Evan turned on the light.
The room didn't change much, the only difference was that she was gone.
The suitcase lay in the corner, untouched since the day she left.
He got up and walked over. What did she take that day?
It seemed like nothing was missing from the house.
He opened the suitcase. There weren't many things, just a few clothes. At the bottom was a box and a notebook.
Inside the box was a broken earring
He remembered now; it was her mother's keepsake.
When it was lost, she had been frantic, searching the whole house. He thought she was overreacting.
But it was the last thing her mother had left her.
Evan's throat tightened as he closed the box.
He remembered that notebook.
He had written her many love letters back in the day, sealed in envelopes, a whole stack of them.
Later, Zoe had blushed and said they were hard to keep, and awkwardly asked him to write in a notebook instead, so she could read it whenever she wanted.
This thick notebook was filled with his words for her.
The edges were frayed, showing signs of frequent flipping. He randomly turned a few pages, all full of his writing.
"Yes, today is another day of loving my Zoe."
"It has been two years since we are together, and I love you more and more."
"Dear, happy birthday. We'll be together forever, and I'll cherish you forever."
"Finally, I married my beloved! So happy!"
Seeing the familiar handwriting, Evan leaned on the nightstand, covering his eyes with one hand, his shoulders trembling slightly.
Had he forgotten all the promises he made to her, none of which he had kept?
He had even pushed her to a dead end.
What about forever?
His vision blurred as he sat on the bed, reading everything he had written.
The last few pages, originally blank, were now filled with his name.
Her handwriting was playful, full of spirit.
Evan stared at his name, dazed, and turned to the last page.
The line there was like a sharp needle, piercing his eyes, making them sting.
"How could you not love me anymore in an instant?"
Somehow, his face turned red.
A wave of shame washed over him.
Yes, back then, he had chased her for so long, from high school to college.
The day she agreed, Evan looked at her, grinning like an idiot.
She had once been a princess, cherished by her parents.
Yet she had insisted on following him, leaving home, even breaking ties with her family, to live a life of uncertainty with him.
Back then, he had secretly vowed to work hard, to earn her parents' respect, to prove Zoe hadn't made a mistake.
To make her the happiest princess, his princess.
But the reality?
She really had made a mistake.
Evan's hands were shaking uncontrollably as he put the notebook and the box back into the drawer.
Barefoot, he looked around the empty room, feeling lost.
He had lost her.
Climbing into bed, he buried his head in the pillow, taking a deep breath.
There was no trace of her scent, just the faint smell of laundry detergent.
Sleepless, he stared at the ceiling until dawn.
Evan went to the hospital to inquire about Zoe's situation.
Because he had taken the hospital to court, the doctors responsible for Zoe were busy and flustered.
He found the psychologist who had seen her back then.
