Jaxson didn't show his face for a full week.

The last day of the month was the anniversary of my mother's death.

My mother's health had always been frail.

After she learned that I was determined to mate with Jaxson against her wishes, her condition worsened day by day.

The day my mother passed, my father, casting aside his pride, called me, begging me to come home to see her one last time.

But at that moment, I was with Jaxson, closing a crucial deal that would allow his pack to rise to prominence.

If we succeeded, he could finally face my parents with his head held high.

It wasn't the first time my mother's health had been critical, and my family had the best medical team.

I clenched my jaw and took a gamble.

I waited until I helped Jaxson secure the contract before rushing back.

But my mother didn't wait for me. She was gone.

My father aged ten years overnight. He didn't hit me or scold me. He just said:

"Aurora, how long has it been since you've seen your mother? She was whispering your name until the very end..."

My mother's death became a lifelong wound.

Jaxson, feeling guilty, would order the finest white lilies for her every year and accompany me to the cemetery.

This year, it seemed he would be breaking his promise.

I bought a bouquet of white lilies from the florist and went to the cemetery alone.

"Mom, do you blame me?"

"You must think the mess I've made of my life is pathetic, don't you?"

"Jaxson didn't mean for it to happen."

He just... stopped loving me.

I stayed at the cemetery for a long, long time that day, talking to my mother.

When I left, I was surprised to find that Jaxson had come home.

I clenched my fists and made one last request.

"Jaxson, I haven't seen you play football in so long."

"Can you play for me, just one more time?"

Jaxson looked troubled. He was silent for a long time.

"I promised Chloe I'd spend tonight with her. It's her last night."

"After tonight, I'll never see her again, okay?"

I looked at his hopeful face, said nothing, and simply nodded.

Jaxson was as ecstatic as if he'd just won the championship. He busied himself around the house.

He showered, shaved, and put on a formal suit, holding a fresh bouquet of Bulgarian red roses.

I stared at the roses in his hand.

How long had it been since I received any?

I couldn't remember.

Perhaps our love, like those roses, was always destined to wither.

Jaxson's joy was tinged with a hint of sadness.

After he left, I changed into my old cheerleading uniform from when I was eighteen and went to my high school's football field.

That was the place where Jaxson had first publicly declared he was going to win me over.

The field had been renovated, the turf replaced.

Just like Jaxson's heart had been replaced with someone new.

I took out my phone, played the music, and performed the same cheerleading routine from all those years ago.

Do you remember, Jaxson?

Right here, you told your friends that you were going to get the prettiest cheerleader.

And from the first time you confessed your feelings, every dance I ever did was for you.

I clutched my pom-poms, pouring all my strength into the dance on that empty field.

This last dance, Jaxson, is also for you.

But this time, there was no one in the stands looking at me with adoration.

When the music ended, I was exhausted. I dropped the pom-poms and took off the uniform.

I never doubted that his feelings were real. But feelings can change in an instant.

You've probably forgotten, Jaxson, that you were the one who pursued me so desperately.

My flight was booked for five in the morning.

I waited at home until three, but Jaxson never showed up.

I didn't call him. I just dragged my suitcase to the airport.

Jaxson, goodbye forever.