I casually pointed to the blue-gray invitation on the far left.

“That one.”

Hua Diem immediately picked it up.

“Oh, I like this one too.”

She placed it beside Khuong Nghien and compared the samples carefully, as if she were the bride deciding the color of her own wedding.

Khuong Nghien frowned.

“Isn’t it too cold? Tue An used to say she wanted something warmer.”

I closed my suitcase.

“People change.”

He finally looked at me.

Perhaps there was something in my tone that bothered him, because his eyes stayed on my face for several seconds.

Then he looked at the suitcase again.

“Where are you going?”

“Abroad.”

“For how long?”

“I don’t know yet.”

His eyebrows knitted together.

“Our wedding is next month.”

“I know.”

“So why are you packing?”

Before I could answer, Hua Diem quickly stepped between us.

“Don’t argue. Tue An probably just wants to go somewhere for a few days because she’s upset.”

She walked over and took my hand.

“Tue An, I’m sorry about the ring. Really.”

Her eyes fell on her own finger.

My wedding ring was still there.

The engraving of Khuong Nghien’s name and mine caught the light.

She tried to hide it behind her other hand.

“The shop said they need special tools to remove it. I’ll go back tomorrow.”

“There’s no need.”

She blinked.

“What?”

“I already said it suits you.”

Khuong Nghien’s expression darkened.

“Enough, Tue An.”

I looked at him.

“Enough of what?”

“You’ve been speaking sarcastically since yesterday.”

“Am I wrong?”

He rubbed his forehead impatiently.

“Hua Diem was helping you.”

Again.

Helping me.

She ate the anniversary dinner I had booked.

She used the room I wanted to visit.

She rode the roller coaster I wanted to try.

She spent the night by the sea with my fiancé.

Now she wore my wedding ring.

And somehow, every time I felt hurt, I was the ungrateful one.

I smiled.

“Then I should thank her.”

Hua Diem’s eyes immediately became wet.

“Tue An…”

I pulled my hand away.

“I’m tired. You should go home.”

She looked at Khuong Nghien helplessly.

Naturally, he softened.

“I’ll take her downstairs.”

I nodded.

“Go.”

He paused as though expecting me to stop him.

I didn’t.

The door closed behind them.

Twenty minutes passed.

Thirty.

Forty.

Khuong Nghien didn’t return.

I wasn’t surprised.

I opened my laptop and replied to the email I had ignored for nearly two months.

Professor, I accept the position.

Less than three minutes later, my phone rang.

It was my supervisor.

“Tue An? Are you serious?”

“Yes.”

“You rejected us twice because you said you were getting married.”

I looked at the framed engagement photograph on the desk.

Khuong Nghien stood behind me in it, one hand resting on my shoulder.

At the time, I had thought his smile meant happiness.

Now I wondered if I had simply spent years interpreting everything the way I wanted.

“I’m not getting married anymore.”

There was a brief silence.

Then my supervisor said:

“The research group leaves in three days. If you can make it, I’ll reserve your place.”

Three days.

I looked at the half-packed suitcase.

“That’s enough.”

After hanging up, I removed the engagement photograph from the frame.

I didn’t tear it.

I didn’t cry.

I simply placed it face down inside a drawer.

At 12:47 a.m., Khuong Nghien finally returned.

He smelled faintly of Hua Diem’s favorite perfume.

He walked into the bedroom and froze when he saw me awake.

“Why haven’t you slept?”

I looked at the time.

“You took her downstairs for nearly two hours.”

His expression stiffened.

“She was crying.”

“So?”

“So I stayed with her until she calmed down.”

I nodded.

That answer once would have hurt terribly.

Tonight, it barely touched me.

Khuong Nghien seemed even more irritated by my calmness.

“Can you stop acting like this?”

“Like what?”

“Like you don’t care.”

I almost laughed.

Wasn’t this what they wanted?

For five years, whenever I complained, Hua Diem cried.

Whenever I became jealous, Khuong Nghien said I misunderstood.

Whenever I wanted something, they decided whether it was safe enough for me.

Now I had stopped arguing.

Yet suddenly, he was uncomfortable.

“I’m going to sleep.”

I turned off the lamp.

Khuong Nghien stood beside the bed for a long time.

Then he asked quietly:

“Are you really going abroad?”

“Yes.”

“When?”

“Soon.”

He seemed relieved.

“Fine. Take a few days to relax. But come back before the wedding.”

I closed my eyes.

“Okay.”

It was the first lie I had ever told him.

And strangely, it felt lighter than all the truths he had ignored.

The next morning, Hua Diem arrived before breakfast.

She carried several garment bags.

“Good news!”

She smiled as though nothing had happened.

“The bridal shop called. Your wedding dress arrived early.”

I stared at her.

“I didn’t schedule a fitting.”

“I did.”

She beamed.

