Unwound Melody Reclaiming My Life After You

My fiancé fell in love with a charity student he sponsored. Without a second thought, he ditched our wedding and fled abroad to marry her. I sank into deep depression, drowning myself in work just to numb the pain. Three years later, rumors spread that they had returned. By then, I had moved on, busy planning my own engagement. Yet at a college reunion, Justin Cole—the man who once treated Lily Frost like she was his entire world—violently shoved her aside. Staring at the ring on my amputated finger, his voice trembled. "Put the ring I gave you back on, please... I’m begging you..." I pushed open the door to the private dining room. Instantly, the chatter stopped, replaced by cheerful cheers welcoming me inside. And there, sitting in the crowd, was Justin Cole. Three years ago, Justin fell head over heels for Lily Frost, a girl from an impoverished background he was personally sponsoring. Arrogant and reckless back then, he had sneered at me with utter contempt. "A stray dog crawling on the street is more interesting than you! Why the hell should I marry a cripple with a missing finger?" On our wedding day, he left me stranded in my white gown, rushing Lily off to Las Vegas to tie the knot behind my back. From that day on, I became the biggest joke in our social circle. I locked myself in my room, crying until my tears ran dry. Justin’s parents came to see me, placing their heirloom emerald ring onto my scarred, amputated finger. They swore that in their eyes, I would always be the only true daughter-in-law of the Cole family. They pleaded with me over and over, begging me to give him another chance to come to his senses. Stupidly, I waited. But Justin never returned—only an official clinical diagnosis of severe depression did. My parents, who had cherished me my entire life, deeply regretted ever agreeing to an arranged childhood match with the Coles. Furious and heartbroken, they severed every tie with his family. To heal my wounds, I threw myself into round-the-clock work. Through sheer grit and dedication, I made a name for myself as a featured pianist on a major TV network, flooded with invitations and concert requests. Tonight, if our former class president—now a TV producer at the network—hadn’t personally insisted on inviting me, I wouldn’t have bothered coming to this reunion at all. Three years apart had changed Justin immensely. He used to be domineering, cocky, and full of restless swagger. Now, he seemed quiet and composed, calm as still water. His sharp jawline and deep, ocean-like eyes carried a presence impossible to ignore. Sitting beside him, Lily froze in complete shock the moment she saw me. Her grip on his arm tightened instinctively. Raising his wine glass, the class president cut through the awkward silence. "Clara Shen! We’ve been waiting forever for our resident superstar! It just so happens Justin and Lily recently came back from abroad too. With our whole class finally gathered, let me kick things off with a toast!" I smiled politely and took a seat next to my close friend, Yvaine. A flicker of gentleness flashed in Justin’s eyes. Interrupting the class president with easy confidence, he said, "Tonight's dinner is on me. Over the past few years while I was away, I truly appreciate everyone taking such good care of Clara." He naturally passed me a glass of juice, acting as if nothing had ever broken between us. The entire room exchanged awkward, loaded glances. I calmly pulled an insulated tumbler from my purse with an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, I don't drink cold beverages right now. My boyfriend packed some warm herbal tea for me." Raising my tea in lieu of wine, I teased him with complete composure: "Friends look out for each other—it's second nature, and I'll thank them myself. But as for you, nobody here ever got to attend your wedding back then. A free dinner is the least you and your wife owe us." The glass slipped from Justin’s hand, shattering loudly against the floor.Lily rushed to steady Justin, her voice laced with gentle reproach. "You haven't gotten over the jet lag yet, have you? I told you to get some rest, but you wouldn't listen. Look at you—you can’t even hold your glass." The others laughed it off, remarking on how sweet of a couple they were, chiming in with congratulatory toasts. Justin pulled his arm free from her grasp. Without saying a word, he just kept knocking back drinks, accepting every glass offered his way. I was honestly surprised by their dynamic. Back then, Justin had treated Lily like a fragile porcelain doll, terrified that even a breeze might hurt her. When had he ever given her the cold shoulder? Lily, however, seemed entirely used to it. Putting on the airs of a gracious hostess, she struck up a conversation with me: "Clara, I never expected you to find a boyfriend so quickly! Why didn’t you bring him along tonight? We could’ve helped you size him up!" A few classmates