Chapter 2

The next afternoon, Lily actually moved into our house.

This suburban villa was bought by Ethan. It had three floors.

When Ethan brought my parents over from our hometown, he set them up on the first floor.

Although Ethan and I both lived on the second floor, we had always slept in separate bedrooms.

He often worked until the early hours of the morning and didn't want to wake me up.

So, the second floor only had my bedroom, Ethan's bedroom, and his study.

The third floor had two guest rooms that hadn't been cleaned in ages.

When I saw Lily's luggage piled up in the living room, I asked directly:

"Why is she moving in here?"

My mom looked at me guiltily.

"Lily hasn't been feeling well lately. It's not safe for her to live alone."

"Besides, we’ve known her family for so many years. Living together will make things livelier."

But I knew exactly why she wanted to live here.

To have a "complete romance," they naturally had to live together under the same roof.

That evening, the rest of the Miller family came over too.

Mrs. Miller said Lily was in high spirits today, so since everyone was here, she hired a photographer to take a family portrait.

"We should take some photos. It will be a nice keepsake for the future."

Everyone quickly lined up.

Just as I was about to stand next to Ethan, Lucas stepped in and took the spot to my right.

He was wearing Ethan’s usual black shirt and the exact same watch.

Meanwhile, the real Ethan had already walked over to Lily, gently supporting her by the waist.

My mom even smiled and pulled my arm.

"Chloe, what are you doing? Stand closer to Ethan."

She knew damn well the man standing next to me wasn't Ethan.

Yet, she called out his name so naturally.

So, I reached out and took Lucas’s arm.

"Like this?"

My mom visibly let out a sigh of relief.

"Yes! You two look so beautiful together."

The photographer told us to squeeze in tighter.

I looked up at Lily. Her face was quite pale.

Ethan’s hand was resting on her waist. She leaned into him, and he didn't pull away.

I suddenly remembered the first time Ethan and I took a photo together. I had stared at the picture for ages.

In the end, I pointed at Lucas and asked, "Is this you?"

Ethan was so mad he pinched my cheeks until they were red.

After that, whenever we took photos, he made sure to stand on my right.

"Remember this. I will always stand on your right in photos. You are not allowed to get it wrong!"

But on the day I finally cured my face blindness, he was standing next to someone else.

"Look at the camera!" the photographer called out.

I smiled obediently.

The house had a photo printer, so the pictures were ready within minutes.

My mom flipped through them and pointed at one.

"This one is the best."

In the photo, I was leaning against Lucas, while the real Ethan stood next to Lily.

Our families surrounded us, everyone smiling happily.

"What's so good about it?" I asked quietly.

My mom beamed. "Look how perfect you and Ethan look together."

I smiled too.

"Yeah. We look perfect."

Since everyone was working so hard to help him lie to me, I certainly couldn't spoil the fun.

After the photos, I went upstairs to change.

But I found a maid already packing up my things on the second floor.

My clothes were being folded into suitcases one by one.

Even the books I kept on my nightstand had been packed away.

"What is going on?" I asked.

My mom followed me up.

"You'll sleep on the third floor for the next few weeks. Lily’s health is poor, and climbing stairs is too exhausting for her."

"The first floor is too noisy in the morning. Your room on the second floor has an en-suite bathroom, which is much more convenient for her at night."

She said it so casually, as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

"Ethan lives on this floor too. Is it appropriate for her to stay here?"

My mom’s face stiffened for a second. Just then, my dad walked upstairs.

"Chloe, it’s only for a month or two. Why are you being so difficult? That poor girl doesn't have much time left."

"The Miller family paid for your medical treatments, and they even brought us here from our hometown. You need to be grateful."

"Learn to appreciate your blessings."

I lowered my eyes.

"I get it. I'll move."

The maids began to tear down the photos on my bedroom wall.

That was a photo wall Ethan had specially made for me during the early stages of my therapy to help me recognize him.

Front views, side profiles, smiling, frowning...

Under every single picture, the same name was written: Ethan.

After I moved my things upstairs, Ethan came to see me. He actually looked annoyed.

"You didn't make a scene? Why are you being so sensible lately?"

"Lily is sick. It's the right thing to do."

He fell silent for a moment, then walked over and wrapped his arms around me.

"She’s very sick. Just tolerate her for a bit."

"Once I'm free in a few weeks, I’ll take you to Iceland to see the Northern Lights."

Seeing the Northern Lights was a promise we made when we first started dating.

I had remembered it all these years.

His phone was sitting on the desk. The screen lit up.

As we hugged, my eyes caught a calendar notification that popped up on his screen:

Friday: Go with Lily to submit Iceland visa documents.

I stared at it for two seconds. Suddenly, the pain was gone.

Even the future he used to comfort me with had already been given to Lily.

"Do you want to go? Why aren't you saying anything?" Ethan asked.

"Yes, I want to go."

After all, this promise would never have to be fulfilled anyway.