Ethan Lu looked at me for a long time.

Not at the woman who had once waited for him.

Not at the fiancée whose name had disappeared from the invitations.

But at someone he no longer recognized.

Vivian Shen.

The woman who had spent an entire lifetime beside him…

and another lifetime learning how to leave him.

After the reception ended, Ethan found me outside the building.

The rain was falling lightly.

Just like that night two years ago when he walked away from me to Serena.

—Vivian.

I stopped.

But I didn’t turn around immediately.

Because in my previous life, I had spent decades turning around whenever he called my name.

This time was different.

—What do you want?

His voice was low.

—Why didn’t you tell me?

I smiled faintly.

—Tell you what?

—That you were working at the border.

—That you received those honors.

—That you almost died twice.

I looked at him.

—Would it have changed anything?

Ethan froze.

Because we both knew the answer.

Two years ago, when I disappeared, he never searched for me.

He believed I left because I was hurt.

Because I was angry.

Because I wanted him to regret choosing Serena.

But he never thought…

that I simply stopped waiting.

—I was wrong.

Those three words came out slowly.

Almost painfully.

I looked at him.

In my previous life, I had waited fifty years to hear them.

Now that I finally heard them…

they meant almost nothing.

—Ethan.

—The woman you lost isn’t the same woman standing here.

His fingers tightened.

—Vivian, I remember everything.

—I remember the life we lived.

—I remember our children.

—I remember taking care of you when you were sick.

—I remember growing old with you.

His voice became hoarse.

—How can you act like none of that happened?

I looked away.

—Because you were the one who taught me that memories don’t mean love.

Ethan became silent.

At that moment, a military vehicle stopped nearby.

Alexander Gu stepped out.

His expression changed slightly when he saw Ethan.

Not anger.

Not jealousy.

Just calm confidence.

He walked toward me and placed a coat over my shoulders.

—It’s cold.

I nodded.

—Thank you.

That simple exchange made Ethan’s face change.

Because he had once been the only person allowed to care for me.

Now someone else naturally occupied that place.

Alexander looked at him.

—Major General Lu.

Ethan returned the greeting.

—General Gu.

The atmosphere became tense.

Alexander held my hand.

Not possessively.

Just naturally.

—We should leave.

I nodded.

Before getting into the car, I heard Ethan’s voice behind me.

—Vivian.

I stopped.

—Do you love him?

The question was strange.

Because in my previous life, I had spent fifty years asking myself the same thing.

Did Ethan love me?

Did I matter?

Was I enough?

I turned around.

—Does it matter?

His expression hurt.

I continued:

—When I loved you, I never asked if I had a place in your heart.

—I only asked myself how long I could stay.

The rain fell between us.

—Now I don’t need an answer anymore.

I got into Alexander’s car.

And for the first time…

I watched Ethan Lu become the person left behind.

Three months later.

My wedding ceremony was held in the capital.

It was not as grand as the one planned with Ethan.

It was quieter.

Simpler.

But every person there came because they wanted to.

Not because of family arrangements.

Not because of reputation.

Not because someone needed to replace another person.

When Alexander placed the ring on my finger, he whispered:

—Thank you for choosing me.

I looked at him.

A man who had met me after I had already broken.

A man who never asked me to prove my love.

A man who only said:

“Stand beside me if you want.”

“Leave if you don’t.”

For the first time in two lifetimes…

I understood what being loved felt like.

Meanwhile, in the Lu family residence…

Ethan sat alone looking at an old photograph.

It was from decades ago.

A young Vivian smiling beside him.

The woman who had once looked at him with endless trust.

Serena walked in.

She saw the photograph.

And for the first time, she realized something.

Even though she had won Ethan…

she had never truly been chosen.

Because the man sitting beside her was still mourning another woman.

The woman who had stopped loving him.

The woman who had finally become unreachable.

And Ethan finally understood the cruelest truth:

In his first life, he spent fifty years having Vivian beside him…

but he never truly saw her.

In this life…

he finally saw her.

But she was already someone else’s future.