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A drop of blood spattered onto Ian Sterling’s cheek. His eyes were vacant as he looked down at Lynn. She smiled at him, her voice barely audible as she whispered, “Baby, in our next life…”

“No, no… I don’t want a next life. Don’t leave me.”

“Don’t… please, don’t leave me. I’ll die. I won’t be able to live without you.”

“Get a doctor! Someone, get a doctor!”

“Please, don’t leave me.”

“Don’t leave me, Baby… Don’t leave me…”

The world around him gradually fell silent, so much so that Ian Sterling wondered if he’d gone deaf. He raised his head and stared blankly at the crowd in the distance.

They were the guests who had come for the engagement ceremony—his family, Lynn’s family, his friends.

‘They all look like they pity me… pitying me for losing the love of my life—’

‘But why wasn’t anyone helping me? Why wasn’t anyone helping me save Lynn’s life? Why did they just let me lose my love? Why…’

“Finn.”

Ian Sterling looked at Nina Norton and Spencer Sterling beside him, asking blankly, “Why didn’t you help me? Lynn is gone. Why did you just stand there and do nothing?”

Spencer Sterling’s face was contorted with grief. He had just started to speak when he was cut off by Ian Sterling’s piercing question. “Why?! Why didn’t you help me?!”

“You never wanted me to be with Lynn, did you? Is that why you were so indifferent?”

“Is that it? She was so good to you! How could you do this?!”

Nina Norton shook her head, crying too hard to speak.

Ian Sterling looked down at Lynn’s ashen face, his eyes filled with a profound tenderness. He gently wiped the dried blood from the corner of her lips. “Baby, are you tired?” he murmured. “I’ll take you home. Back to our home.”

Everyone watched as he carried Lynn away. Nina Norton started to follow, but Spencer Sterling held her back.

“Don’t. Don’t go after him.”

Nina Norton shook her head in anguish, clutching Spencer Sterling’s hand as she sobbed, “Lynn’s gone. Finn won’t be able to live without her.”

“I know.”

*

No one knew what Ian Sterling did during the two days he’d had Lynn. They only knew that on the third day, he walked out of Calyx Hall, cat carrier in hand, and drove steadily toward Aerie Garden.

Aerie Garden was silent. The usual liveliness had vanished, and the entire household was steeped in grief.

His arrival came as a great shock to Nina Norton, Spencer Sterling, and Ian’s older siblings.

Ian Sterling smiled at them. With a look of resignation, he crouched, opened the cat carrier, and let Kiki and Gigi run out.

Nina Norton watched him cautiously. Ian Sterling patted Kiki and Gigi on the head. Sensing they were a little unhappy, he scratched under their chins.

He was dressed impeccably, his hair perfectly styled. The entire Sterling family was baffled.

“Finn…”

“Mom, Dad, I had to bring them over. I don’t know what’s gotten into them, but they keep wailing at my place. They’re disturbing Lynn while she’s trying to rest.”

It was only then that they understood. Ian Sterling merely looked normal on the surface.

Nina Norton started forward to try and reason with him, but Connor Sterling stopped her. He shook his head at Nina, then stepped forward and asked Ian, “Where are you headed?”

“Lynn said I should spend more time with my friends. I’m thinking of going to hang out with Jasper Jennings and the others. You wanna come, big bro?”

Ian Sterling smiled, but Connor Sterling stared intently into his eyes. Connor’s scrutinizing gaze must have been too obvious, because Ian asked, looking puzzled, “What is it?”

Connor Sterling shook his head and chuckled lightly. “I’ll go with you.”

“Alright. I’ll give Jasper and the guys a call.”

Connor followed him, taking the car keys from his hand and shooting a meaningful look at the rest of the family behind them.

After they left, Nina Norton’s legs gave out, and she collapsed against Spencer Sterling. Fresh tears streamed from her red, swollen eyes.

“Elder Winslow and Mr. Powell are awake. Let’s go see them.”

Nina Norton tightened her grip on Spencer Sterling’s hand and nodded in silence.

As he drove, Connor Sterling glanced at Ian, who was in the passenger seat, incessantly tapping out messages on his phone. Connor smiled, testing the waters. “Who are you texting?”

“Lynn, of course,” Ian said, the corners of his mouth lifting into a faint smile. “I’m letting her know where I am so she doesn’t worry when she wakes up and can’t find me.” He chuckled softly. “I’d hate for her to get upset. She’s impossible to calm down once she gets into a mood.”

Connor pressed his lips together, debating whether to be more direct, but he was afraid of hurting Ian.

So instead, he carefully beat around the bush. “So, what have you and Lynn been up to at home for the past couple of days?”

“Big bro, I don’t think that’s appropriate for me to tell you, is it?” Ian shot him a sidelong glance and muttered, “We’re engaged, and about to get our marriage license. What do you *think* we’ve been doing?”

“Oh, right. I forgot you’re single.”

Connor didn’t retort like he normally would have. Instead, waves of unspeakable pain washed over him.

‘None of them knew what to do. How could they pull their precious Finn from this abyss of pain? How could they possibly make things right again…’

Nys had been closed for three days, but today, the staff received a sudden notice from the owner to open up.

When Ian Sterling walked into the bar, he had a constant smile on his face. Jasper Jennings and the others were waiting silently in a private room. Having been tipped off by Connor, they all put on a show when he arrived, laughing and joking with him.

Ian acted just like his old self, drinking and playing cards, all while boasting about how he was about to be a married man and was officially off the market.

Everyone present felt their hearts ache, but they played along, teasing Ian just like they always had.

Jasper Jennings stood behind him, watching him play. He smiled and ruffled Ian’s hair. “Look at you, all grown up now. Time to stop acting so childish.”

“Since when have I ever been childish?” Ian scoffed, lifting his chin. “My wife says I’m the most handsome man in the world.”

“Listen to yourself. If that’s not childish, I don’t know what is.”

The others erupted in laughter. Ian shrugged nonchalantly, tossed his cards down, and went back to drinking with his arms slung around his friends’ shoulders.

Kenneth Keller, however, remained silent. He was a terrible actor and couldn’t pretend nothing was wrong. He hid in a dark corner, tears streaming down his face. When Ian noticed and asked what was wrong, Kenneth quickly claimed he had an eye infection.

“Man, if my wife hadn’t told me to spend more time with you guys, I wouldn’t have come out at all,” Ian sighed after finishing his drink. He leaned back lazily against the sofa, staring blankly at the ceiling for a moment before suddenly smiling. “I don’t plan on going out much anymore, though. A family man has to settle down. Just stay home and live a good life with his wife.”

“Right…”

“Alright, I’m done drinking. Going home to cuddle with my wife.”

With that, he turned and walked out of the room. Connor caught up to him in a few strides. “I’ll give you a ride.”

Ian Sterling nodded, grinning. “You should find yourself a wife soon, big bro. Look at our oldest brother—he’s about to have a kid, and I’m getting married soon, too.”