"Gosh, Vivienne!" Alessa squealed the moment she spotted me.
She was with her husband and Lucas, who were deep in conversation not far from our table. But the moment she saw me, she abandoned them without hesitation and ran straight to me.
As she did, my gaze instinctively flickered to Lucas—his eyes were locked onto me, sharp and unwavering.
"You look so sexy! And congratulations, fresh graduate!"
"Thanks, and congrats to you, newlywed," I replied, pulling her into a hug. I missed her.
The reception was being held in the event hall of the resort’s hotel. The decorations were elegant yet understated—exactly how Alessa wanted it. She insisted on keeping things simple since they weren’t inviting many guests.
"So, tell me, do you have a boyfriend now?" she ask as she sat down beside me.
I nearly lost my balance at her sudden question.
From the corner of my eye, I saw her husband, Nathan, trailing after her before settling beside her.
"I heard things are getting interesting between you and Noah," she added casually, feigning innocence but clearly enjoying herself.
What the hell?
Where did she even get that idea?
"Ohh, so that’s why he followed you to Boston," Rain chimed in, grinning as she took the seat on my other side. Now, I was completely boxed in between her and Alessa.
"Wait, no—"
"Oh my God!" Alessa suddenly gasped, slapping a hand over her mouth as if she had just pieced together something shocking. "You guys are dating?!"
Nathan burst out laughing.
I opened my mouth to protest, but their teasing had already spiraled out of control.
"So? What’s the deal between you two? You’re at the perfect age to settle down—maybe you’ll be next?" Rain nudged my shoulder playfully, earning a glare from me.
"Exactly! You’re starting your residency soon. It’d be so easy for you guys!" Alessa added with a smirk.
"What are you even talking about?" I asked, completely lost.
And just when I thought things couldn’t get worse, Noah appeared—making their teasing hit an all-time high.
"I keep hearing my name. What’s going on?"
I felt him stop just behind my chair, his presence looming over me.
Dragging a hand down my face, I silently cursed myself for not leaving earlier.
But I didn't linger any longer. As soon as Noah sat down at our table, I excused myself. I knew they were well aware that there was nothing romantic between me and Noah—never had been, never would be. They probably just woke up today and randomly decided that teasing me would be their first order of business.
I walked away from the scene, looking for a quiet spot to stay for a while.
I passed by a set of double doors, slightly ajar, allowing the afternoon breeze to flow freely inside. I decided to step in and spend some time there.
As I opened the doors, I was met with a breathtaking view of the sky. Shades of blue and orange blended together like a living painting. I walked toward the balcony, leaning against the cool marble railing. My eyes wandered into the distance, to the endless blue of the ocean that was still visible from where I stood. The wind from the west played with my hair and the hem of my dress, carrying with it the scent of salt and fading sunlight.
"Ivy."
I turned my head toward the soft voice below. The event hall was only on the second floor, and beneath this balcony was a small maze garden.
I spotted Lucas walking out, his hands in his pockets, phone pressed against his ear.
Ivy.
Dr. Ivy?
Wow. First-name basis?
I was about to leave, not wanting to eavesdrop, but for some reason, my feet wouldn't move.
I couldn't explain it, but something twisted inside my chest. A flood of thoughts rushed into my mind. Four years had passed—it wouldn’t be impossible for something to have happened between them.
I tilted my head back, staring at the sky, silently hoping that whatever I was feeling right now would just stop. But when I lowered my gaze again, I found Lucas already looking up at me. His expression remained unreadable, his phone still pressed to his ear.
"Sure, see you tomorrow," he said to the person on the other end, never breaking eye contact.
I didn’t stay any longer. I turned away and left, returning to the venue with a heavy heart.
Rain glanced at me the moment I stepped back inside. Alessa was no longer there—only Rain, Noah, and Cloud remained at the table.
"Oh? Where did you go?"
Instead of answering, I grabbed the glass of red wine that had been sitting on our table and downed it in one go.
Annoying. Four years had passed, yet everything still felt so raw. So what if they were in a relationship?
I was the one who left. I had no right to feel hurt or act this way.
"Enough."
Noah snatched the second glass I had just picked up, stopping me before I could drink more. "What happened?"
"Nothing. I was just thirsty," I lied.
But I knew none of them believed me.
The reception ended at 7 PM. I decided to go back to our unit, exhaustion weighed me down. Rain and Cloud had decided to stay behind to explore the area, so I let them be. I had wanted to enjoy the ocean for a little longer—maybe even take a swim—but my body was too drained to keep up.
