On the day Ethan Vance got engaged, he specifically hired a few thugs to harass me, ensuring I'd be stuck at the police station giving statements until well after dark. When I finally got back, I overheard someone asking where I had been. Ethan laughed, "I was afraid she'd make a scene, so I sent her to the precinct to cool off for a day. By the time she gets back, the dust will have settled." I stood outside the door, smiling bitterly and shaking my head. I blocked all of Ethan's contacts, turned around, and boarded a plane out of the country. That night, I heard Ethan went crazy when he couldn't find me. The usually even-tempered man had bloodshot eyes, muttering, "She's just jealous. She's doing this to spite me. Once she cools down, she'll come back. She has to." But he didn't know, I wasn't running away out of spite. I really didn't want him anymore. 1. By the time I finished giving my statement at the police station, it was already dark. On the day of Ethan's engagement, I was flustered and got into a fender bender while turning a corner. The other driver was difficult, dragging things out until now. Ethan's phone went straight to voicemail. His social media was flooded with photos of him and his fiancée. Picture after picture stung my eyes. I was furious. The suppressed grievances and anger of the day needed an outlet, so I took a taxi straight to his house. The door was ajar, and loud voices drifted out. Ethan sometimes brought friends home to drink or watch a game. I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but I stopped when I heard them talking about me. "Honestly, we all thought you'd end up with Harper. You two grew up together, childhood sweethearts. She's beautiful, sure, but her temper is really something else," Liam sighed. "She's spoiled. She's been making a fuss for years, doesn't she ever get tired?" Ethan sank into the sofa, checking his watch, his handsome brow furrowed with annoyance. Calculating the time, she should be here soon. Guarantee she'll come crying and screaming. Just thinking about it gave him a headache. "It's weird. You got engaged to Chloe, and Harper didn't flip the sky upside down? Haven't seen her all day. Where did she go?" Liam asked. Ethan chuckled, "I was afraid she'd make a scene, so I let her drink tea at the police station for a day. By the time she gets back, the dust will have settled." "Brilliant move. Only our Ethan can handle Harper," Josh praised endlessly. "Ethan, have you ever thought about it? You getting engaged to Chloe might really break Harper's heart. What if she leaves for good?" Liam asked. Ethan pictured her tear-streaked face in his mind, feeling a sudden irritability. Then he scoffed coldly, acting indifferent, "I wish she would." I wish she would. Seven years of my devotion exchanged for this sentence. I withdrew my hand and turned to leave. It was early winter. The weather hadn't truly turned cold yet. But I was chilled to the bone, from the inside out. After all these years of circling around Ethan, arguing and fighting, I was the only one left by his side. I thought we would make it to the end. But to get engaged to someone else, he schemed to put me in a police station. How cheap must I be to let him trample on me again and again? It started to rain. The forecast said the temperature would drop at midnight, possibly snow. Snow in Seattle tends to last forever once it starts. I used to be most afraid of winter. Ethan would wrap me in his open coat, and there was always a blanket in his car for me. Looking back now, those moments I thought were happiness ultimately couldn't sustain us to the finish line. The rain got heavier, wet hair sticking to my forehead. My steps were actually staggering. I shook my head, smiling bitterly. How did life become this mess? Suddenly, the fighting spirit I used to have was gone. Those arguments about love or no love felt like a joke. Tightening the damp coat around me, a thought took root in my mind. I want to go somewhere warm. Where there is no winter, no snow. And definitely no Ethan Vance. 2. I blocked all of Ethan's contacts, including his friends'. A strange number texted me. It was Chloe, Ethan's fiancée. [Ethan is already engaged to me. You don't know how much he spoils me. You better leave sensibly and save yourself some face.] [Ethan hated you the most before. Every time he saw you, he'd give me a gift as compensation. I have what you have, and I have what you don't.] [Don't bother him again, or I'll tell everyone about you seducing my fiancé.] Chloe, the little assistant by Ethan's side who always made mistakes. Slender and fragile, her eyes would turn red if you spoke a little harshly, like a kitten. Did Ethan know she was this arrogant? She tripped me up explicitly and implicitly many times. Spilled wine on my couture gown, deliberately broke my diamond necklace. At those times, I felt she was a scheming "pick-me" girl, but Ethan's heart ached for her. If my tone was slightly harsh, Ethan would jump out to protect her. Pity my clothes and jewelry. I made a scene, but Ethan would only say lightly, "You have so many of those things. She's just a girl fresh out of college, what does she know? Don't make it hard for Chloe on purpose." Even if I have a lot, they are mine. If someone breaks them, they have to pay. I entrusted this matter to a lawyer, asking him to get every penny back from Chloe. Then I pulled out my SIM card and threw it in the trash. Scum man and cheap woman, I wish you two locked together forever. My parents came downstairs, seeing me packing, eyes full of worry. "Harper, do you want to reconsider? That kid from the Vance family is really too much. We'll go to the Vances right now for an explanation!" My thing with Ethan was tacitly approved by both families. Similar backgrounds, grew up together, nothing seemed more suitable than this relationship where we knew each other's roots. "Mom, Dad, if you still want to save me some face, don't go. Isn't it good for me to go abroad and help brother with the business? You always wanted me to get some experience." They were surprised I said this. After all, I was too love-struck before, chasing Ethan everywhere since high school. "Is this out of spite?" Mom asked carefully. I hugged them tightly, tone firm, "I caused too much worry before, but not anymore." My parents had high hopes for me, just like for my brother. It was me who was