Chapter 1

When Tristan publicly chose another girl, people waited for me to break.

But I’d already seen the future—

the version where loving him killed me.

So I went to the one man who mourned me for a lifetime.

Silas Yates.

Cold voice, steady hands, eyes burning when he thought I couldn’t see.

Tonight, I won’t be the girl chasing Tristan.

I’ll be the girl hiding in Silas’s bed when Tristan walks in.

The day Tristan Reed confessed to the pretty transfer student, everyone thought I would break down and rush over to make a scene. But I didn't show up at all, even after the confession was over.

Tristan had no idea that at that moment, I was sitting on his roommate's bed, wearing his roommate's hoodie, asking in frustration:

"I got your bed all wet. How are you going to sleep tonight?"

Silas Yates averted his gaze, his Adam's apple bobbing as he handed me a towel.

"Go dry your hair. I'll change the sheets before you sleep."

The day Tristan Reed confessed to the pretty transfer student, everyone thought I would break down and rush over to make a scene. But I didn't show up at all, even after the confession was over.

Tristan had no idea that at that moment, I was sitting on his roommate's bed, wearing his roommate's hoodie, asking in frustration:

"I got your bed all wet. How are you going to sleep tonight?"

Silas Yates averted his gaze, his Adam's apple bobbing as he handed me a towel.

"Go dry your hair. I'll change the sheets before you sleep."

Tristan was going to confess to that pretty transfer student.

He had asked everyone to keep it a secret from me. But he didn't know that some gossips couldn't hold it in and had already told me.

Everyone knew I had a crush on Tristan and dreamed of marrying him someday.

This time, Tristan seemed to have fallen head over heels for that girl.

People thought I would throw a fit, cry and make a huge scene.

Everyone loves to watch this kind of drama unfold between men and women.

They were all waiting for me to lose it and rush over to cause chaos.

But unfortunately, even after Tristan successfully confessed, I still hadn't shown up.

The crowd of onlookers, three layers deep, started to lose interest.

Even Tristan's face didn't show much joy.

He put his arm around his new girlfriend and took out his phone.

There were no calls or messages.

Tristan frowned slightly.

Then he turned to the crowd and said, "I'm treating everyone tonight. You're all invited."

The onlooking classmates all cheered.

I had been standing behind some trees the whole time and only then walked out.

Someone with sharp eyes spotted me and immediately shouted, "It's Mia! Mia's here!"

"I knew it. How could Mia possibly stay away?"

Tristan suddenly looked up. The moment he saw me, the corners of his lips curved up almost imperceptibly.

I ignored all the people waiting to see some drama.

I walked straight up to Tristan.

"Mia."

Tristan held his new girlfriend tighter.

He looked at me and said flatly, "You can't force feelings."

"We've known each other for over ten years. I don't want to say anything too harsh and hurt our old friendship."

"From now on, I'll still treat you like a sister."

"If you need anything, you can still come to me."

Then he lowered his voice, "With so many people watching, don't make a scene. Go home."

"Tristan," I interrupted him and slowly took a step forward.

He frowned again, "Mia, be good."

I smiled and handed him the bracelet I had just taken off my wrist.

"I came to return this to you."

Seeing the bracelet, Tristan's face suddenly darkened. "Mia, what game are you playing now?"

"Take the bracelet back. I won't bother you anymore after this."

Tristan stared at me, his voice growing colder, "I don't care about this little bit of money."

"If you don't want it, just throw it away."

As soon as he finished speaking, I turned and threw the bracelet into a nearby trash can.

"You can throw away all the other things I gave you before too."

With that, I left without looking at him again.

By the time I reached the riverside, it was raining heavily.

Standing in the rain with an umbrella, I thought about the dreams I had in the past few days.

In the dream, because of Tristan confessing to Olivia, I cried and made a scene. To force him to break up, I jumped into the river that night.

But what was the result?

I almost lost my life.

Tristan only stayed at the hospital for five minutes before leaving resolutely.

The White family who had fostered me thought I was embarrassing them by attempting suicide.

And because of Tristan's attitude, they felt I was no longer of any use to them.

They forced me to drop out of school and sent me back to my birth parents, who were involved in all kinds of vices.

In the end, my life spiraled downward, and I died miserably in a foreign country.

After I died, the person who collected my incomplete remains turned out to be the one I had always feared and kept at a distance.

And Tristan, newlywed and in high spirits, never showed up.

These days, the events in my dreams came true one by one.

If it weren't for these dreams, I would have been frantically calling Tristan by now.

Then I would have threatened to kill myself and jumped into the river.

I'm very grateful for this dream. It made me feel like I was reborn.

I can change my predetermined tragic fate bit by bit.

The third time I dialed that number, it was finally answered.

I clutched the phone tightly and held it gently to my ear.

The name Silas Yates lingered on my tongue several times before I finally uttered it slowly.

The heavy rain cut off all the noise in the world.

Only Silas's voice, slightly lazy, sounded deeply, "Mia?"

"Silas, it's raining heavily."

"I'm by the river and can't get back. Can you come pick me up?"

The other end of the phone was silent for a few seconds. I nervously gripped the umbrella handle, my palm clammy with sweat.

In the dream, when Silas was collecting my remains, he seemed to cry.

His tears fell one by one on my decaying flesh and bones.

Even in the dream, I could feel that burning sensation.

Later, he carried a small bottle of my ashes with him for a lifetime.

And he was lonely for a lifetime.

I couldn't help but tear up and choked back a sob.

"Why are you crying?"

Silas's voice suddenly came through.

It was still that indifferent tone, even with a hint of impatience.

"I didn't say I wouldn't come."

"Then when will you be here?"

"Wait. I'll be there in twenty minutes."

"Okay, I'll wait for you, Silas."

He didn't say anything else, and the call ended.

Fifteen minutes later, I gave my umbrella to a mother and child seeking shelter from the rain.

So when Silas arrived, I was already soaked from head to toe.

When he got out of the car, his thin lips were tightly pressed together, his face as cold as if it contained frost and snow.

I brushed my wet bangs aside and looked up at him with a bright smile, "Silas, you're really punctual."

"Mia, you might as well die of stupidity."

He coldly grabbed my arm and shoved me into the car.

Then he threw me a soft blanket.

"Dry yourself off. Don't get my car dirty."

He glanced at me in the rearview mirror and then skillfully turned the car around.

"Oh." I obediently wrapped myself in the blanket.

Then I couldn't help but steal glances at him as he focused on driving.

When he had no expression, he always looked very cold and unapproachable.

Many girls at school liked him, but no one dared to confess.

He was Tristan's roommate.

I often went to Tristan's dorm, and every time I went, Silas seemed to really dislike me.

Even now, although he came to pick me up, his attitude was still cold.

Just now when he shoved me into the car, he used extra force.

My wrist still hurt, with a ring of red marks.

It's hard to tell that he had been secretly liking me all along.

I slowly lowered my eyelashes.

Everything in the dream had come true.

But now, because of my changes, many things have also changed.

Would Silas still like me?

If he didn't like me at all, wouldn't I be causing him trouble by doing this?

"Back to the dorm?"

Silas suddenly turned his head and glanced at me.

My heart suddenly skipped a beat, and I blurted out,

"Yeah, back to your dorm."

Silas gripped the steering wheel and snorted, "Tristan won't be back tonight."

"I know."