After I left the country, every lover Caroline Marsh found looked just like me. When her friends talked about me, they’d say, “Caroline’s old flame, the one that got away. If Noah ever came back, none of these other guys would stand a chance.” Then Caroline started dating a newly famous actor, a kid who looked nothing like me. And he was the first one she ever officially called her boyfriend. That was the year I rushed back home. Everyone was waiting for the show: the old flame, full of regret, begging for a second chance. Even Caroline dropped hints, a subtle warning: “Noah, you’ve come back at a bad time.” But they didn’t know. I wasn’t here to win Caroline back. I was back to get married. 1 Stepping out of the airport, I spotted Caroline in the crowd almost instantly. She was wearing a light beige trench coat, her figure as elegant as ever, her face etched with a maturity it didn’t have when I left. But the look on that face was impossibly complex. “They said you were coming back. I didn’t believe them.” I stopped, my hand resting on my luggage handle, and said coolly, “I’m just here to take care of a few things.” Caroline took the suitcase from my hand. “Your father asked me to pick you up. Don’t get the wrong idea.” I nodded and followed her to the underground parking garage. On the way, I glanced at my phone. A group chat that had been dead for ages was exploding. [Did Caroline really go pick Noah up? No way, is he actually back?] [What about her current boyfriend, that actor Leo Bright? Is she kicking him to the curb?] [Is that even a question? And why do you think Noah is suddenly back? He’s obviously here to win her back!] [Leo Bright is nothing. Just a novelty for Caroline. Now that Noah’s back, I’ll be shocked if she even spares Leo a glance.] [I’ve met Leo. Don’t underestimate him. Any man who can land Caroline is a force to be reckoned with.] Caroline noticed my buzzing phone. She glanced at the screen, then looked at me. “Noah, you’ve come back at a bad time.” She added, “I have a boyfriend now.” My hand, reaching for the passenger door, froze. I rerouted, opening the back door instead. Only two words left my lips: “Congratulations.” Caroline slammed her door with a little too much force. The Caroline I knew was always composed, free of bad habits, and fiercely private. But in the years I’d been away, I’d heard rumors of more than a dozen lovers. Her phone rang, and a clear, bright voice came through the speaker. “Caroline, I’m dying on set. Can you come and get me?” “Send me the address.” “Love you, love you!” Caroline hung up and turned to me with a smile. “You don’t mind if I take a detour to pick up my boyfriend, do you?” “Of course not.” I should have taken a cab. 2 Caroline parked the car near the film set. Amidst the bustling crowd, my eyes landed on Leo Bright. He was impossible to miss. Even bundled up, he had a star quality that was instantly recognizable. Fans were snapping pictures. Leo pulled down his mask just enough to reveal a gentle smile. “Thank you all for the love. My girlfriend isn’t in the public eye, so could you please not photograph her?” A fan shouted, “We heard your girlfriend is the heiress to the Marsh fortune. Is it true?” Leo didn’t deny it, just raised a finger to his lips in a “shh” gesture. Once in the car, he took off his sunglasses and planted a kiss on Caroline’s cheek. “Caroline, have you been waiting long?” His eyes flickered to me. “And you are?” I offered a polite smile. “Hello. I’m Noah Croft. A friend of Caroline’s.” Leo’s smile deepened. “Noah. I’ve heard a lot about you.” Caroline naturally reached over and fastened his seatbelt for him. “All buckled in. Let’s go.” Leo chuckled. “Look at me, always forgetting. You always have to do it for me.” I turned my gaze to the window, avoiding the sight of their affection. We hadn’t been driving for long before Leo struck up a conversation with me. “Noah, in all your years abroad, did you ever have a girlfriend?” “I did,” I said honestly. “I knew it! A guy as handsome as you, you look like a movie star yourself. You must have women chasing you all the time, right? “Take Caroline, for example. She pursued me. All her friends say I’m different to her. “But I don’t quite get it. Do they mean she has some unforgettable old flame? I hear you and Caroline grew up together. You must know who it is. Come on, tell me.” He watched me, his eyes more probing than curious. Caroline’s brow furrowed. “I don’t have an old flame,” she said, her tone sharp. “They’re just teasing.” Leo pouted and started sulking on his phone. The rest of the drive was silent. When Caroline dropped me off at my family’s house, she didn’t even get out of the car. She rolled down the window. “My boyfriend’s upset. I have to go cheer him up, so I won’t come in. Say hello to your parents for me.” I was about to leave when Leo suddenly called out. “Noah, let’s exchange numbers.” I held out my phone for him to scan, but he shook his head. “No, you scan me. That way I know you’ll accept the request.” 