All Chapters of The World I Left for You: Chapter 1 - Chapter 8

I had no idea how I made it out of that private room.What I did remember was the gravestone.The tombstone was engraved with the names of my parents.My legs gave out. I slid down against the stone, clutching it the way I used to cling to my parents' shoulders when I cried as a kid.I let Liam lie to me for six years while they searched for me and came up empty. I didn't even get to see them one last time.After crying for a long time, I pushed myself up and walked away.By the time I got home, it was already evening. The living room was packed.The engagement party they had planned for us was still going on. I walked in late, and just like that, I became the punchline."Well, look who finally showed up. The bride-to-be."Demi Hale raised an eyebrow and swung her leg across Liam's lap.He didn't move it. He just looked straight at me."Don't say that. She hasn't said yes yet." He gave a faint smile. "There's no guest of honor tonight. Everyone, just relax and enjoy yourselv

On the surveillance footage, I lifted my hand toward the moon and formed a small circle with my fingers.A second later, my body flickered.The edges of me warped and thinned, fading bit by bit until I disappeared completely into the night. The street corner was empty, as though no one had ever been there.Liam's pupils contracted. His breathing turned sharp and uneven.He lunged at the computer, dragged the timeline back two minutes, and hit replay.I walked into frame, made the gesture, and disappeared.He rewound it again and replayed it.The result was the same.He did that a fourth time. A fifth. Nothing changed."No… That's impossible!"He spun around and grabbed the officer by the collar."You messed with the footage, didn't you? She was right there! How does someone just vanish?"The officer's expression hardened. He pulled out his baton, twisted Liam's arm behind his back, and forced him down onto the desk."Sir, calm down." His voice was steady and cold. "The sys

By the time I ran into Liam again, I had already been back in my original world for six months.Those six months were quiet but blissful.Every morning, my mom made breakfast and called me out of bed.My dad sat on the balcony with the paper, sometimes calling old friends, helping line up job opportunities for me.Victor had worked his way up to a senior role at a major company. His income was more than enough.He used to stay late at the office all the time. Now, he came home on time every day to watch TV with me or play chess or chat with my parents.Little by little, I found my footing again. The sense of calm I had before everything fell apart came back.The people and memories from that other world grew distant, like something from a dream.Victor never once asked about the ten years I had disappeared. He just waited quietly for the day I would choose to tell him.Before long, our families met.On the day of the engagement party, Victor slid a ring onto my middle finger.

Liam's head snapped up, shock written all over his face."That's right." I held his gaze. "If you hadn't pulled that stunt at the engagement, you wouldn't have pushed me back to Victor."It wasn't until I came back that I finally understood how different people can be."He waited for me for ten years. He took care of my parents for ten years."He never dated anyone else. It was just work and home, every day, like his life was on hold."My eyes settled on Liam again. "And you? You watched me struggle and fall apart while you went back and forth with Demi. Victor took care of my parents here, and you got the ones in that world killed."I took a slow breath."Liam, if you were me, what would you choose?"He had no answer.He just clutched the hem of my pants, like it was the only thing keeping him from sinking."Give me one more chance… I've already sent Demi abroad. If you come back with me, we can start over…""You can't go back," I cut him off. "Everyone only gets three ch