Worth

chapter 10 

In a secluded corner, Yannis suddenly pulled me into his embrace. 

The long–forgotten warmth enveloped me, stirring up painful memories of the past. 

“I’m sorry…” 

I heard him whisper. 

Probably fearing my aversion, he quickly released me. 

He repeated the same explanation from a year ago. 

Essentially said that he was with Wendy only to make me jealous, that he felt resentful. 

I didn’t say much, only asking if he had seen the ring on the table. 

Before I left, I had left him that ash–covered ring. 

Perhaps he had forgotten that the day of the house fire three years ago was my birthday. 

I had specially taken a day off, planning to bake a cake at home. 

In the center of the cake, I was going to place a ring I had made myself. 

I was going to propose to him that day. 

But by evening, he hadn’t shown up. 

Instead, I received a video from Wendy showing him celebrating her birthday. 

Our birthdays were on the same day, but Yannis had forgotten mine. 

In the video, I saw him and Wendy drinking a toast amidst the teasing of their friends. 

They were all his friends, none of whom I knew. 

I just heard someone say, “We’ve been waiting ten years to see you two drink a wedding toast, can’t believe it’s finally happening after a decade!” 

Suddenly, I realized that Wendy had been a part of his entire youth. 

And I was just a seasoning in his life. 

I put down my phone and sat silently on the sofa for a long time. 

So long that I forgot I had soup simmering on the stove. 

By the time a loud noise came from the kitchen, the fire had already started to spread. 

And then, I nearly perished in the flames. 

After a year, I finally told him everything clearly. 

He held back tears and took out that gray ring from his pocket. 

I looked at him calmly, only to see him already in tears. 

“I didn’t know, I’m sorry…” Yannis wept silently. “You never told me any of this…” 

“Can you give me another chance?”