A Heart That Won’t Warm

1
Evelyn and I were reborn.
We came back to the day of our wedding, right after college graduation. She was still in the makeup chair when she suddenly tore off the pristine white gown.
Tim, she said, her voice sharp and final. I've thought it over. We're not right for each other.
I'm not marrying you.
I didn't try to stop her. I knew. In our last life, she regretted every moment she spent with me. A heart that won't warm up stays frozen, no matter how hard you try to melt it.
And just like that, three years of love evaporated. We went our separate ways.
Evelyn left the country, cutting off all contact. I stayed behind in Riverton.
Seven years later, she returned, a success story with her childhood sweetheart in tow. They were the picture of happiness, their engagement announcement splashed all over social media. But when she found out Id been married for four yearsto the daughter of the citys richest manher regret was a poison she couldn't swallow.
"Tim, you promised you'd only ever love me!" she'd screamed in our first life. "How could you do this to me?"
But that was then. This is now.
On a perfect weekend, Id cleared my schedule to spend the day at the beach with my daughter. She was a whirlwind of joy, giggling as she flung sand and seawater all over me. I was watching her, my heart overflowing, when my old college buddy Mark called.
"Tim, where are you? It's getting late."
I'd completely forgotten about the class reunion. "Sorry, man, totally spaced. I'll be there."
"By the way," he added, his tone shifting, "forgot to tell you. Evelyn's back in town. Shes with Ethan."
Ethan. Back in freshman year, he was my biggest rival. He and Evelyn were childhood friends, practically joined at the hip. Their connection ran deep. But Id won her over, or so I thought. I still remember Ethan clapping me on the shoulder after she and I got together, a fake smile on his face. "You better take care of her, man," he'd said, a warning disguised as a joke. "Or I'll be there to pick up the pieces."
I had the housekeeper take my daughter home and grabbed a cab to the hotel. On the way, Mark filled me in. Turns out Evelyn had done very well for herself abroad. With Ethan's help, shed landed a management position at a Fortune 500 company. The rumor was she made more in a month than most people do in two years. On top of that, her design work had won international awards. She was a rising star. Their return to Riverton was almost certainly to get married.
Mark kept warning me to be careful, to not lose my cool at the party. "The person she is now, Tim," he said, "you can't afford to piss her off. And don't even think about messing with Ethan."
"Thanks for the heads-up," I said with a calm smile. "I'll be careful."
I was stepping out of the cab at the hotel when a sleek, black BMW 3 Series screeched to a halt behind me.
"Well, well, if it isn't our resident genius, Tim!"
The voice dripped with sarcasm. I turned. At the wheel was Kevin, Ethans most loyal lapdog. Hed hated my guts ever since Evelyn chose me over Ethan in college, even threatening to have me jumped. I still suspected he was behind the "random" mugging I suffered just off campus back then.
Kevin parked haphazardly and swaggered over, slapping my shoulder. "Tim, my man! Years go by, but you haven't changed a bit, have you?"
I just smiled. Before I could reply, a Porsche Cayenne pulled up. And in the passenger seat, looking like shed stepped off a magazine cover, was Evelyn.
Seven years had passed. She wore designer sunglasses, a head-to-toe brand-name outfit, and flawless makeup. Ethan was driving, and when he saw me, his eyes narrowed into slits, a triumphant smirk he couldn't hide spreading across his face.
Kevin, true to form, scurried over like a puppy, fawning as he opened the passenger door. "Ethan, you made it!"
"Yeah." Ethan got out and gave me a dismissive nod. "Tim. Long time no see."
"Long time," I echoed.
Evelyn looked me up and downthe sandy hair, the dirty t-shirt, the board shorts and flip-flops. Her perfectly sculpted eyebrows furrowed in distaste.
"Tim, have you gone backward? You couldn't even bother to change for a class reunion?"
I scratched my head, playing dumb. "Didn't have time. It was a last-minute thing."
Evelyn scoffed. "With an attitude like that, I bet you don't even have a girlfriend, do you?"
I nodded. "Nope."