The hallway was quiet, the plush red carpet absorbing the sound of my footsteps.
As I walked, my thoughts swirled in my head, refusing to quiet down. It was suffocating. The more I tried to push them away, the heavier they became, like a weight settling on my chest.
Regret?
Yes, I could admit it now. I regretted letting him go. The thought of seeing him with someone else twisted something deep inside me, and no matter how much I told myself it didn’t matter, it did. It always had.
I still loved him.
But what if it was too late? What if he had already moved on?
The idea of chasing after him, of asking him to come back, crossed my mind for a fleeting moment. But shame quickly crushed it.
No.
Even if I wanted to, I couldn’t do that. I had no right.
Back then, I convinced myself I was doing the right thing by walking away. That it was for the best. But now? Now, I avoided him because I was too much of a coward to face the consequences of my own choices.
I shook my head, trying to clear the thoughts, but the slight dizziness from the wine earlier didn’t help.
Then I turned the last corner—and froze.
Someone was standing by the door of our unit, leaning casually against the wall.
Lucas.
He must have sensed my presence because he looked up, his sharp gaze locking onto mine.
For the first time since the wedding, we were alone. But his expression didn’t change. It was the same unreadable look he had worn that night when I told him it was over.
Serious. Unwavering.
I had no idea what he was thinking.
Panic flared in my chest. Before I could stop myself, I turned to leave. I didn’t know where I was planning to go—I just knew I couldn’t face him right now.
But before I could take another step, his hand caught my wrist, pulling me back.
A quiet gasp escaped my lips as I was spun around, my back hitting the cold wall behind me.
I blinked up at him, startled, my breath hitching at the sudden closeness.
His body radiated warmth, his breaths coming fast and heavy, as if he had been holding something back for too long.
“Stop running away,” he said, his jaw clenched, his voice low and rough.
A shiver ran down my spine. My hands rested against his chest, not quite pushing him away, just keeping enough distance between us.
“Lucas… someone might see—”
“Don’t start with that,” he cut me off, his voice sharp with frustration.
My breath caught in my throat.
He was too close—too overwhelming. The heat from his body seeped into my skin, making it impossible to think clearly. I wanted to shove him away, to tell him he was being ridiculous, but the words wouldn’t come.
Instead, all I could do was stand there, trapped between his presence and my own mess of emotions.
“I gave you space,” he continued, his tone sharp yet controlled. “I let you go because that’s what you wanted. But did you ever stop to think about what I wanted?”
Guilt crept up my spine. Of course, I had thought about it. More times than I could count. But I had convinced myself that leaving had been for the best—that it had been necessary.
I swallowed hard. “Lucas… I—”
“Don’t.” His grip on my wrist tightened, not painfully, but firmly enough that I couldn’t ignore it. “Don’t say something just to push me away again. Do you really think I'll let you this time?”
I bit my lip, my chest rising and falling in uneven breaths.
He was right. That’s exactly what I was about to do.
But what choice did I have?
Before I could asnwer, the sharp sound of footsteps echoed down the hallway. My body stiffened. Lucas must have heard them too because his eyes flickered toward the noise, bu he didn't move away.
"Let me go," I whispered, my voice barely audible.
His gaze snapped back to mine, conflicted, intense.
Then, after a long pause, he finally released me.
The absence of his touch sent a strange emptiness through me, but I didn’t let myself dwell on it. Without another word, I turned and walked away, forcing myself not to look back.
I couldn’t afford to.
I walked quickly, my heart pounding so hard it almost hurt. Every step felt heavy, as if my body was resisting the very idea of leaving him behind. But I had to.
I had to.
Reaching the door to my unit, I fumbled with the keycard, my hands shaking more than I wanted to admit. The beep sounded, and I pushed the door open, slipping inside as fast as I could. I leaned against the closed door, my breath uneven, my chest tight.
What the hell just happened?
I pressed my fingers to my temples, willing myself to calm down, but the moment replayed in my mind—his voice, his touch, the way he looked at me like he was daring me to admit the truth.
Like he knew I was still his, no matter how hard I tried to deny it.
I let out a shaky exhale and walked toward the bed, collapsing onto it. My body ached from exhaustion, but my mind refused to rest.
Lucas was here. He wasn’t just someone from my past anymore—he was real, present, standing right in front of me, demanding answers I wasn’t ready to give.
And worst of all, despite everything, despite the years that had passed and the walls I had built—I still wanted him.
Maybe even more than before.
I clenched my jaw, gripping the sheets beneath me.
No.
I couldn't let myself fall again.
Not when I wasn’t sure if he was still willing to catch me.