the spectating area. Even a teary-faced Harper stood aside and watched.

Zara grabbed the arm of one of the men. "What's going on? Why is he suddenly racing?"

Cole met Zara's eyes but was hesitant to speak.

Harper's choked-up voice then rang out. "It's my fault. I insisted on watching a race, so Jonathan brought me here. We bumped into a guy, who tried to ask me out, but Jonathan said no. So, they started arguing…"

The pieces finally clicked in place for Zara. She figured out that Jonathan didn't want another man to steal Harper. Because of that, Jonathan forsook his past promise to her about never racing again.

Zara glanced at the familiar car on the track and heard its recognizable roaring engine. All at once, it was like she had been time-traveled back to eight years ago.

Back then, this was the place where Zara opened her heart to Jonathan and agreed to date him.

He brought her to this race track, boldly raised his chin at her, and made a bet. He declared, "Zara, you'll agree to be my girlfriend if I win two rounds against my opponent in this race."

Zara accepted that term, thinking Jonathan couldn't win.

To her surprise, Jonathan acted like he couldn't care less about his life during the race. He won in the end. That said, he drove so quickly that his car flipped over, and he suffered severe injuries.

Jonathan nearly lost his life that day. At the time, he lay on the hospital bed with a full body of injuries, yet he held Zara's hand tightly. "I won. You're now my girlfriend."

He was willing to risk his life for her.

Zara felt an indescribable sensation. Yet, deep down, she believed that Jonathan might be the man for her in this lifetime.

She didn't believe in love and would only dare to share her sincere affection with someone if they showed her their utmost love. It just so happened that Jonathan was the man who could risk his life to be with her.

The Zara from before would never think that Jonathan would risk his life for someone else in the future.

"Do you have a death wish, Jonathan? Why are you accelerating at a time like this?" Cole bellowed from nearby.

His shouts pulled Zara out of her daze. She looked up and noticed Jonathan's car had crossed the finish line without slowing down. Then, it crashed into the iron wall that fenced the area in.

A thunderous boom filled the air as Jonathan's car flipped several feet away.

Harper was so scared that she shrieked.

In that instant, Zara could almost picture the scene of the injured Jonathan eight years ago.

Later, Jonathan was already unconscious when he was sent to the hospital. His left leg had a severe wound, and his blood had stained one side of Zara's body.

Zara watched him get wheeled into the emergency room.

Two hours later, Jonathan's life was finally out of danger. He got wheeled into a patient's ward, where Zara stayed by his side all night. It was unclear when he would wake up.

…

The next day, Cole visited and couldn't bear it when he saw the haggard Zara in bloodstained clothes. She had always been an elegant beauty in their eyes. They had never seen her in such a trainwrecked state before.

"Please get some rest and go wash up, Zara," said one of them.

The blood on Zara's body had dried. So, Zara nodded, got up, and left the ward.

She didn't get any rest. Instead, she borrowed clean clothes from a nurse, showered, and was about to return to the ward. Yet, she had just arrived outside when she heard Cole's frustrated voice.

He asked, "What on earth was wrong with you yesterday? Why would you risk your life for Harper? Don't play me for a fool, Jonathan! Tell me the truth—how do you actually feel about Harper?"

Zara gripped the door handle. However, she didn't hear a response from Jonathan, who was also inside the ward.

Following that, Cole spoke again. "Don't you love Zara to death? What the hell are you playing at now?"

This time, Jonathan responded. His voice was still a little weak and hoarse, yet his every word brutally plunged into Zara's chest like a knife. "It's been eight years. I'm over her."

Every muscle in Zara's body stiffened. She could no longer hear what the men chatted about in the ward afterward. Her head spun because of the phrase, "It's been eight years. I'm over her."

She thought, "I could kick the door down and demand an explanation from Jonathan. Or, I could barge in, crying and kicking up a fuss in the ward.

"But those are reactions my 20-year-old self would make, not the current 28-year-old me. Maybe that's why Jonathan has grown tired of me…"

Zara fought hard to maintain her composure. She did so, even though her heart had shattered and her entire body felt like it would collapse upon any impact. She turned on her heel to leave the hospital and go home alone.

She excused Jonathan's behavior many times, interpreting his sudden indifference as a "cool down" period after his passionate pursuit of her. Plus, she even convinced herself that Jonathan's special treatment toward Harper was because he cared for her as an older brother.

Today, she finally saw through those idealistic facades. She accepted that Jonathan was someone who loved the thrill of the chase. His love wasn't dull—it had just transferred from Zara to Harper.

Since he no longer found it thrilling to date Zara, he gave his love to someone more refreshing.

"Jonathan's over it, huh? So, that's why he's grown colder toward me with time. It's also his reason for not wanting to get married and why he fell in love with someone else.

"He did everything in his ability to win me over back then. Yet, after eight years together, he's grown tired and is over me.

"He said he loved me first, but he's also the first to say he no longer loves me…" Zara thought. Then, she scoffed at herself, thinking, "You got played by him for eight years, Zara! How ridiculous!

Zara did nothing after getting home except pack all her things into suitcases. She had lived here for eight years, so she needed several suitcases for all her belongings. That was why she didn't take anything with her.

She sealed all her suitcases into big cardboard boxes. After that, she threw them out like she was dumping her pathetic memories of these past eight years.

Her heart ached tremendously. Yet, she refused to lie to herself about things being fine anymore, even if she had to endure a hellish fate.

In the end, her gaze swept past the home, which no longer had any traces of her. Only then did she take out her phone and text Jonathan. She left her keys behind before shutting the doors entirely.

It was still raining outside, and the sky seemed hazy.

Zara didn't have an umbrella. She didn't hail a taxi, much less have a destination in mind.

She stayed outside until a car stopped in front of her.