chimed in with curiosity. "Yeah, Clara, what does he do? Is he handsome?" Slightly tipsy, the class president blurted out, "Come on, nobody could beat Justin in the looks department! Clara was crazy about that face for years. When I wanted to ask her out, I didn't stand a chance. Shame someone else swooped in..." Horrified, Yvaine clamped a hand over his mouth and hauled him away from the table. I shrugged indifferently and chuckled. "We were young and naive back then. It means nothing now. My boyfriend is a wedding gown designer, and in my eyes, he’s the handsomest man alive. You’ll all meet him soon enough." Justin’s expression darkened, his brow furrowing deep. Seizing the moment, Lily looped her arm through his again, a smug smile spreading across her face. "Back in the day, tons of girls were into Justin. But a crush is just a crush. Only the one who ends up walking down the aisle with him is his true love." She intertwined her fingers with his, showing it off for the table. "Clara, take it from someone who’s already married—settle down early so you can enjoy the bliss. A single life can’t compare to the joy of two hearts intertwined. Be sure to send us an invite when you tie the knot!" Justin yanked his hand away, his irritation barely contained. "Enough! Do you ever stop talking? Must you flaunt yourself in front of everyone you meet? It’s nauseating!" Lily went dead silent, her eyes instantly brimming with tears. Sensing the tension, the other guests hurriedly steered the topic away. Someone asked if I basically lived at the broadcast studio these days, teasing that my work ethic put all of them to shame. A few even pulled out photos of me, asking for autographs and mentioning that their kids loved watching my performances of Beethoven’s Für Elise. As I signed the last photo, a shadow fell across my table. I looked up straight into Justin’s dark, brooding eyes. Carefully putting the photo away, his lips curled into an involuntary smile. "I’m one of your biggest fans too, you know. I rewatch every single one of your piano lessons. I've been practicing Für Elise at home, hoping that one day, I can play it for you." He was crossing a line. It felt as if he had reverted back to the Justin who had eyes only for me, as if he had completely erased the memory of how cruelly he had degraded and abandoned me for Lily. Confused murmurs rippled across the room. I offered a sharp, polite reality check: "You never cared about piano before. Picking it up now must be for Lily’s sake. If you're genuinely interested, I can recommend a good music academy for you two." Justin lowered his gaze, the light fading from his eyes. "Art is beyond her." Resting a hand over her lower belly, Lily quickly jumped in with a beaming smile. "Don't mind him, everyone. Justin’s learning so he can play music for prenatal stimulation." She held her chin high, shooting me a sharp, triumphant glare. Her condescending demeanor was completely unrecognizable from the timid, destitute girl I once knew. Back in college, Justin and I had made a pact to attend the same university in town. Halfway through the year, however, he got into a violent brawl and repeatedly defied his parents. In the end, his family elders packed him off to spend the summer doing hard manual labor in an impoverished, remote rural village to build character. The very first photo Justin texted me from the mountains was of Lily cooking over an old wood stove. He said life in the village was brutal, but Lily was an amazing cook. Her simple rustic meals didn't compare to city feasts, but the fresh mountain greens carried their own unique charm. From then on, every single message he sent me revolved around this girl named Lily Frost—a girl who had lost her mother early in life and whose only dream was to study her way out of poverty. In the photos he took of her, she looked like a pitiful stray. Emaciated, dressed in tattered hand-me-downs, with shy, guarded eyes and an aura of deep insecurity. I assumed this charity case was nothing more than a passing episode in our lives. I never imagined that when summer ended and the new semester began, Justin would walk right into my classroom with Lily by his side.With a bright grin, he introduced her to the entire lecture hall: "This is Lily Frost. She’s an exceptional student I'm personally sponsoring. From now on, she’s under my protection!" Afterward, I asked him casually, "Did she save your life or something? Why the sudden urge to play philanthropist and sponsor a student?" Justin nodded without hesitation, his tone deadly serious. "I never knew a frail little girl could be so brave. We got lost in the woods and ran into a pack of vicious stray dogs. She put her life on the line and stood in front of me, taking the hits just to keep me safe!" "From that second on, I swore I'd grant her dream and pull her out of that poverty!" He gripped my hands tightly, his gaze pleading and earnest. "Clara, Lily has had it tough, but she’s