“Your health has been unstable lately, so I thought I could help you try the dress first.”

For a second, even I couldn’t speak.

Khuong Nghien walked out of the kitchen carrying coffee.

He looked completely unsurprised.

I asked:

“You agreed?”

He took a sip.

“It’s just trying on a dress.”

I slowly turned toward him.

“A wedding dress.”

“Yes.”

“My wedding dress.”

He sighed.

“Tue An, don’t start again.”

Hua Diem quickly raised her hands.

“If you don’t like it, I won’t wear it.”

But there was already excitement in her eyes.

I suddenly wanted to see how far they could go.

So I smiled.

“Try it.”

Both of them froze.

Hua Diem stared at me.

“Really?”

“Really.”

Two hours later, we stood inside the bridal boutique.

The dress I had chosen six months ago was brought out.

I had spent weeks looking for it.

Simple satin.

Long sleeves.

Pearl embroidery around the waist.

I had imagined wearing it while walking toward Khuong Nghien.

Instead, Hua Diem stepped out of the fitting room wearing it.

The entire boutique fell silent.

She looked beautiful.

Of course she did.

She was healthy, radiant, and confident.

Everything people had spent years reminding me I wasn’t.

Hua Diem turned slowly toward Khuong Nghien.

“How does it look?”

He stared at her.

Too long.

Far too long.

Then he smiled.

“It looks good.”

Hua Diem lowered her head shyly.

The saleswoman misunderstood instantly.

“Sir, your fiancée has an excellent figure. We barely need alterations.”

Neither corrected her.

Again.

Something inside me finally became completely still.

I walked toward the counter.

“How much is left to pay?”

Khuong Nghien looked over.

“I already paid the deposit.”

“I know.”

I handed the clerk my card and paid the remaining balance.

Hua Diem hurried toward me.

“Tue An, what are you doing?”

I looked at her wearing my dress, my ring shining on her finger.

“A gift.”

Her face went pale.

“Don’t joke like that.”

“I’m not joking.”

Khuong Nghien strode over.

“That’s enough.”

He grabbed my wrist.

“What exactly are you trying to prove?”

I looked down at his hand.

“Let go.”

Perhaps something in my expression frightened him.

He released me immediately.

I turned toward Hua Diem.

“You’ve already tried the dates for me, the restaurants for me, the trips for me, the ring for me…”

My eyes moved over the white dress.

“Now you’ve tried the wedding dress too.”

Hua Diem’s lips trembled.

“I never wanted to take anything from you.”

I smiled.

“Then why do you always look happiest when you’re using something that belongs to me?”

Her face lost all color.

Khuong Nghien snapped:

“Apologize.”

I looked at him.

“To whom?”

“To Hua Diem.”

I stared at the man I had planned to marry.

Then, unexpectedly, I laughed.

Not because it was funny.

Because at last, I understood.

There was nothing left to save.

I took the engagement ring from my finger.

Khuong Nghien’s expression changed instantly.

“TUE AN.”

I placed it on the counter.

“You’re right.”

His voice softened slightly.

“About what?”

“I shouldn’t have said those things.”

Hua Diem looked relieved.

But I continued:

“Because from now on, whatever happens between the two of you has nothing to do with me.”

The relief vanished.

Khuong Nghien stared at the ring.

“What does that mean?”

My phone vibrated.

A message appeared from my supervisor.

Flight confirmed. Departure: tomorrow, 8:20 a.m.

Khuong Nghien saw it.

His face changed.

He grabbed my phone before I could lock the screen.

“What flight?”

I reached for it.

“Give it back.”

But he stepped away and opened the message.

Then another.

And another.

The overseas research agreement.

The university accommodation.

The four-year project contract.

His expression went from anger to disbelief.

Finally, he looked at me.

“Four years?”

Hua Diem froze.

Khuong Nghien’s voice suddenly shook.

“You’re leaving for four years?”

“Yes.”

“And the wedding?”

I looked at him calmly.

“There won’t be one.”

For the first time since I had known him, Khuong Nghien truly panicked.

He seized my suitcase handle when I turned to leave.

“No.”

I looked back.

His fingers tightened.

“You’re angry. Fine. We can talk about it.”

“There’s nothing to talk about.”

“I said no.”

His eyes were red now.

“You can’t cancel our wedding because of one stupid ring.”

I stared at him.

“One ring?”

Before I could say anything else, Hua Diem suddenly spoke from behind us.

“Khuong Nghien…”

Her voice sounded strange.

We both turned.

She was standing in my wedding dress, staring at her phone.

Her face was completely white.

On the screen was a message.

She quickly tried to hide it.

But I had already seen the sender.

Khuong Nghien’s mother.

And beneath it, one sentence was clearly visible:

“Have you convinced Tue An to cancel the wedding yet? Once she leaves, you can finally marry Khuong Nghien openly.”