Perishing in Her Least Loving Moment

Part 1

The road to Jasmin's concert was a mess of traffic.

From a kilometer away, security guards were stationed, managing the restless crowd.

I was crushed in the sea of people, barely able to breathe, almost fainting from lack of oxygen several times.

The whole time, I clung tightly to the necklace in my hand.

The sharp edges of the pentagram bit into my palm, the pain keeping me just conscious enough to stay upright.

"Oh my God, Hank is here too!"

I whispered along to the lyrics as the fan next to me let out a sudden, piercing scream.

The concert was nearing its finale, and Jasmin's most famous love ballad, Lover, was playing.

As she reached the chorus, Hank appeared on the massive screen, dressed in a pristine white suit. He stood beside Jasmin, who was in a stunning white wedding gown. The entire audience was stunned.

Hank smiled as he approached her, and seeing the two of them standing together like newlyweds made my chest tighten painfully.

Then, in one smooth motion, Hank dropped to one knee before her, pulling a diamond ring from his pocket.

Jasmin's typically icy demeanor softened, her face flushed with a gentle pink hue. Her eyes, fixed on Hank, sparkled with warmth, a tenderness so deep it made her almost unrecognizable.

His voice was soft but resonated through the entire stadium, clear as day.

"Jasmin, I promised you—I would propose when I had made a name for myself."

"In this life, I've only ever loved one person."

"Will you marry me?"

Tears welled up in Jasmin's eyes as she gazed at him, covering her mouth with both hands.

After what felt like an eternity, she finally spoke, her voice breaking.

"Of course I will."

She leaped into Hank's arms, and he effortlessly lifted her off the ground, spinning her around in circles.

In an instant, the stadium erupted with thunderous cheers, as if the sky itself might crack open.

The young girl beside me clutched my arm, squealing with joy. "Ahhh, I love their movie Endless Love! It's so touching. I'm so glad these two ended up together in real life!"

But I was the only one standing there, drowning in my own thoughts—how could she say yes? How could she smile so easily, agree so effortlessly? How could she...

I stumbled out of the crowd, tripping over my own feet as I ran to a tree outside the stadium. Clutching its trunk, I couldn't stop myself from heaving, my stomach turning until my head spun and my entire body went numb.

A security guard walked up to me, a bottle of water in hand.

He seemed startled by the sight of my pale, ashen face.

"You okay, son? You don't look so good."

Tears and bile mixed together as I wiped my mouth, my face burning.

"I'm fine, I'm fine."

I was just heartbroken. So heartbroken it felt like I was dying.

The guard, unconvinced, stayed close by until I managed to catch my breath. He chuckled lightly, trying to ease the tension.

"Hey, don't tell me you're one of those crazy fans, upset 'cause your idol's getting married to someone else?"

"Celebrities are gonna live their lives, man. She's got her own future—husband, kids, all that. You can't get too caught up in it."

I held the bottle of water in my trembling hands. Even though it was a sweltering summer night, I was cold, shivering.

I didn't know how to explain.

I didn't know how to tell him that I'm the one who had been dating Jasmin for seven years. I'm the one who promised her I would propose. I'm the one who...

Was once the only person she ever loved.

The guard looked at me, pity in his eyes, sighing as if he wanted to say something more.

But before he could, I suddenly bent over and vomited again.

This time, bright red blood splattered the ground.