Kevin let out a derisive laugh. "Come on, Tim! You were the star of our department back at Riverton U. How did you end up like this? You're embarrassing all of us, man. Don't you have any ambition?"
Ethan could barely contain his glee, but he put on a show of magnanimity. "Alright, Kevin, that's enough. We're all old friends here. No need to be so harsh." He turned to me, his voice oozing fake sympathy. "Look, talent doesn't pay the bills these days. I'm sure Tim has his reasons for being in this spot. For my sake, let's not rub salt in the wound."
Kevin just grinned and shut up.
"Let's go," Ethan said. "Everyone's probably waiting."
As we walked into the hotel, Evelyn linked her arm through Ethans, a gesture so natural it was like a second skin. She was tall and slender, her long legs accentuated by stilettos, turning more than a few heads. Ethan shot a glance back at me over his shoulder, a look of pure victory.
I pretended not to see.
The private room was already buzzing. When Ethan and Evelyn entered, our old classmates practically jumped to their feet, their faces lit up with welcoming smiles.
"Ethan, man! You finally made it!"
"Looking sharp as ever!"
"Evelyn, you look stunning! So classy."
"You two look so good together!"
"Looks like we'll be getting a wedding invitation soon!"
Ethan beamed at the praise, while Evelyn blushed, feigning modesty.
I trailed in behind them like a ghost. No one said a word to me, no one even looked my way. Finally, Mark waved me over to an empty seat in the most inconspicuous corner of the room.
As the food arrived, the room filled with laughter and toasts. I sat in my corner, ignored, and just ate. The conversation inevitably turned to Ethan.
Mark asked, "So, Ethan, the company's booming, huh? I heard you just landed a partnership with Sterling Enterprises. Is that true?"
Ethan smiled casually. "We're still in talks, but it's looking very promising."
Kevin raised his glass. "Dude, the CEO of Sterling is the richest man in Riverton! Once you're in with them, you'll be unstoppable!"
"It's nothing, really," Ethan said, waving it off modestly. "Just a small business. Compared to Evelyn, my achievements are nothing. She's an internationally recognized designer now. Just won a major award." As he spoke, he took Evelyn's hand, and they exchanged a look brimming with affection.
Watching them, my mind drifted.
In our first life, after Evelyn and I got married, we both got jobs at the same firm. We lived a quiet, stable nine-to-five life. Our combined income was comfortably upper-middle-class for Riverton. We had a house, a car, savings. It was a good life. Evelyn seemed content, too. Until the day she saw her friend's social media feed.
Her best friend, a woman named Sarah, was by all accounts less attractive and came from a humbler background than Evelyn. But Sarah had married well. Her husband was a wealthy businessman. She never had to worry about money. She took spontaneous trips around the world, drove a Porsche, and lived in a mansion. Even the diamond on her wedding ring was five times the size of Evelyn's.
Evelyn couldn't stand it. The thought of living out her days in quiet mediocrity became a nightmare. She started pressuring me, a daily barrage of brainwashing.
"What's the point of this dead-end job? This pathetic salary can barely support us!"
"We only have a few hundred thousand in savings. It sounds like a lot, but we can't even afford a luxury car."
"Thank god we didn't listen to your parents and have kids early. We probably couldn't even afford a decent preschool."
"Tim, you can't go on like this! Just quit your job, let's start a business together!"
"Or we could move abroad! My friend guaranteed we could get residency within two years."
"We're still young! If we don't take a risk now, our whole lives are already written for us!"
I tried to reason with her, to tell her that our life wasn't so bad. Starting a business, moving to a new countryboth came with massive risks. If we failed, we'd lose everything. But she wouldn't listen. She gave me an ultimatum: take a risk with her, or get a divorce.
Divorce. The word hit me like a physical blow. I never dreamed that the woman Id loved so deeply, the wife with whom I'd never even had a serious argument, would say that. All because she'd seen her friend's lavish lifestyle. The foundation of our love, which I thought was rock-solid, crumbled in an instant.
In the end, I couldn't change her mind. I agreed to the divorce.
On the way to the courthouse, our car was rear-ended by a speeding dump truck. We both died. And then, we were reborn.