determined to make something of herself. Please, be kind to her too, okay?" Surprised, I agreed, but an unsettling chill settled in my chest. From that point on, whenever Justin took me shopping at the mall, he’d generously pick up several outfits that weren't even my size. Whenever we had a delicious meal at a nice restaurant, he’d immediately pack an order and call an Uber delivery straight to the girls' dorms. And after Lily was supposedly stalked by someone near campus, he began dragging her along everywhere we went without a shred of restraint. The precious little time Justin and I had alone was gradually invaded by Lily, until the two of us turned into the most conspicuous trio on campus. My best friend, Yvaine, warned me multiple times that Justin was crossing lines for Lily. Hiding the turmoil inside me, I asked her, "If you were a guy, who would you choose? Lily or me?" Yvaine threw her arms around me and stated with absolute certainty, "Our gorgeous campus queen Clara, obviously! Unless a guy is completely blind, he’d choose you in a heartbeat!" Back then, I clung to that sliver of naive hope, believing she was right. Now, sitting before me, Lily wore immaculate makeup, her face radiating arrogance and pride. She lightly stroked her abdomen, chiding Justin playfully, "Come on, honey, everyone here is family. Why keep it a secret? My period is late this month, you know that. Why make me be the one to announce our baby news?" Justin’s face turned thunderous as he glared at her. A few girls moved forward to congratulate her out of politeness. Yvaine let out an amused snort. "A leopard really can't change its spots, always desperate to show off. A late cycle and suddenly you're announcing a pregnancy? Normal people wait until the three-month mark before going public." The classmates surrounding Lily froze, realizing how prematurely they had spoken. A fiery rage flared in Justin’s eyes, and he directed every ounce of his fury straight at Lily. "How many times did I warn you before we left the house?! Watch your mouth and keep it shut! Do you get off on making me look like an absolute fool?! Pack your things and get out! Right now! Instantly! I don’t want to see your face!" Lily cowered under his shout, tears streaming down her cheeks as she sobbed quietly. Not a single person in the room spoke up in her defense. A few even whispered behind their hands about how trashy her background was, and how her constant lies were obnoxious. Justin sank back onto the leather booth, falling dead silent. It was as if the man who once couldn't bear to see Lily receive a single sideways glance—the man who would fight anyone who crossed her—had never existed. Uninterested in their melodrama, I touched the ring on my finger, wanting nothing more than to stay far away from their mess. Suddenly, Justin shoved Lily away from him. His eyes locked dead onto the ring on my amputated finger, his voice trembling violently. "When did you get a new ring? Did you not like the old one?" His expression shattered into utter desperation. "Put the ring I gave you back on, please... I’m begging you..." I froze in absolute disbelief, unable to fathom what was wrong with him. Back then, I had crippled my hand trying to protect him. Yet he was the one who snatched our engagement ring back, claiming it rightfully belonged to Lily. And now, he treated Lily like worthless dirt under his shoe—exactly the way he had once treated me. He had been Lily's fiercest protector. He had hurled the most venomous insults to tear me down for her sake. To my dying day, I would never forget the first time he turned against me, nor how mercilessly he shattered my heart. It happened when our college debate society was holding an internal tournament. Every member of our department was required to participate. Standing on stage with her cue cards, Lily had stumbled through her lines, stuttering with a thick, heavy rural accent. The audience had burst into laughter. Yvaine had snickered, remarking that Lily belonged in a dialect showcase rather than a formal debate tournament. Several members openly protested, claiming that having Lily on their team was practically handing the trophy to their rivals. Voices rose, demanding that Lily step down from the club. Seeing how frail Lily looked under the barrage of ridicule, I had intended to intervene and calm everyone down. Just then, Justin rushed back, kicking the door wide open and roaring to put an end to the chaos. He pulled a weeping Lily from the corner and turned on me, his eyes full of venom. "The second I turn my back, you let everyone gang up on her? She’s crying her eyes out, and you’re still pushing her! I told you to take care of her—is this your idea of looking out for someone, playing petty mind games?!" The room fell dead silent. Justin shoved me violently toward Lily, shouting at the top of his lungs: "Apologize! If she doesn’t forgive you today, don’t you ever show your face in front of me again!"