The Day I Left He Proposed But I No Longer Wanted Marriage Chapter 01

The Day I Left He Proposed But I No Longer Wanted Marriage Chapter 01

After my advisor deliberately delayed my graduation yet again, I couldn’t help but secretly buy a ticket and fly back home.

The moment I saw Evan, all the hurt I’d been holding back came rushing out.

I was just about to run into his arms—when I overheard his friend teasing him.

“Evan, back then you promised Aria you’d marry her as soon as she graduated. But because Claire said one word, you’ve held her back three whole years. Aren’t you afraid she’ll find out and raise hell?”

Evan laughed and answered.

“Claire’s studio is just getting off the ground. I don’t want any distractions. Graduation can wait until next year. Aria’s already waited six—one more year won’t make a difference.”

On the way to the airport, I felt cold creeping through my entire body.

Claire Bennett was Evan’s childhood sweetheart. She ran a haute couture studio in Paris.

Five years. 1,825 days.

Every single week, Evan flew to Paris to see her.

Yet he never once came to visit me in Switzerland.

I sat in the departure lounge, listening to the boarding calls urging passengers to board, and I tore up my return ticket to Switzerland.

The winters there were far too cold.

And I didn’t want to wait any longer.

***

I’d been sitting in the departure lounge for an hour when Evan called.

“Aria, why didn’t you go to class today? Your advisor called me—said she couldn’t get hold of you.”

I cleared my hoarse throat and answered, my voice low.

“I’m a little tired. Just wanted to rest for a bit.”

On the other end of the line, Evan’s voice softened as he reminded me.

“Be more careful next time. Don’t let your advisor lose track of you. If word of this gets back to my mother, her impression of you will only get worse.”

That line again.

In order to win a single nod from Evan’s mother, I’d practically worked myself half to death abroad.

But for three years in a row, my advisor had found every excuse to delay my graduation.

Countless shattered nights.

I’d stare at screen after screen of data, sinking into deep selfdoubt.

But it turned out it wasn’t that I wasn’t good enough.

It was just that the man I loved had personally blocked every path I had.

Maybe he sensed my silence, because Evan softened his tone.

“Aria, just hold on a little longer. Next year, you’ll definitely graduate smoothly.”

That same old line again.

Next year after next year—just how many next years were there?

I truly didn’t know anymore whether these six years had been worth anything at all.

“Evan, I think we should break—”

The word “up” hadn’t even left my lips.

I suddenly started coughing violently, and a mouthful of blood spilled right into my palm.

Normally, whenever he heard me cough, Evan would panic.

But today, he hung up early.

I glanced at the date.

Today was Claire’s first domestic product launch event.

Evan was probably there.

I let out a selfdeprecating laugh.

I pulled out a wet wipe and slowly cleaned the blood from my palm and the corner of my mouth.

These six years abroad, I hadn’t had it easy.

I couldn’t adjust to the brutal Swiss winters.

Couldn’t stomach the cold, hard food.

On top of that, the roundtheclock, suffocating coursework.

I’d lost a full twenty pounds and developed a serious stomach condition.

Every single night Evan flew to Paris to be with someone else, my stomach hurt so badly I couldn’t sleep the whole night through.

But once the pain passed, I’d drag myself up and keep studying.

By the end, even I couldn’t tell anymore.

Whether it was love for Evan that drove me—or just sheer, stubborn obsession.