"Tim! Hey, genius! Ethan asked you a question!" Kevin's sharp voice snapped me back to the present. He gave me a rough shove.
I looked up. Ethan was watching me, a mocking smile playing on his lips. "Tim, everyone's shared what they're up to. It's your turn. So, where are you making your fortune these days?"
"I'm not working at the moment," I said calmly. "Unemployed, I guess."
"What? Unemployed?" Kevin crowed, his voice dripping with fake disbelief. "Tim, the genius from Riverton U, can't even find a job? If word gets out, you'll be a laughingstock!"
A wave of snickers went through the room.
Evelyn looked at me with a mixture of pity and disgust, but underneath it all, there was a flicker of relief. Relief that she had made the right choice. If she had married me, stayed in Riverton, her life would have been the same as the last one: comfortable, but painfully average. Nothing like the glamorous life she had now.
Mark frowned. "Tim, if you don't have an income, how are you getting by?"
"I do odd jobs here and there," I said. "Some freelance stuff. Enough to support myself."
Kevin scanned me from head to toe, his expression scornful. "And by 'freelance stuff,' do you mean hauling bricks at a construction site?"
I didn't answer, and the silence was all the confirmation they needed. The whispers started.
"No wonder his clothes are so dirty, and he's wearing flip-flops."
"He's even got sand in his hair. Looks like Kevin was right."
"A top-tier university grad ending up as a manual laborer. What a waste."
"If I were him, I'd be too embarrassed to even show my face here."
"I bet the only reason he came was to see Evelyn."
"I still don't get what she ever saw in him. She was the campus belle."
"Exactly! Ethan is handsome, rich Tim can't even compare to his little finger."
"Thank God they didn't get married. Her life would have been ruined."
I'd had enough. I muttered an excuse and headed for the bathroom. I was washing my hands when I heard the click-clack of high heels behind me. It was Evelyn. She stood there, her eyes full of a familiar disappointment.
"Tim, I can't believe it. Just because I didn't marry you, you let yourself go completely. You've become a total deadbeat."
"It's been seven years," she continued, her voice sharp with judgment. "Everyone has built a career. Even Mark is a sales manager now. But you you have zero ambition. I'm so disappointed in you."
I looked at her face, so familiar yet so alien, and said calmly, "Everyone gets to choose their own life. I chose this one because I like it. I have enough to eat, a roof over my head, and I don't have to deal with office politics or corporate burnout. It's a good life."
Evelyn let out a contemptuous laugh. "Tim, do you know why I didn't marry you?"
"I do," I said evenly. "We want different things. You want money and fame. That's what matters most to you."
"It's not just what I want. It's what any sane person wants," she retorted. "You only live once. If you don't strive for something, what's the difference between you and a piece of driftwood?" She softened her tone slightly, a calculated move. "You're brilliant, you're responsible, you can be romantic. You were the ideal husband material. But your biggest flaw is your lack of ambition. You're happy being a big fish in a tiny, insignificant pond."
She took a step closer. "Tim, life is short. If you don't push yourself, you'll never know what you're capable of. I'm glad I made the right choice. Instead of marrying you, I went abroad and fought for my career. Now, I've come back successful. You and I we're in two different worlds now."
I nodded. "You're right. You've changed."
"But some people never change," she said, her voice dripping with scorn. "Or they get even worse. Tim, I think you're destined to be a loser for the rest of your life."
After delivering the final blow, she sighed dramatically. "But fine. For old time's sake, I'll give you a chance. Ethan's company is looking for a design assistant. With your talent, you could handle it. The pay isn't great, maybe six or seven thousand a month with bonuses, but it's better than what you have now."
I shook my head. "Thank you for the offer, but I'm not interested."
Her brow knitted into a sharp 'V'. "Tim, you're in this state and you still have an ego? Ethan would never have offered this if it wasn't for me."
Before I could reply, Ethan appeared. He wrapped an arm around Evelyns waist, his voice smooth as silk. "What's wrong, babe? You look upset."
"Nothing. Just annoyed by someone who doesn't know what's good for him."