3 My friends threw a small welcome-home party for me. No one expected Caroline to bring Leo Bright. Leo had come prepared with carefully selected gifts for everyone. Especially for me. “I hear Caroline thinks of you as a brother, Noah. So when we get married, you have to be my best man.” A few of my friends’ expressions soured. One of them turned to Caroline. “Caroline, aren't you going to rein him in?” Caroline just smiled. “Do you want me to get punished when we get home?” Leo scratched his head sheepishly, grinning. He suggested a game of truth or dare. The bottle spun and landed on me. Everyone was eager to ask a question, but Leo stopped them. “Hold on! Let my girlfriend go first.” Caroline took a sip of her drink, her eyes fixed on me. “Did you have a girlfriend abroad?” I nodded. “Yes.” A few people gasped. Caroline’s best friend, a woman named Maya, tried to play it off. “Oh, come on, Noah’s just joking. A penalty shot for lying! I’ll drink it for him.” The next round, it was Caroline’s spin. The bottle pointed to me again. She asked, “What’s her name?” I answered, “I’d rather not say.” Leo laughed loudly. “Hahaha, Noah! Lucky you’re not an actor, your poker face is terrible. These women don’t get how a man’s mind works, but we’re both men. I can tell you’re lying from a mile away.” Caroline’s usual boy toys would never dare speak like that. But this was Leo Bright sitting next to her. The only boyfriend she had ever publicly acknowledged. Caroline’s silence was a form of permission. A small smile played on my lips. “Actors are experts at faking it, Mr. Bright. It’s a skill I’ve never had to learn.” The smile froze on Leo’s face. I’ve always considered myself good-natured, but my tongue can be sharp. It seemed Caroline hadn’t gotten around to telling Leo that part. But he had a thick skin. In a flash, he was smiling again, pouring me a drink. “A bet’s a bet. If you can’t answer, you drink. Your turn.” “Fine.” I downed the glass in one go. The bottle in Caroline’s hand seemed enchanted. The next spin landed on me again. She asked, almost without thinking, “Why did you come back?” 4 I chose not to answer this one. Caroline saw through me and slammed her hand down on the bottle to stop it from spinning. “Why did you come back?” I sighed in resignation. “To get married.” It wasn't a big secret. I’d have to invite my friends to the wedding eventually anyway. “Pfft— Hahahahahahaha!” The room erupted in laughter. “It’s been years, but Noah’s pranks are still so childish.” “I think his real intentions are hidden somewhere else.” “Noah, you’re getting worse and worse at lying.” I looked at Leo. “So, I’m sorry, but I can’t be your best man. My wedding is at the beginning of next month.” He asked, his curiosity piqued, “Is it the girlfriend you had abroad? Come on, Noah, just tell us. It’s not like we’re going to judge her if she’s not good enough, right?” I didn’t owe him an explanation. I just said calmly, “She’s an amazing woman, but I can’t disclose her identity.” Caroline suddenly stood up and pulled on Leo’s arm. “Leo, your acting is much better than his. I can’t watch this farce anymore. Let’s go.” Maya grabbed her, whispering in her ear, “Don’t, Caroline. If you miss this chance, who knows how long you’ll have to wait again?” Caroline shook her off. “When was I ever waiting for him? Huh?” “I’ve played with more men than I can count these past few years. Every single one of them was better than Noah Croft.” The words died on Maya’s lips. My eyes met Caroline’s. Her gaze was trembling. I stood frozen, a cold dread washing over me, feeling the blood turn to ice in my veins. “Caroline, have you no shame?” A faint, mocking smile touched her lips. “None of your business.” 5 After the party, Maya cornered me. “Noah, are you really getting married? Is it true?” I nodded calmly. “It’s true.” She sighed. “You don’t have to lie to me. Others might not know, but I do. The only thing between you and Caroline is that one hurdle from the past. The truth is, Caroline—” I cut her off. “Maya, it’s not a hurdle. It’s a person.” “I’m really getting married this time. I’m not lying to you, and I’m not doing this out of spite.” Maya looked as if she’d been struck. “Noah! Have you seen what’s become of Caroline these past few years? How could you…” “I wasn’t here, but you were, weren’t you?” “For years, Caroline has looked at man after man who resembles you, and the thing she says most often is, “‘He looks like him, but he’s not him.’” I let out a long, weary sigh. “But you saw it too, Maya. She still hates me.” … Halfway home, Caroline’s car screeched to a halt. She gave Leo his marching orders. “Get out.” Leo’s expression tightened, but he forced a smile. “What, you say you don’t believe him, but the second you hear he’s getting married, you fly into a rage?” Caroline’s face grew even darker. “Leo Bright, know your place. I can have you blacklisted with a single word.” Faced with a choice between his career and his pride, Leo chose the former. He had thought he was different to Caroline. No other man had ever sat in her passenger seat. No other man had she ever publicly called her boyfriend. Other men had been dumped for simply mentioning Noah Croft’s name. Leo didn’t believe Noah was the “unforgettable old flame” everyone talked about. He thought what Caroline felt was closer to hate. She had loved him once, but that love had curdled into resentment. Every man wanted to be the Marsh family’s son-in-law. Now that he, Leo Bright, had his foot in the door, he had to give it everything he had to cross the threshold. 