Countdown 15 Departing From the Alpha (Evelyn)
I Become Novel 5

Chapter 05

"Lucas, what do you think of this one? I feel like it would suit Evelyn perfectly."

Without even glancing at the dress.. or me..Lucas replied casually, "We'll go with Daisy's choice. You two are about the same size, so we can even skip the fitting."

I stayed silent.

Sensing the awkwardness in the room, the sales assistant quickly offered, "We actually have some brand- new designs just in. Perhaps you'd like to take another look?"

The atmosphere was awkward and silent, and I had no interest at all in the matter of picking out a wedding dress.

But before I could respond, Daisy suddenly burst into tears.

"Evelyn, if I upset you, I'm so sorry! Please don't be mad at me, okay?"

Her voice trembled as she cried, looking heartbreakingly pitiful. Her shoulders shook, and her eyes

shimmered with tears.

“Earlier in the lounge, you kept criticizing my taste and said I dirtied the dress just by trying it on. But I was only trying to help you have the perfect wedding by trying it on first...."

Before I could say anything, she ran out of the store, ignoring Lucas's calls to come back.

Lucas turned to me, clearly annoyed. “Evelyn, what's wrong with you? It's just a dress! Did you really

have to make Daisy feel so bad?"

I stared at him, momentarily stunned. Then it clicked.

This was Daisy's test.

She wanted to see if Lucas would stay by my side to continue picking out a dress-or chase after her without hesitation.

Lucas hesitated, frowning as if torn. He seemed to struggle for a moment before finally sighing and turning toward me, as if ready to offer an explanation.

But before he could speak, I cut him off.

Let's pick the dress another day. I have something else to do."

Lucas stared at me, stunned. Before he could replace the words to respond, I turned and walked out, hailing a taxi and leaving him behind.

story. I w

In this so-called love the one who chose to walk away first.

As the cityscape blurred past the car windows, my eyes welled up.

I had given Lucas so many chances.

But he had completely forgotten what it meant to love me.

When I got home, the first thing I did was dig out all our photos.

Not just the one from our first date-the one that used to mean so much-but every single picture

we'd taken over the years. Five full albums.

I flipped through them. The memories felt vivid, like they'd only happened yesterday.

But now, none of it mattered anymore.

One by one, I burned them.

Every photo curled up in the flames, turning to ash.

Just like the version of me who once loved Lucas so deeply.

That evening, Lucas returned home just in time to see the last photo turning black in the fire.

His eyes widened as he ran over, his voice trembling. “What are you doing?”

I spoke calmly. “Nothing. The photos were getting moldy, so I decided to burn them.”

Lucas instinctively reached out to grab the remaining photos, but I let them slip from my fingers. watching as the flames consumed them all.

"These were our memories! Why would you do this?" he cried, staring helplessly at the ashes.

His words made me laugh bitterly.

ollinstick stain.

Lucas's crisp white shirt still bore a bright red lipstick

He had no problem hurting the real, living me standing in front of him, yet he clung desperately to

those lifeless photographs.

Icouldn't help but wonder how he would react if he knew I'd already transferred to another pack-and wasn't planning to return.

I hesitated and opened my mouth, intending to tell him the truth that I was about to leave.