No More Romance, No More Pain

I'm Stephen Duncan. After taking care of my blind dream girl for two years, she recovered, and the first thing she did was marry her exboyfriend.

Everyone thought they overcame all odds to walk down the aisle.

I watched the live broadcast of the wedding on the square screen. Then, I turned around and handed the engagement ring to a beggar by the roadside.

With her, I'm finally even.

People walking on the square stopped to watch the wedding live.

Not just this screen but every advertising screen in the city was playing the same thing.

The wedding scene was dreamy and exquisite, with every rose flown in from abroad.

Annie Crawford obviously designed the setup. During the two years she was blind, she told me countless times about her dream wedding.

Back then, she gently touched my face and asked if I had any ideas about the wedding setup.

I shook my head because, for me, as long as she was there, that was my dream wedding.

On the screen, Annie was surrounded by spotlights, but her gaze wasn't on me. It was on Annie's exboyfriend, the cellist Lucas Cooper.

I watched silently. They were about to exchange rings, with a wooden tray holding two diamond rings designed by a top designer.

I thought of the ring still in my pocket. The one I prepared and the one Annie was wearing were worlds apart, and I was glad I hadn't given it to her yet.

A girl excitedly shouted, "Annie is not only beautiful but also the president of the Crawford Group. And her husband is so handsome!"

"I heard she was blind for two years, but Lucas never gave up on Annie, and they finally made it!" Another girl exclaimed.

I closed my eyes in pain, knowing that I was the one who took care of Annie during those two years.

That year, Annie lost her sight due to an accident, and the usually gentle and polite her suddenly changed her temperament. Lucas, a pampered rich kid, couldn't stand Annie's temper.

He didn't leave a word and went abroad to study alone.

Surrounding cheers and applause erupted. I opened my eyes to see the moment the groom kissed the bride.

Lucas tenderly kissed Annie's forehead, and then they hugged tightly, their wedding rings shining on their ring fingers.

In that instant, the sky above the city lit up, and fireworks exploded overhead.

Annie was lowkey and didn't want such an important moment in her life to be watched by the public, but Lucas was the opposite. Because Annie loved him, she was willing to compromise for him.

The crowd became even more noisy because of the fireworks. The little girl next to me got even more excited, grabbing her friend and screaming.

"Oh my gosh! They're so happy! I'm so jealous of Annie!"

I stood in the middle of the crowd, silent and without a smile, looking a bit out of place.

They were indeed a perfect match.

The screen was still broadcasting the wedding scene, but under the light of the fireworks, I turned and left.

I stopped on the overpass.

In my pocket, my hand clenched around the ring. After a while, I took out the diamond ring from my pocket. It was Annie's favorite pink diamond, but now it was useless to me.

I put the ring in a box and handed it to a beggar beside me. "It's over, everything is over. From now on, whether it's with the Crawford family or with Annie, we're done, settled."

My stuff got tossed out by the Crawford Group employees and scattered all over the place. The once respectful staff started pointing fingers at me.

My assistant sneakily handed me a cardboard box. "Stephen, take this, and use it to pack your things. Every company has its personnel changes, you know, so don't be too upset. You'll definitely find a better job."

She said it tactfully, but I got her drift. Last night's wedding was the talk of the town. "Lucas is back, and Annie no longer needs me."

I had a private office for work needs, which was also convenient for taking care of Annie.

Now that office was locked up, and passing by, I saw new office supplies being placed at the door, even a cello.

"Looks like it has a new owner."

I took the box from my assistant and crouched down to pick up the scattered papers when a brief commotion sounded behind me.

I clenched the documents with such great force that my fingertips turned white.

Annie, wearing sunglasses, was halfhugged by Lucas, surrounded by reporters who came for yesterday's wedding news.

The Crawford Group entrance was swarming with reporters, like a press conference.

From afar, I saw today's Annie.

Since losing her sight, she's been fond of white clothes, but today she wore a bright red, just like before.

She was as dazzling as ever, and Lucas was dashing. "They've always been a perfect match."

Yet, I was like those white clothes, just a temporary choice.

Reporters crowded around with microphones, asking one after another.

"Ms. Crawford, it's said that during your blindness, it was your husband, Mr. Cooper, who took care of you, right?"

Annie didn't answer, but Lucas took the microphone from that reporter and replied with a smile, "It was a tough time, but luckily, Annie and I pulled through."

That period was indeed tough for Annie, a pampered heiress suddenly losing her sight, her parents deceased, and even her beloved grandfather died in that accident.

Those shrewd shareholders saw her blindness as an opportunity to dismantle the Crawford Group from within. The oncesheltered heiress tasted the bitterness of life.