6 Leo Bright posted on his social media. It was a picture he had secretly taken of me. The lighting in the private room was dim, so it was only a shot of my back. The caption read: [I hear your old flame is back in town. I guess that makes me nothing but a smudge of mosquito blood on the wall.] A minute later, he deleted it. Leo was an A-lister Caroline had built from the ground up. His every move was headline news. And this time, my name was in the trending topics. His fans were furious: [What old flame? He’s the one who dumped Caroline in the first place, and now he can’t stand to see our Leo happy, so he’s back to ruin things.] [Oh my god, so he’s a homewrecker?] [He’s not just a homewrecker, he’s a murderer. He caused the death of a mutual friend he and Caroline shared.] [Not many people know what happened back then, but let’s just say Noah Croft is from one of those untouchable elite families. You can guess the rest~] [Is Leo being threatened? If you’re being threatened, post a period on your next update.] Leo’s next post was, indeed, just a single period. He deleted it moments later. He had stirred the pot once again. When he showed up at my door to apologize, he still wore a mask of innocence. “I’m so sorry, Noah. I just posted a line from a script. I had no idea people would react so strongly and start this online mob against you. I’m really sorry.” His eyes were red from crying. I said coldly, “You want me to suffer, but you don’t want to offend my family. Leo Bright, you can’t have it both ways.” “Noah, I know what they’re saying is true. You and Caroline had a past, so I understand why you’re targeting me. But please, leave Caroline out of this.” Just as I was about to speak, Leo suddenly stumbled forward, his head slamming hard against the edge of a table. Caroline walked in at that exact moment. She rushed to help the now unconscious Leo, blood gushing from his forehead, staining her shoulder crimson. “Noah, I already had the trending topics taken down for you. Don’t you think you’re taking this too far?” I roared, “Who do you think sicced his fans on me in the first place?” Caroline sneered. “But Noah, were they wrong? Did you not dump me without a word? Did you not cause a man’s death? Hmm?” The words caught in my throat. Without looking back, she supported Leo and hurried him to the hospital. 7 I drove to the cemetery. The sun was shining, the air was calm, but the place still felt heavy. I stood before a headstone and pulled a pack of cigarettes from my pocket. I lit one and placed it on the ground. “Your favorite.” I looked at the picture of the smiling young man on the stone, his life forever frozen at twenty. Finn. An orphan, with no parents to speak of. Back then, the three of us were inseparable. One day, while helping Finn move, his notebook fell out in my car. And just like that, a page that would change all our lives lay open on the back seat. A picture of Caroline was taped to a corner of the page. Finn’s feelings for her had been translated into words that filled every inch of space around her photo. At the time, Caroline and I had just ended a six-year secret crush and had been officially together for less than a year. For all seven of those years, Finn had been by Caroline’s side. I confronted Caroline in a rage, and we had a massive fight. “Finn has been in love with you for this long, and you never noticed? You kept him by your side for seven years! Were you two hiding this from me together?” Caroline screamed back, “What are you talking about? How could Finn possibly be in love with me?” I slapped the page from his notebook onto her desk. “See for yourself! This is how he’s been in love with you for seven years!” Caroline’s gaze wasn’t on the notebook. It was on something behind me. I turned and saw Finn’s face, pale as a ghost. He fled in a panic. At an intersection just a block from her apartment, he was hit by a car. He died instantly. It was only later, when I finally read the last page of his notebook, that a tidal wave of grief washed over me. Finn had written: [It’s so rare for two people to love each other. Noah and Caroline are my best friends. They have to be happy.] Tears streamed down my face, consumed by a regret so deep it felt like a physical wound. Caroline and I were both twenty years old then. Our love was young and fragile. Weighed down by a life, it quickly shattered. From that day on, there was always a trace of hatred in her eyes when she looked at me. Finn was my friend, but to Caroline, he was family. When the cold ocean water rose to my chest, a kind stranger pulled me back. She yelled at me, “You’re so young! What gives you the right to give up on life?” “Because I caused a life to be lost. I owe him this.” “Listen to me! If you die, you get an easy way out. How can you be so selfish? You want to atone? Then live with this guilt forever!” I chose to run from Caroline, carrying my guilt with me to another country. I went to Murmansk, the city Finn loved most. A port that never freezes, a guilt that never thaws. 