After an extravagantly luxurious engagement party, my fiancé disappeared. He left behind only a letter, stating that his childhood friend was terminally ill and her only wish was to see the Northern Lights in Iceland. On the day he returned to the country, I personally went to call off the engagement.

Beside Charles Torres, Alice Bruno was in tears, sobbing weakly. "I'm sorry, Patricia. I've made things difficult for you. I'll leave now and never interfere with your lives again!" He shielded Alice behind him, his expression cold. "If you dare lay a hand on Alice, I'll take your life!"

I scoffed, "I won't do anything to her. First, she's filthy and I don't want to dirty my hands for her. And second, I fear what this crazy woman will do to me."

"Patricia Nelson, what do you mean by that!" Charles glared at me, his eyes bloodshot as if they might burst into flames. Behind him, Alice buried her face in her hands, her shoulders shaking. Seeing his beloved in such a state, Charles didn't even bother to argue back but quickly comforted Alice, enveloping her in his arms. "Alice, don't be afraid. It's not your fault. She just yelled too loudly and scared you!"

I was almost amused by his outrage and tossed a piece of paper at him. It was a health report, proving Alice was perfectly healthy. I wanted Charles to see the truth, to realize what absurd things he had done under deception.

Charles didn't even glance at it, tossing it aside. "Patricia, I never knew you were such a heartless woman! You know Alice can't handle stress, and yet you forge lies to frame her! She's still sick, and you keep causing such scenes! Can't you be more considerate?"

Tolerate? It turned out in Charles's heart, I was just being unreasonable.

I laughed mockingly at myself, took a deep breath, and held back the tears in my eyes. It turned out that our ten years of acquaintance and seven years of love seemed to weigh less to him than a single tear from Alice.

Whatever Alice wanted to eat, he'd go out to buy it even in the rain. If Alice was in a bad mood, he'd stay up all night to keep her company. When Alice was sick and hospitalized, he was there without rest, always by her side. And every time I argued with him, all I got in return was the same answer. "I see Alice as my own sister. You're overthinking it." He even kept psychologically manipulating me, insisting that since I loved him, I should respect his female friend.

Just thinking about this pair, who masqueraded as righteous siblings but were as close as childhood sweethearts, made me sick!

I looked coldly at Charles. "I've already called off our engagement, and I won't overthink anymore."

Perhaps it was because my expression was too serious. A flicker of something I couldn't read passed through Charles's eyes. Confusion? I couldn't tell. He released Alice's hand, his expression unkind. "The news about Alice came too suddenly. I didn't have time to tell you, but I left you a letter too. What are you still unsatisfied with?"

"We were engaged, yet you made a joke of breaking up with me. Patricia, don't you think you're being childish?"

Childish? I brushed away Charles's outstretched hand and slowly removed the dazzling ring from my finger, the ring Charles had personally slipped on. Back then, his eyes were filled only with my reflection.

"Patricia, trust me. I really want to marry you."

As I pulled off the ring, the handsome face of the past was replaced by his current sullen look. I threw the ring at his face.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Torres."

"Since you disagree with breaking up, then now, it's me dumping you."