Remaining Days, Please Advise

Annulment

Half an hour had passed by the time Elena arrived at Neon Haven.

As she approached the door to private room 103, she heard laughter and teasing from the half-open door. Brian sat at the head of the table, with Zara by his side.

Aiden teased, "Brian, remember how carefree you were with Zara? Skipping school, fighting, climbing walls, eloping, living together... You almost had a fallout with your parents. It all feels like a lifetime ago now."

"That's what youth is about! So full of vigor!"

Elena stood at the door, her mind momentarily blank, even feeling a bit nauseous at the words.

She stepped aside and quietly dialed Brian's number.

She called three times, but each time it was hung up.

Elena, expressionless, called a fourth time, and Brian finally answered.

Brian's cold voice carried a hint of impatience, "What is it?"

Elena lowered her voice, speaking softly as if it were a breeze, "Brian, where are you? Auntie is calling us back for dinner."

Brian: "I have things to do. Go by yourself."

Elena's voice grew softer, "What's so important? It's late. Are you working overtime?"

Brian, sensitive as ever, responded coldly, "Elena, don't tell me you're still checking up on me? Don't forget we're not married yet!"

"I know..." Elena took a deep breath and suddenly asked, "Why didn't you tell me Zara is your ex-girlfriend?"

Brian's tone dropped, "Elena, are you investigating me?"

"Anna told me. I don't have the connections to investigate you."

If she had investigated Brian earlier, she might not have been in such a passive situation all this time.

Brian seemed to believe her explanation but remained indifferent, "Does it matter if she's my ex? Do you need me to announce it everywhere to be satisfied?"

Elena was at a loss for words, finding it hard to believe.

Does it not matter?

What kind of man still takes his ex-girlfriend for a prenatal checkup six years after breaking up?

Brian didn't think there was anything wrong, instead blaming Elena for making a fuss.

Elena couldn't help but wonder if she was really making a big deal out of nothing.

In an unprecedented move, Brian explained a bit more, "She just came back from abroad. She's alone, unexpectedly pregnant, and the child's father ran away... Whether as an ex-boyfriend or a friend, I can't just leave her alone."

"Are you going to take care of her child too?"

"Of course."

Hearing Brian's affirmative response, Elena found it incredible.

Does Brian have a fondness for raising other people's children?

Brian spoke in a low voice, "Don't worry, Zara won't affect our wedding. The wedding will go on as planned."

With that, Brian hung up the phone.

The lively chatter in the room suddenly ceased as Brian pushed open the door and walked out with a brisk pace, not noticing Elena in the corner.

A few seconds later, Zara chased after Brian's departing figure.

Elena followed silently, stopping at a corner where she could see the reflections of the couple in the restroom mirror.

Zara, with tear-filled eyes, held Brian's hands and cried, "Brian, do you remember your promise to me?"

Brian, with a faint expression, lowered his eyes, showing no emotion.

Zara, relentless, let tears fall from her eyes, "You said you would only love me, and anyone else would just be a responsibility."

Brian sighed softly, "I remember. Don't worry, I won't abandon you..."

Zara, emotional, threw herself into Brian's arms.

Elena silently took a picture of the scene in the mirror and then left Neon Haven.

She didn't feel the need to show herself.

On her way out, Elena texted Anna.

"Brian skipped classes, fought, climbed walls, lived together, and almost had a fallout with his parents for Zara. Did you know that?"

The Nelson and Jones families were close, so if Brian had done so much for Zara, the Jones family would surely know.

It was likely that everyone in their circle knew about Brian and Zara's past, except her, who had been kept in the dark like a fool.

Anna, perhaps eager for drama, replied quickly.

"Of course, we knew. After breaking up with Zara, Brian changed a lot. Everyone said it was a good thing, so no one minded his past."

"When you two went on a blind date, Brian had been single for three years. Considering his personal qualities, no one his age could compare. Plus... you fell for him at first sight, didn't you?"

Elena stared blankly, her thoughts becoming clearer in the dark night.

After studying abroad for four years, she returned to be set up on a blind date with Brian by her parents.

She had dreams of starting a business, and with a half-hearted attitude, she met Brian once and fell for him at first sight.

After about a month of dating, Brian behaved like a gentleman, and they naturally got engaged.

Elena, calm and steady by nature, and Brian, rational and composed, made a well-matched pair, often praised as such.

Since Elena had fallen for Brian first, their relationship was mostly her accommodating him.

In three years together, Elena had never said a single harsh word to Brian.

Anna had even mocked her, saying she put all her energy into Brian, becoming his loyal dog after just one meeting.

Elena had always ignored such harsh words.

Looking back now, Anna must have seen the rebellious Brian with Zara and couldn't help but mock Elena's eagerness.

Shortly after, Elena sent another message.

"There's something you probably don't know. Brian and Zara lived together for four years after breaking up with his family, but he eventually returned home for unknown reasons."

"Do you think Zara got pregnant during those four years?"

Anna's words were purely to disgust Elena.

Elena felt as if she had been hit on the head, suddenly clear-headed.

"You're right. I'm not that selfless."

"I want to cancel the engagement."

After sending the message, Elena ignored Anna's reply and called Brian again.

This time, Brian answered quickly, his tone full of impatience, "Elena, what do you want now?"

"Brian, let's break off the engagement."

It took Brian a few seconds to react, "Elena, what tantrum are you throwing now?"

A tantrum?

Brian probably still thought Elena was being unreasonable.

Elena looked at the passing cars outside the window, "Brian, I just left Neon Haven. I don't think we're suitable..."

Brian's first reaction was to question, "Are you stalking me again?!"

