My boyfriend secretly took annual leave and didn’t tell me. He hid it from me, traveling for seven days with his female ‘best friend.’ After the trip, they were still clinging to each other, unwilling to part ways. They were wrapped in an embrace right outside my apartment building. His female ‘bestie’ quickly pecked him on the cheek. Her voice, sickeningly sweet and soft, a syrupy whisper. “You’ve served this queen well this week. Consider this your reward.” Liam Miller’s gaze was light and wild, but when he looked up, he accidentally met my eyes. I smirked, walking forward to fling my keys at Liam. “What, not going to continue? Go on up. I’ll leave the bed free for you two.” The playful smile vanished from Liam’s face. His pale skin instantly flushed crimson. It was around eight or nine in the evening, prime time for people to be out in the neighborhood park. My sarcasm had already drawn quite a crowd. “Chloe, don’t overthink this. Serena’s just like that, we’re nothing…” Serena Davis practically stumbled out of Liam’s embrace, giving his shoulder a mock punch. Her tone was overly casual, almost too carefree. “Chloe, really, don’t misunderstand. We’re just best buddies. I’m just used to it, I couldn’t help it.” Used to it? I didn’t get angry; instead, I laughed. Liam and I had been together for five years. What kind of habit was that hard to break? Liam was completely under Serena’s spell. Seeing her feigned guilty expression, he playfully reached out to pinch her cheek. I felt like nothing more than an irrelevant prop in their disgusting little flirt show. Just another pawn in their twisted game. “Oh, I’m not overthinking. I just think you two have such an amazing relationship. Your ‘brotherly’ bond truly moves me.” “Go on, keep hugging! What’s the fun if only I know? Let everyone see how you ‘besties’ normally interact. Just hugging isn’t enough, is it? Kiss again! Besties are supposed to be devoted to each other, right?” The atmosphere around us instantly froze. Liam and Serena wiped the playful smiles from their faces. The stares from onlookers were like daggers piercing right through us. Even the kids, who had been playing, clung to their parents, seemingly waiting for the drama to unfold. Serena’s eyes instantly welled up, her voice thick with a sob. “Chloe, what do you mean? You’re being so disrespectful.” Liam’s face was awful. He took a step towards me, glaring down. “All the good mood I built up on the trip, you just ruined it. I even brought you a gift, but I didn’t expect you to make such a big deal out of nothing the moment you saw me. Guess I was just deluding myself.” He walked towards me, not out of concern, but to shield Serena behind him. His tone was full of contempt and displeasure, aggressive and demanding. In the past, I would have burst into tears, begging him, emphasizing how much I loved him, panicked and speaking without thinking. But now, I suddenly felt disgusted. I even felt a little annoyed at myself for being so tongue-tied, only able to spit out such toothless insults. My eyes were dry and aching. I looked past Liam to gaze at that simpering ‘best friend’ behind him. I’d known Liam for almost seven years. I always knew he had a group of close friends he’d grown up with. But I never expected his relationship with Serena to be this deep. They drank from the same cup, ate from the same bowl. They went to the movies together, went hiking and camping together. I’d questioned him, showed my vulnerability, thrown tantrums, cried. In the end, all I got was their perfectly synchronized reply: “We’ve always been like this since we were kids. It’s just habit.” “We’re just best friends. You’re too sensitive.” When Liam pursued me, he told me I was the only woman he’d ever love. Little did I know that Serena, who called herself his “buddy,” had already infiltrated every aspect of Liam’s life. Because of her difficult childhood, Serena always got more attention from Liam. “Serena’s just a little girl, who never knew a shred of parental love. It’s only right for me to look out for her, it’s a good deed.” Right, Serena grew up without parental love. So what about me? Someone who clawed her way out of an orphanage, fighting for every single step just to get to him? Guess I was just unlucky. Every time I got jealous, he interpreted it as unreasonable fussing. Every time I questioned him, he saw it as distrust. I couldn’t say anything bad about Serena, because she was his “good friend.” I had no right to interfere with his friendships, nor could I question how they interacted. Liam would occasionally give me some sweet words, saying that after we got married and had our own little family, Serena would keep her distance. She’d also get married, and we’d all remain good friends. But the old me, completely blinded by love, was always fooled by his sweet words and empty promises. For our future, I worked tirelessly, overtime until I was exhausted, just so we could get married sooner. Yet, he and Serena still refused to change their ways, hiding behind the label of ‘friendship,’ doing every single ambiguous, flirty thing imaginable. 0