Lucas was part of that hardship. After learning about Annie's blindness, he had a phone call with her and went abroad to study, becoming a renowned cellist.

I was the one who stayed by her side, yet when Lucas lied, Annie not only didn't refute but smiled brightly.

She looked up at Lucas as if only seeing him.

In the crisscross of lights, Annie suddenly turned her head, and across the crowd, our eyes met.

This scene caught Lucas' eye, and his smile instantly froze.

I smiled, raising the folder in my hand as if to say, "Thanks for the parting gift. I'm finally free. I don't owe the Crawford family or you anything."

The reporters lingered, leaving me stuck at the door, unable to move forward.

Since I hadn't eaten breakfast, my hypoglycemia kicked in.

What I held in my hands felt like a boulder.

Lucas was indeed special to Annie.

I had known Annie for so long, aware of countless suitors, yet the only one she seriously dated was Lucas.

They were wellmatched, their bond deep. Even missing two years wouldn't affect them.

From now on, it's Lucas who'll be by Annie's side.

I slowly crouched down to catch my breath, waiting for the reporters to disperse.

A pair of black high heels stopped in front of me. I looked up and met Annie's gaze.

She was always humble and polite to outsiders, but when she turned away from the reporters and faced me, her smile seemed like a sun hidden by clouds.

"Hypoglycemic? Or is it your stomach?" She asked.

I stared into Annie's eyes, a bit dazed, and before I could speak, she scoffed, "Since you've already quit, squat outside. I don't want tomorrow's news reporting someone died in my company."

Words that cut deep came from her beautiful lips.

I lowered my head and remained silent.

Annie's vision was restored, and her attitude towards me was the same as before her blindness.

Back then, she often said, "You're really annoying, stop following me around like a beggar."

Only now did I realize she never fell for me. It was just that after losing her sight, I was the only one left by her side.

I ignored her but noticed Lucas walking towards us.

Lucas put his arm around Annie's waist, whispering sweetly in her ear, "The reporters are gone, let's go see how the office is set up."

He turned to see me, perhaps feeling awkward about the lie he had just told, his eyes flickering with a hint of guilt.

I didn't care about the lie since Annie didn't call him out.

I looked up at them, smiling warmly, "Your wedding was dreamy, beautiful. I wish you happiness."

The wedding was beautiful, just not the way I would have liked it.

Annie stared straight into my eyes, unresponsive even when Lucas called her name.

She still wore the ring Lucas gave her on her hand. I lowered my head again, sitting silently, no longer looking at her.

Lucas spoke softly once more. "Annie, let's go. The strong light isn't good for your eyes. Let's head upstairs."

After an unknown time, Annie's indifferent voice finally came. "Stephen, you'll regret this."

By the time I looked up in confusion, all I saw were the backs of Annie and Lucas.

The scene reminded me of their past relationship.

Others could express their blessings, but I couldn't because Annie hated me. Any blessing from me seemed like sarcasm to her.

"But what would I regret? I wouldn't regret anything. I've done what I should."

As soon as Annie left, the security guards came over to shoo me away, probably under her orders.

Luckily, the reporters were gone. Otherwise, I might have embarrassed myself in front of so many people today.

My phone suddenly rang.

I picked it up, and a familiar voice came through the line.

"Come out. I'm at the gate," she said briskly, very much in line with her image in my heart.

After a moment's hesitation, I took my belongings and walked out.

In the car, I ate the chocolate she handed me, taking a while to recover.

"You took such good care of Annie. Why don't you know how to take care of yourself?"

Eleanor Roberts seemed to mock me, yet her words revealed her concern.

Eleanor's look of frustration made me chuckle.

Before Annie lost her sight, Eleanor, like her other friends, looked down on me, thinking I was always spying on Annie, preventing them from having fun.

But after a big fight with Annie, they never contacted each other again.

During the two years Annie was blind, Eleanor expanded her family's business empire, taking over industries that once belonged to the Crawford Group.

Even though my relationship with Annie was over, when Eleanor was so friendly towards me, I felt like I was betraying Annie.

Eleanor stretched in her seat, lazily telling me, "There's a charity gala in a few days. You're coming with me."

I turned to the window, watching the scenery pass by. "What would I do at a gala like that? If you're trying to make Annie jealous, there's no need. She's married now."

Eleanor leaned close to my face, pouting like a child, "Is that so? But I heard they only had a wedding, not a marriage certificate yet?"

She was so close I could feel her breath.

I ignored Eleanor, knowing she wasn't asking for my opinion. She was commanding me.

At that moment, Annie's voice echoed in my mind. "Stephen? How could I possibly like him? Stop joking around."