Chapter 1
A year after their breakup, Nina Carter called Julian Ford for the first time.
She only said two things.
“Congratulations on your wedding.”
And-
“You once promised you’d carry my casket when I died.”
“The assisted death clinic said they couldn’t reach you, so they called your emergency contact. Me.” Julian’s voice came through the phone, sharp and detached. “Was dragging me into this part of the plan too?”
In the dim, quiet apartment, Nina sat hunched over, hand clamped over her nose as blood seeped between her fingers. Crimson droplets spattered across her phone screen, smearing over Julian’s name.
Her fingers shook as she wiped the screen. She stared at his name for a few seconds before whispering hoarsely, “I’m sorry.”
There was a pause on the other end.
“Nina,” he said at last, “we’ve been over for a year.”
Her heart wavered.
She knew that. Of course she knew.
But how could she forget?
That night had been a blur of thunder and rain. No fight, no lead–up–Julian had simply looked her in the eye and said, “We’re done.”
She’d then stood outside his apartment in the pouring rain, waiting for him all night.
And in the end, it was his neighbor who told her he’d flown overseas right after the breakup.
No explanation. No goodbye. Not even closure.
If it weren’t for this call… she doubted he’d ever have spoken to her again.
She looked out the window. The rain falling now reminded her of that night. Her throat closed up, too swollen with memory to speak.
After a long silence, she finally managed, “I know.”
Julian’s voice was colder than the wind outside. “So if you’re going to die, do it without involving me.”
Click
The line went dead.
The harsh buzz of disconnection pounded against her chest, again and again, like a drumbeat of rejection.
Nina crouched on the floor for what felt like forever before she finally stood up and stumbled to the bathroom.
Cold water splashed against her face.
Before she could dry her hands, her phone rang again–this time from the Aspenridge Life Management Institute.
“Hi, Miss Carter. Apologies–we couldn’t reach you earlier today, so we called your backup number,” the woman said politely.
Nina exhaled wearily. “It’s fine.”
She’d been on a flight to Aspenridge at noon. That’s why she hadn’t picked up.
“We do need updated documentation on your condition to proceed with the assisted passing,” the voice continued. “You’ll need to undergo a final medical evaluation here.”
Nina stared at her pale reflection in the mirror, dark circles like bruises beneath her eyes. Her voice came out faint. “Okay.”
Chapter 1
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Once the call ended, she hailed a cab to the hospital.
The car wove through narrow snow–lined streets, Alpine peaks rising in the distance like frozen giants.
Aspenridge. A town she’d once told Julian she wanted to visit. She’d said it dozens of times–joking, half–serious, dreaming.
She never imagined this would be the place where her life would end.
The results came back quickly.
Late–stage leukemia. Full bone metastasis. No further treatment was recommended.
Under the sympathetic gaze of the doctors, Nina slipped the papers into her purse as if she’d done it a hundred times before.
But just as she turned toward the exit, her body went still.
She couldn’t breathe.
Standing at the far end of the hallway, backlit by white sterile light, was Julian.
Still wearing the same navy coat she’d picked out for him two Christmases ago.
A year apart and somehow he looked even colder. Sharper around the jaw. Quieter behind the eyes.
But his face…
That same face had haunted her every dream this past year sometimes tender, sometimes distant. And every time she woke, the tears
came before memory did.
The floodgates opened.
The memories she’d locked away with shaking hands and sleepless nights came rushing back.
The night he covered her ceiling with 1,530 glow–in–the–dark constellation stickers because she told him she missed the stars.
The seven years of never missing a single good morning or good night.
The time she whispered, “I miss you,” and he drove 250 miles through a blizzard just to show up at her door.
She had believed–truly, naively–that their love could last forever.
Until that night.
The night he turned his back and walked away without flinching, no matter how hard she cried or begged.
She used to think that if she buried it deep enough, it would all eventually fade.
But seeing him again, the grief clawed its way back like it had been waiting just under the surface.
She bit down on her lower lip and thought, bitterly, ‘Aspenridge really is too damn small.‘
As she stood frozen in place, Julian’s eyes locked onto hers too.
He froze, then frowned and walked over.
Her heart stammered. She opened her mouth to speak-
“I told you,” he said coldly. “Don’t show up in front of me again.”
His tone was razor–sharp, his brows etched with disdain.
Nina clenched her fingers. “I’m just here for a medical evaluation.”
“A checkup?” He scoffed. “Still lying, huh? A year ago, I made myself clear–I don’t love you anymore. You tried clinging. That didn’t work. Now you follow me across the world? You’re making me sick.”
Her face turned ghost white.
It was true–back then, she couldn’t accept how suddenly he cut her off. She had tried reaching out.
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But this time… this time had nothing to do with him.
She looked at him, throat tight, struggling to speak–when a voice rang out behind her.
“Jules?”
Nina stiffened.
She turned and saw a young woman walking up and slipping her arm around Julian’s.
She smiled politely at Nina. “Who’s this?”
The woman didn’t know her.
But Nina knew her.
Samantha Brooks. Julian’s girlfriend. Or… fiancée.
Julian parted his lips. “She’s my-”
“Neighbor,” Nina cut in, quietly. “We used to live on the same street.”
Julian hesitated, gaze flickering, then said nothing.
Samantha smiled again and offered her hand. “Nice to meet you. I’m Julian’s fiancée.‘
”
The word “fiancée” was deliberately emphasized.
Nina glanced down and saw the pink diamond on her ring finger catching the sunlight. The glare stung her eyes.
“You two are getting married?” The words escaped her before she could stop them.
Samantha beamed. “Yeah. He proposed last month.
Nina forced a smile, “That’s… great. Do you have a date set?”
Julian looked at her for a long second, then replied flatly,
“July first.”
And just like that, it felt like someone shoved a blade straight through her chest.
The smile on her face crumbled.
July first.
That was the day she was scheduled to die.
Chapter 1
