’Was it deliberate, or has our fate truly run its course?’

Leona Grant didn’t know.

But he knew this was, perhaps, for the best.

’Out of sight, out of mind. If I don’t see her, my heart won’t ache. Maybe then, the pain in my heart will finally have a chance to subside.’

The engagement is the day after tomorrow.

The wedding is in a little over a month.

They would hold two ceremonies, one in Celestia and one in Albion, and then they would leave Celestia for good to live somewhere else...

A stiff curve formed on Leona Grant’s lips.

’It’s fine. So what if she’s marrying another man and disappearing from my life forever?’

’It doesn’t matter. It’s better that she’s leaving. If she hadn’t, I would have had to leave anyway.’

Leona Grant told himself.

But he always had this dream. Two or three years after they’d gone their separate ways, they would meet again. Aaron Wyatt would be holding a precious, porcelain-like child, who would be lisping "Mama" to Annabelle Linton and "Dada" to Aaron...

The child would plant a sweet kiss on Annabelle Linton’s cheek. Aaron Wyatt would feign jealousy, so the little one would give him a kiss, too. Then, their family of three would laugh with joy.

It was such a heartwarming scene.

A scene he yearned for, yet was so powerless to achieve...

And then he would jolt awake.

Awake, but still lost in the dream for a long time, imagining that child of theirs.

’What would the child call me?’

’Uncle?’

’Would it be a boy or a girl? Would they look more like Annabelle Linton or Aaron Wyatt?’

’I don’t know. I guess I’ll find out someday after the wedding.’

Leona Grant limply closed his eyes, leaning back against the car seat. But even with his eyes closed, his mind was a battlefield, far from peaceful.

Forced to open his eyes again, he saw something that made his pupils shrink. "Stop the car," he called out abruptly.

The driver, naturally, didn’t dare to hesitate and stopped at once, even though it was a no-parking zone.

Leona Grant got out, slammed the door, and without a moment’s hesitation, strode into the massive shopping mall across the street.

The driver was confused. "Chase, what’s the President doing? Going shopping?"

Chase sighed, looking out the window with a sense of resignation. "Who knows?"

’He just saw a certain someone who’s getting engaged the day after tomorrow, that’s all.’

Leona Grant walked into the mall and took the escalator to the second floor.

Sure enough, Aaron Wyatt and Annabelle Linton were walking out of the very store he had just seen from the car window.

Annabelle Linton was empty-handed, dressed in a loose-fitting casual top and dark blue jeans.

Her jeans were cuffed, revealing a sliver of her fair ankles above a pair of white sneakers. The outfit highlighted her perfect figure, and she carried a large canvas tote bag, looking both youthful and chic.

’This woman could always make the simplest outfits look extraordinary.’

Beside her, Aaron Wyatt juggled numerous shopping bags of all sizes as he spoke to her. Walking ahead of the crowd, they turned quite a few heads.

They were walking in his direction.

Leona Grant quickly ducked behind a large, black marble pillar.

Only after they turned a corner, completely oblivious to his presence, did he emerge to watch their retreating figures.

The mall was crowded that day. Aaron Wyatt held all the bags in one hand, just as before, while his other hand held Annabelle Linton’s as he spoke to her in a gentle voice.

"We’ve bought the formal attire, the jewelry, the high heels, and the gifts for everyone. We’ve also gotten everything we need for the house. Is there anything else we’re missing? Let’s get it all today. Tomorrow, we can finalize the plans, and then the day after, we get engaged."

[PS: Update complete! Please vote~ Pay attention to the title! Guess what Leona will see them buying? The first person to leave a five-star comment gets 100 book coins! Also, once we’re past this angsty arc, things won’t be quite so painful... probably. Actually, you all don’t get it. This kind of bittersweet romance is the best~]