Gentle Forest

Chapter 98

I caught the secretary who was trying to turn around after guiding me and made her stand next to me. Understanding that I lacked the courage to be alone, the secretary willingly stayed close to me.

Despite appearing composed on the surface, there were all sorts of pretenses inside. I couldn't understand why everything I chose exceeded a thousand dollars in price. The secretary praised my eye for quality, trying to comfort me, but I felt no happiness. No matter how much I compromised, there was no way I could afford a large diamond.

"How about this one?"

After thinking about it for a while, the product I chose was a platinum ring with nothing in it. The store clerk, who recognized that I was looking for a 'fiancé' ring, wisely recommended this product after seeing me break out in a cold sweat every time I chose an expensive ring. Despite knowing that my fiancé's finger size was larger than mine, the clerk didn't raise any questions.

"Congratulations" they simply said. With just that simple sentence from a faceless stranger, my heart pounded helplessly.

With no time to spare for engraving initials, so I just quickly adjusted the measurements and left the store. Carefully tucking the case containing Aiden's and my rings into my pocket, I immediately headed to the stadium.

By the time I entered the stadium, many people had already filled half of the stands.

As the match was held after sunset, there was no need to worry about the scorching summer sun. I looked around, and it was brightly lit as if it were daytime. Chloe, Lucas's girlfriend, was seated in what seemed like a VIP area.

"Chloe!"

I called out her name, wearing my mask diligently. Though we were still awkward around each other, we shared a common ground with our boyfriends being on the same football team. She easily spotted me and waved enthusiastically. It took me a while to catch my breath and reach her seat. Chloe didn't blame me for being late and greeted me warmly.

"Why aren't you cheering today?"

Chloe eyes immediately turned teary at my innocent question.

"I didn't make the starting lineup" she replied, her disappointment evident. Feeling like I had inadvertently upset her by bringing up the topic, I quickly shut my lips.

The play field, unfamiliar to me, was lush green. It was my first time watching Aiden's game, and knowing it was also his last, I felt a sense of regret. For Aiden and his teammates who weren't going pro, today was their last game, and for some, it was not.

Maybe that's why there were many people in the stands who seemed to be not only their friends but also family.

Mister couldn't make it due to work, and purposely gave us space to spend time together. So, I sent a photo of the field to our family group chat.

Without even thinking about warming up, Aiden sent me a picture of the audience seat I was sitting in, which I don't know where it was taken.

[ ♥ ]

Despite sending the photo captioned with heart emoji, neither Dad nor Mister responded to the picture.

There was only strict silence in the group chat room. Chloe, the only one watching me smile while staring at my phone, shot me a sneaky glance.

When the referee blew the whistle, players from both teams sprinted onto the field. Unlike before, I immediately looked for Aiden, my heart pounding with excitement. With his helmet on and the distance between us, I couldn't tell if Aiden noticed my excitement. I only watched as he acknowledged the cheering crowd and quickly found his position. While I now understood the rules of the game well, winning for the team wasn't the only thing that mattered to me.