Chapter 3

The invitation was for a celebration dinner. Lily's wealthy circle of friends was throwing her a party to celebrate her securing a spot in the finals of a prestigious national piano competition. An achievement Ethan had worked tirelessly to help her attain. He decided to go. Not to celebrate with her, but to say his goodbyes on his own terms.

He dressed carefully, picking a suit he hadn't worn in years. It felt good to wear something other than his work uniform. He looked at himself in the mirror, the new cologne a subtle armor. He was ready.

He arrived at the lavish restaurant and paused outside the private room. The door was slightly ajar, and he could hear voices, laughter.

"I still don't get why Lily is with that guy, Ethan," a woman's voice said. "He's so... bland. He's just a glorified assistant."

"Seriously," another voice chimed in. "Mark is so much better for her. They have history. They have passion. Look at them tonight. They look like the perfect couple."

Ethan's hand froze on the doorknob. He felt a familiar wave of humiliation wash over him, but this time, it was followed by a cold, hard anger.

He pushed the door open just as the room erupted in cheers. Mark was on one knee in the center of the room, holding a velvet box open. Inside was a glittering diamond ring. He wasn't holding it up to Lily, but he was looking at her with a practiced, soulful expression.

"Lily," Mark said, his voice loud enough for everyone to hear. "We've been through so much. I was a fool to ever let you go. Come back to me. Let me make you the happiest woman in the world."

The room was filled with "Awws" and calls of "Say yes, Lily!"

Lily looked overwhelmed, a blush creeping up her neck. She glanced at Mark, her eyes shining with unshed tears. "Oh, Mark..." she whispered, her voice filled with an emotion he hadn't heard from her in years, an emotion reserved only for this man. It was a stark, painful contrast to the irritated tone she always used with him.

The entire room was focused on the drama, on the romantic tableau. No one had noticed him standing in the doorway.

"What's going on here?" Ethan's voice cut through the noise, sharp and clear.

Every head turned towards him. The celebratory atmosphere vanished, replaced by a tense, awkward silence. Lily's face went pale. Mark slowly got to his feet, a smirk playing on his lips.

"Ethan," Lily said, her voice a nervous flutter. "What are you doing here?"

"I was invited," he said, holding up the invitation on his phone. He looked from her to Mark. "Looks like I'm interrupting something."

"You are," Mark said, stepping in front of Lily protectively. "This is a private party. For Lily's friends." The implication was clear: Ethan was not one of them.

"I'm her boyfriend," Ethan stated, his gaze fixed on Lily. "Or did you forget to mention that?"

Mark laughed, a condescending, ugly sound. "Boyfriend? You're her caretaker. The guy who pays her bills. Don't flatter yourself."

Lily stood frozen, her eyes darting between the two men. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out.

"Lily," Mark said, turning to her, his voice suddenly soft and concerned. "Tell him to leave. He's ruining your special night."

Instead of defending Ethan, instead of telling Mark to back off, Lily turned to him, her expression pleading. "Ethan, please. Not now. Can we just talk about this later?"

She was choosing Mark. In front of everyone, she was publicly siding with her ex-boyfriend over him. The humiliation was a physical thing, a hot flush that spread up his neck.

Suddenly, Mark started coughing dramatically, clutching his chest. "My allergies," he rasped, his eyes watering. "The flowers... I think there's lily dust in the air." He looked pointedly at the bouquet Ethan was still holding, a small bunch of lilies he had bought for her.

"Oh my god, Mark!" Lily rushed to his side, her face a mask of panic. "Are you okay? Someone get him some water!" She fussed over him, dabbing his forehead with a napkin, completely ignoring Ethan. The over-the-top concern was so transparently fake, it was almost funny.

One of Mark's friends, a large, thuggish-looking man, stepped up to Ethan. "You heard him, pal. Get lost before you cause real trouble."

The other guests were whispering, their eyes filled with a mixture of pity and contempt for him. He was the pathetic, clingy boyfriend crashing the party, the obstacle to a grand romance.

Ethan looked at Lily one last time, saw the complete lack of regard in her eyes, and felt something inside him finally snap. The last thread of hope, of love, of attachment, severed completely.

He turned without another word and walked out of the room, leaving the bouquet of lilies on a nearby table. He didn't need to say goodbye. Her actions had said it all. This was the end.