Chapter 49
Feeling tears well up in her eyes, Ellie struggled to speak, her lips trembling. “Ring finger…”
The ring finger was said to have a vein that connected to the heart, symbolizing the closeness of love. Couples wore rings on that finger as a way to keep their love closest to their hearts.
“Ring finger it is!” Alex said, satisfied, and handed the design to the tattoo artist.
“I’m going to the bathroom,” Ellie murmured, nearly fleeing the room.
In the bathroom, Ellie fought to stabilize her trembling body. It felt like someone had pierced her heart! She had thought she could handle it calmly, but facing reality was much tougher than she had expected.
Tears spilled over uncontrollably as Ellie hid in the restroom until she felt composed enough to step out.
“Are you okay?” Layton asked as Ellie emerged.
Shaking her head, Ellie hurriedly lowered her gaze to avoid Layton’s sharp eyes. When Layton didn’t press her for more, she sighed in relief and followed him back to the tattoo room where Alex was waiting.
“My dad wants me to head home. I’ll call you later,” Layton announced, saying goodbye to everyone before leaving.
Alex pulled Ellie to sit beside him. “What do you think? How does it look?”
Ellie numbly focused on his ring finger. Even though the tattoo artist had only traced an outline, it still felt too glaring to her. The idea of Haley’s name permanently inked there seemed too overwhelming to bear.
Suppressing her emotions, Ellie managed to say, “It looks good.”
Ellie watched in disbelief as Alex had Haley’s name tattooed on his ring finger. The three-hour session felt like it lasted a century for Ellie.
Around 2:30 PM, she finally stepped out of the tattoo shop, trailing behind Alex. She stood on the sidewalk, feeling like the whole world had faded away, leaving just her in a heavy silence.
Alex turned back to glance at Ellie. Noticing her head downcast and her mood low, he playfully showcased his new tattoo. “What do you think? Does it look good?”
Ellie turned her head away, mumbling that it looked great.
Alex smirked with satisfaction. “You must be hungry. Let’s grab a bite. My treat.”
Ellie tried to refuse, but he dragged her into a nearby bistro.
As soon as Ellie entered the restaurant, she spotted Aaron and Haley sitting by the window in the corner.
From a distance, it was clear that their table was nearly untouched, the cutlery neatly arranged. Even from afar, she could feel the awkward tension between them.
Behind her, Alex let out a mocking scoff, and Ellie knew he noticed it too.
When Alex started striding toward Aaron and Haley, she instinctively grabbed his arm. “Can you at least wait until they finish talking? Just because you’re determined doesn’t mean you should interrupt!”
Alex paused, locking eyes with her for a moment. Then he pulled her to a secluded booth, gently pushing her into a seat.
Their table was shielded by a decorative screen, but it wasn’t far from where Aaron and Haley were sitting. Ellie could easily catch glimpses of their conversation.
After days of hesitation, Haley finally mustered up the courage to share what had been weighing on her heart. “Aaron, I admit my feelings for you aren’t as strong as they used to be. Ellie questioned me—how can I be so close to Alex when I’m still with you?”
“I thought about it for a long time, and I’ve realized some things. In the beginning, my feelings for you were pure and simple, with no strings attached. But now, we’re facing the reality of marriage, and it involves a lot of balancing between two families.”
“I’ll be honest. I’ve compared you to Alex. He makes everything about me, while you don’t. He pushes boundaries for me, while you hold back. He gives me material things and emotional support, while you… well, you can’t offer that the way he does.”
Haley propped her elbows on the table, covering her head with her hands as she continued, looking pained. “Alex easily wins over my parents; he fulfills my need for attention wherever we are. When I’m with him, I’m in the spotlight.”
“He gifted me a hairpin worth tens of thousands, which is my favorite style. But the silver earrings you gave me, no matter how much thought you put into them, I just can’t wear them. They don’t fit my image, and I’d get laughed at if I did.”
“Aaron, just think of it as me being young and naive when I started dating you. Let’s break up amicably, okay? Please don’t hold a grudge. I just really don’t want to lose Ellie as a friend because of this.” Haley’s voice cracked as she spoke, tears streaming down her face.
Ellie could feel the weight of Haley’s words, her heart aching for both of them. It seemed like Haley had made her decision, and there was no turning back now.