8 Leo Bright, a massive bandage on his forehead, started a livestream. His fans were outraged: [Leo, what happened? Did someone hit you? Tell us, don’t be afraid, we’ll protect you!] [Just a passerby, but I can’t watch this anymore. Call the police, man.] [OMG I’m crying my eyes out, someone please save this kind soul.] Leo managed a pale smile. “Don’t worry everyone, I was just clumsy and bumped into something.” He tilted the camera slightly, and Caroline’s back came into view. She seemed to be cooking for him. Leo said, “Alright my dear fans, cheer up, no more tears. I’m actually happy this happened. It’s a blessing in disguise. My girlfriend is finally willing to come home and cook for me.” [Meaning she was tied up with that homewrecker this whole time? Noah Croft is a monster!] [Don’t be moved by one meal! You’re always so kind, who’s going to look out for you?] [Noah Croft can go to hell!] Just before Caroline could turn around, Leo straightened the camera. He deliberately defended me: “Everyone has it wrong. Noah is a dear friend to both of us. I hope you all will stop disturbing a private citizen’s life and give him some peace, okay?” The comments grew more and more vitriolic. Watching them, Leo’s smile deepened. He ended the livestream. Across the city, I put down my phone. I rubbed my brow, a headache blooming. Just then, an unsaved number called. A gentle female voice. “Noah, my flight back lands tomorrow afternoon. We need to discuss our wedding plans.” My grip tightened on the phone. “Okay. I’ll pick you up.” That night, a rumor started spreading through the city’s elite circles. The powerhouse lawyer, the one who made titans of industry tremble, Claire Lowell, was coming home. Someone had once dared to sum her up. If you don’t want to get sued, don’t cross Claire Lowell. 9 At the capital airport. Claire Lowell, in a black overcoat, her figure slim and her aura commanding, stood out in the crowd. I hurried towards her. “Welcome home, Counselor.” Claire looked at me with a soft expression and leaned up to kiss my cheek. “Noah, it’s been so long. I’ve missed you.” That night, I stayed at Claire’s apartment. After a passionate encounter, she lay softly on my chest. I asked her, “Claire, are you confident about that case?” Claire looked up at me, her eyes glinting with a playful smile. “Instead of asking about our wedding, you’re focused on a case? Noah, you’re too eager.” I pouted. “Who’s eager? I’ve already made the arrangements. I’m going for a tuxedo fitting tomorrow, and you’re coming with me.” “Okay.” I turned off the light but couldn't fall asleep for a long time. The next day, at the bridal shop, I ran into Leo Bright. He was in a white tuxedo, preening in front of a mirror. When he saw me, his smile vanished. “Noah, what are you doing here?” I then noticed he was holding his phone, seemingly livestreaming. Leo spoke to the screen: “Fans, calm down. Noah has great taste. Maybe Caroline sent him to give me some advice. “The wedding date? Caroline is already looking at dates. Good news is just around the corner.” He strode over, positioning himself to take a selfie with me. “Noah, say hi to my fans. And maybe clarify your relationship with Caroline, so they don't get the wrong idea, right?” The comment section exploded. [What bridal shop is that? I’m on my way to get revenge for my boy!] [He’s so ugly! Is there no standard for homewreckers these days?] [Ugh, can the scumbag who breaks up relationships just die already!] I slapped the phone out of his hand. “Leo Bright, stop this online mob. As a public figure, you have no integrity.” He glanced at the dark screen of his phone and smirked. “Caroline and I are getting married. Aren’t you panicking?” “I’m panicking like crazy, okay? Now you’re in my way. Move.” A familiar voice cut through the air. “I’m quite sure I called the manager to book the entire store. Why are random people being allowed in?” Caroline appeared behind us. Leo’s face transformed into a smile as he walked towards her. “Caroline, thank god you’re here. Noah suddenly lost control. He even smashed my phone. I don’t blame him, he’s probably just a little emotional.” Caroline stared at me coldly. “Noah, what are you trying to pull this time?” “Does he need to explain himself to you?” Claire Lowell walked towards me, taking off her sunglasses as she did. She linked her arm through mine. “Sorry I’m a little late, Noah. Had to deal with something.” Caroline took a step forward, her eyes narrowing at the newcomer. “Claire Lowell?” Claire smiled. “A pleasure. I’m Claire Lowell. Noah’s fiancée.”
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