"Oh?" Ethan turned his gaze to me, a smug smile playing on his lips. "Let me guess. Tim turned down your generous offer, didn't he?" He shook his head in mock pity. "Tim, Tim, Tim. Don't bite the hand that feeds you. Evelyn has a good heart. She's only trying to help you out of nostalgia. Look at you. You look worse than the security guard at the front door. She offers you a white-collar job with a decent salary that fresh grads would kill for, and you throw it back in her face. You're a real disappointment."
I kept my voice level. "Ethan, I know my own limits. I haven't had a real job in years. I'm used to being lazy. Thanks for the offer, but no thanks."
Evelyn snorted. "You can't help someone who doesn't want to be helped." She turned and walked away.
After she was out of earshot, Ethan leaned in close, his voice low and menacing. "Tim, remember what I told you freshman year? I told you to take care of her, or I'd move in. You actually let her go. So thanks for that. That's the only reason I let her offer you a job."
His smile vanished. "But I'll give you another warning. Stay away from Evelyn. Don't even think about getting back together with her. Or I will make you disappear." He punctuated the last sentence with a hard shove against my shoulder, his face twisted in a snarl, all traces of his charming facade gone.
I just looked at him and smiled faintly.
Back in the room, it wasn't long before the main event began. Ethan got down on one knee in front of everyone, presenting Evelyn with a massive bouquet of roses as he proposed. The room erupted in applause and cheers.
Evelyn feigned surprise, but a delighted, shy smile spread across her face as she accepted the flowers. Mark shot a worried glance my way, but relaxed when he saw my expression was completely neutral.
But then, as Ethan reached into his pocket for the ring, his expression changed.
"That's weird," he said, patting his jacket. "The diamond ring it's gone."
Kevin piped up. "Did you leave it in the car, man?"
"No way. I remember putting it in my pocket when I got out. I checked on it during dinner; it was definitely there."
A murmur went through the room.
"Maybe it fell out somewhere?"
"Or... maybe someone stole it?"
Kevin immediately seized on the idea. "That's it! One of us is a thief! Someone with sticky fingers stole Ethan's ring!"
"That ring must have been expensive, right?" someone asked.
Ethan tried to sound casual. "Not too bad. Just over a million."
A collective gasp went through the room. Mark suggested calling the police, but Kevin shot that down.
"No, the cops will take forever. Let's just search everyone. We're all old friends here. For Ethan's future happiness, we can all put up with a little inconvenience."
Without waiting for an answer, he marched straight toward me.
"Tim, we'll start with you. You don't mind, do you?"
I said I didn't, and he immediately started patting me down. A few seconds later, he pulled a glittering ring from my pocket.
"This is it!" Ethan exclaimed. "That's my ring!"
The room exploded.
"Tim, I knew you were poor, but I never thought you were a thief!"
"There's no honor among thieves, but stealing from an old classmate? That's shameless."
"Everyone, check your wallets! See if anything else is missing!"
"I knew this guy was bad news. Call the police! Get him arrested!"
"A million-dollar ring? He's going to jail for a long, long time."
Evelyn stared at me, her face a mask of cold, absolute disappointment.
I tried to tell them I didn't do it, but no one listened. As I stood there, cornered and accused, the door to the private room swung open.
Led by the hotel manager, a woman of stunning beauty and unshakeable confidence walked in. She was holding the hand of a little girl, about two years old, who looked like a perfect porcelain doll.
Ethan froze for a second, then his face broke into a wide, sycophantic grin as he rushed forward.
"Ms. Sterling! What a pleasant surprise! What brings you here?"
The woman gave him a quizzical look. "I'm sorry, have we met?"
"I'm Ethan from Apex Innovations. We spoke briefly at the bidding conference the other day."
Mark whispered to the person next to him, "Who is that?"
Kevin, the resident expert on the rich and powerful, whispered back, "You don't know? That's Sophia Sterling, the new CEO of Sterling Enterprises! Her dad is worth billions. She's a true heiress!"
The entire room was stunned into silence. But the biggest shock was yet to come.
The little girl suddenly let go of her mother's hand and came toddling straight toward me, her arms outstretched.
"Daddy, up!"

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