ignorant, willful and stubborn, mistaking Ethan for my whole world. "Good, good. Our Sutton family children are ambitious. If you've made up your mind, go do it. If you make a mess, Dad will cover for you." I agreed, voice choking. Turning to board the plane abroad, everything in Seattle, for me, has turned the page. 3. That night, Ethan waited. Waiting for Harper, or her call. He thought, if she called again, he would be kind enough to answer. Even if she cried and made a scene, he would tolerate it. But, nothing came. This feeling was like a kite with a broken string, making one panic. "Ethan, I really can't hold on anymore, I have to sleep first." Josh couldn't keep his eyes open. Drinking with him all night, the more it went on, the more distracted Ethan seemed. Chloe called, gently asking about his well-being. "Ethan, not asleep yet? I miss you so much, want to come see you." Ethan held his glass, rejecting, "Josh and the guys are drinking with me. This is my last bachelor night party. Be good, listen, go to sleep first!" Chloe acted coquettish for a while before hanging up resentfully. Josh leaned over to Liam, whispering, "What's up with Ethan? First time I heard someone having a bachelor party after getting engaged." Liam swirled the wine in his glass, sighing long and hard. "What bachelor party? He's waiting for someone! Can't you see it's that obvious?" According to the past, with Harper's temper, she would have stormed over long ago. Not showing up now, something was wrong. "Should I call Harper and ask where she is?" Liam asked. Ethan got up and went to the window, not refusing, "Suit yourself." Liam called the police station first, they said Harper left when it got dark. Harper's phone couldn't get through at all. Ethan called, only to find he was blocked. Liam and Josh too. "Ethan, looks like Harper is really angry this time," Josh said. "Harper isn't the type to settle down. Is she playing for real this time? You put her in the precinct and got engaged to someone else. It's a bit much," Liam had wanted to say it all night, and finally said it. Liam and the others helped call Harper's friends, but no one had news of her. The usually good-tempered Ethan rarely went crazy, kicking over the coffee table, smashing wine bottles, glass shards all over the floor. He never thought Harper would leave. She was like a little tail, following him, pestering him. They had been together for so many years, both families had long acquiesced. As for Chloe, the more Harper bullied her, the more he wanted to protect her. Protecting to the end, he couldn't tell what kind of feeling it was anymore. His eyes bloodshot, he murmured, "She must be jealous. Deliberately spiting me. She'll come back when she cools down. Must be." In the past, before Chloe, she also argued and made scenes. Just needed to coax her patiently, and she would forgive, treating him better than before. But he didn't know, Harper wasn't running away out of spite. She really didn't want him anymore. 4. After a long journey, sitting on the plane all night. After landing, the person picking me up wasn't my brother, but his best friend, Lucas King. Heard they grew up together, thick as thieves. There were rumors that his relationship with my brother was ambiguous, even secretly crushing on my brother. But I kept an eye out and smiled politely at him. "Long time no see, Lucas." He was tall and handsome, jeans and T-shirt look casual and free. The hearty smile on his face was as warm as the climate here. "Your brother went out of town to negotiate business last minute, asked me to pick you up." He reached out to take my suitcase, patted it: "Want to sit on it?" "I'm not a kid anymore." Lucas is five years older than me. Before, when he often came to play at our house, he liked to pull me around the room on a suitcase. He whistled, threw the luggage into the car, and took me to his place. The weather here averaged 70°F, quite comfortable. His flashy red convertible sports car had music blasting. Looking at the scenery outside the window, the warm wind blew away a body of fatigue, and the frost brought from Seattle. I like this place. "Your brother's house is being renovated recently. You'll have to suffer at my place for a few days. Room is ready, second one on the right upstairs, opposite mine." The room location was great, with a huge floor-to-ceiling window, just the decoration was hard to describe. Pink everywhere. Totally a straight guy's aesthetic. I was exhausted, tidied up a bit and lay down to catch up on sleep. In my dream, I went back to the day I first saw Ethan in high school. He leaned against the windowsill, wearing headphones reading a book. The wind blew the trees outside, his bangs, and the corner of his snow-white shirt. Totally a movie scene. Playing Truth or Dare, seeing who dared to confess first. I went without thinking. "Ethan Vance, I like you." He looked up at me, a mocking smile appearing on his lips: "Harper Sutton, are you a pig?" I woke up instantly. Even in the dream, I was dying of embarrassment. I was really brave back then. I remember on the day of the confession, Ethan only smiled mockingly and didn't speak. Lucas's voice came from outside the door. "Harper, are you a pig? You slept for a day and a night. Even a pig would lose to you. Get up and eat!" Lucas cooked the meal, and it was quite standard. He was famous before. Not satisfied with the food in a restaurant, he opened one himself. Liked drumming, started a band. Liked stones, went into deep mountains, ended up being rescued by a helicopter. Halfway through university, suddenly took a break to race cars. Such rebellious deeds were countless. In the end, his family couldn't stand watching anymore and kicked him abroad to experience life. Knowing my brother was here, he moved his branch company here. At that time, my parents and I were terrified, afraid the only son of the Sutton family would be ruined in his hands. I actually envied him quite a bit. A person like him shouldn't have any regrets, right? "Lucas, what have you been busy with these years?" I was curious. "Doing business." He didn't even lift his eyelids. "Wait, why did you come here?" "To do business with my brother." We seemed to be discussing a very dry topic. He frowned and thought for a moment, saying seriously: "While your brother is away, you follow me first!"
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