Elena sighed deeply, "I just said we're not suitable. After knowing each other for three years, we don't even have basic trust."

"Actually, you should be happy. You have money, power, and you're still young. You can do what you couldn't when you were young. I wish you and Zara well. When the baby is born, I'll send a gift, but don't invite me to your wedding. Goodbye."

Elena didn't want to hear Brian's voice anymore and hung up.

She then took screenshots of her conversation with Anna and sent them to the Nelson and Jones family group chats, including the photos she took at Neon Haven.

Message:

"I'm breaking off the engagement."

Anna, who had been waiting for a show, saw the screenshots in the group chat and was stunned, "Elena, you're ruining me!"

What followed was a flood of questions, concerns, and pleas from both families.

Saying she wanted to break off the engagement didn't make Elena as upset as she had imagined; instead, she felt an indescribable sense of relief.

Especially since she no longer had to choose between marriage and work.

Since she decided to break off the engagement, Elena felt it best to cut ties with Brian cleanly.

She left the family group chat, deleted Brian and his relatives and friends, removed the engagement ring, and gave some money to a passerby to send it to Neon Haven's room 103.

She also had the Jones family maid pack all the gifts Brian had given her over the years and send them back to the Nelson family.

It took less than ten minutes to remove Brian from her life.

Elena realized that although they had been engaged for three years, her ties to Brian were shallow.

In just ten minutes, she could cut them cleanly.

After finishing everything, Elena took a nap and when she opened her eyes, she had returned to the Jones family mansion.

The Jones family mansion was in the suburbs of New York City, now only occupied by Old Master Jones.

Elena grew up with her grandfather. At fifteen, she returned to her parents' house for school, but she spent more time abroad for competitions and studies, rarely staying with her parents for even a year.

Her first twenty years were very simple, completely different from the circles Brian moved in.

So, she knew nothing of Brian's past, which had been kept from her.

Arriving at the mansion, she opened the familiar door under the bright moon. Cherry blossoms from the courtyard tree fell, painting the scene pink.

In the hall, Old Master Jones sat with a cane.

Elena approached, looking at her grandfather's slightly aged face, feeling a rush of emotions she had finally found an outlet for.

Elena, holding back tears, said, "Grandpa, I've broken off the engagement with Brian."

"Then it's broken off," Old Master Jones said, not caring, as he waved a hand. "Sam read me the messages from the group chat."

He said angrily, "I never liked that Nelson boy. It was your parents who arranged it without my consent. If I'd known he was such a mess, I'd never have agreed."

Elena had heard her grandfather say this countless times before, and she treated it as his usual rhetoric.

Unexpectedly, Mr. Jones's tone changed as he sighed, "Actually, your grandmother and I arranged a marriage for you early on. Your parents intervened, setting up blind dates and ruining the good match, resulting in you ending up with someone like Brian."

When Elena's engagement was arranged, the relationship between her parents and Mr. Jones was at its worst, so they were unaware of this marriage agreement.

By a twist of fate, it led to the current situation.

"What?" Elena's tears stopped as she stared blankly at Mr. Jones. "Grandpa, when did this happen? Why have you never mentioned it before?"

"Isn't it because of your irresponsible parents!" Grandpa was very dissatisfied with his son and daughter-in-law.

"They claimed they had to manage the company and left you, just born, with your grandmother and me for over ten years, then had a second child." Mr. Jones snorted coldly, "Your grandmother said you didn't grow up with your parents, and when we're gone, you might not get their love. So, she wanted to find you a reliable husband and in-laws ahead of time. Even without parental love, you could at least have the affection of your husband and in-laws."

Mrs. Jones was gentle and kind but always decisive. She loved Elena the most.

Elena hadn't expected her grandparents to consider so much for her without her knowledge, and her eyes reddened.

Thinking of his late wife, Mr. Jones's eyes also grew moist. "When you were fifteen and went to live with your parents, your grandmother and I made a trip and, by chance, arranged the marriage with the Patrick family. We intended to tell you after you graduated from college, but who knew..."

Who knew that upon returning from studying abroad, Elena would fall into Brian's trap.

Elena opened her mouth, surprised, "The Patrick family?"

"Yes." Mr. Jones looked regretful, "The boy from the Patrick family was personally vetted by your grandmother and me. He had excellent character and ability, but unfortunately, you and he were not meant to be."

Elena's mind fell back into chaos, and Chris's deep, chiseled face inadvertently appeared. She whispered, "Grandpa, Patrick... Do you mean Mr. Chris Patrick?"

"Why, have you met him?" Mr. Jones looked a bit curious.

Elena's throat moved slightly, and she instinctively denied it, "No. I just heard his name and didn't expect it to be related to me."

Suddenly, she thought of something, "Grandpa, does Mr. Chris Patrick know about this?"

Mr. Jones replied calmly, "Yes, he personally agreed to the marriage back then."

Elena was truly stunned.

When she was fifteen, Chris was only seventeen. He should remember this.

Recalling the sobering tea at the banquet, Elena felt a bit embarrassed.

After a pause, Elena suddenly remembered Chris's curiosity about her necklace and asked Mr. Jones, "Grandpa, wasn't there a token for the engagement with the Patrick family?"

"Of course, there was." Mr. Jones glanced at Elena, "The necklace around your neck is the token."

Elena was shocked, "But wasn't this a gift from Grandma?"

"It was given under your grandmother's name." Mr. Jones tried to recall, "Because you were too young to receive expensive items, he had a custom necklace made as the engagement gift. The necklace itself isn't very valuable, but the sapphire on it has significant meaning related to Chris's grandmother."

Elena rubbed the sapphire on her necklace, suddenly feeling its immense weight.