The late autumn wind felt chilling, making my head spin and my thoughts scatter. Liam reached out, trying to pat my shoulder as if to comfort me. “That’s enough. Go back and cool down.” I instinctively recoiled. “Yes, that’s enough. It’s time to end this.” I sniffled, looking past Liam at Serena behind him. The feigned victimhood was gone from her face. Her lips were curled into a slight, almost triumphant smile. I turned my face away, suppressing a wave of nausea. “Liam, let’s break up.” Liam grabbed my arm, forcing me to meet his eyes. “Chloe, don’t be so dramatic. I finally got a chance to relax and clear my head. Do you really have to upset me like this?” “You just met my mom two weeks ago. Even though she wasn’t completely happy with you, I already convinced her to agree to our marriage.” Liam wanted to say more, but I had no patience left to listen. My mind felt tangled, as if thick, suffocating threads were winding around my brain, leaving me dizzy, numb, and unable to think. I yanked my hand free and walked straight towards the elevator. Liam roared at my retreating back, clearly annoyed: “Go home and think about this properly!” At the same time, Serena’s sickeningly sweet voice cooed. “It’s all my fault. I upset Chloe again. I’m so sorry, buddy, I really didn’t mean to…” The elevator doors reflected their figures. The moment I turned, they were clinging to each other again. “You didn’t do anything wrong. She’s just overreacting.” “Don’t cry. Come on, I’ll take you to get something you love to eat.” I stared blankly as the elevator numbers changed, my heart feeling like it was stuffed with a sodden ball of cotton, making it hard to breathe. I don’t know when it started, but our sweet moments had been replaced by endless arguments. Nine times out of ten, it was because of Serena. Abandoned as a child, I lacked security. I always bowed my head to Liam, again and again. It was my love that made him so complacent, taking advantage of every inch I gave. I was stupid enough to think that if I just waited, Liam would eventually settle down and build a proper life with me. 0
I sluggishly entered the password for our apartment—it was Liam’s and my anniversary. The blinding glow of first love always makes you lose your mind. Seven years ago, I finally managed to get into college on my own merit. I fell for Liam, the freshman representative, at first sight. He exuded an elegant, gentle, and friendly aura. Standing tall at six feet, he commanded everyone’s attention the moment he walked in. A deep-seated insecurity that had clung to me like a shadow since childhood made me hide that affection deep inside. So when Liam confessed his feelings to me, I felt as if my suffering had finally ended, as if the gods had blessed me. From that moment on, I became Liam’s shadow. I transferred to his major, joined the same company as him, worked in the same department, and collaborated on projects. I opened the apartment door. Every corner showed traces of my careful decorating. Even though this was a complimentary apartment from the company for Liam and me, I treated it like our own little home. Last month, I met Liam’s mother. She had quite a few complaints about my background. When I returned from the restroom, I overheard her telling Liam outside the private room: “Those who bring bad luck aren’t welcome in a blessed home.” My heart sank. To marry Liam, I told him I didn’t need a dowry or any expensive wedding jewelry. Liam seemed a little guilty and bought me a gold ring, weighing only about two grams. By the time it reached my hand, it was already slightly bent out of shape, almost as if it had been worn by someone else. “I told them it wasn’t Serena’s size, but she insisted she’d never worn a gold ring and wanted to try it on.” “It’s fine, it’s not that noticeable once it’s on.” I let him slide the ring onto my ring finger. It was a little loose. My heart, at that moment, felt loose too. “Once I save enough money for the down payment, I’ll get you the proper wedding jewelry.” I forgave him again. A few days later, I saw a post Serena put on Ins— A selfie, and a photo of a necklace. *“My gold addiction kicked in. Liam said he wanted to get me some. That ring was too light, so I said no! So happy with this new necklace~”* The more I remembered, the more my heart ached. Thank goodness I finally woke up before the wedding. I’m so tired. I don’t want to love you anymore, Liam. 0
I started packing my clothes, wanting to move out. To save money for a house with Liam, I usually skimped on food and clothes, so I didn’t have many belongings. I only wore a few outfits regularly. I walked to the bathroom to pack my toiletries. Opening the door, I saw a black lace bra hanging conspicuously on the hook. I froze in the bathroom doorway, the damp mist inside choking my nose and mouth, making it hard to breathe. Liam came back then. I turned to face him, my nose stinging. He casually placed the things in his hand on the table and started taking off his clothes. A bowl of dessert—from that shop Serena loved, the one she always posted about on Ins. “I bought you something to eat, chestnut sweet soup. The owner said it’s a new autumn special.” I didn’t reply. My brain buzzed, and then the frantic drumming of my heart drowned out all other sensations. The feeling of my blood rushing to my head was terrible. I was allergic to chestnuts. Liam belatedly noticed my abnormal stillness. He walked towards me with a hint of helplessness, his tone softening considerably. “I sent Serena away so I could come back to you sooner. And I even brought you something delicious. Not mad anymore, right?” “If you keep this up, I’ll actually get mad.” He propped his hand against the doorframe, leaning in to kiss me. He always did this. Whenever I was angry or upset, he’d just try to kiss and hug me, hoping to sweep everything under the rug. After the kiss, he’d rub his nose against mine, looking into my eyes with tender affection. My anger would just melt away, succumbing to the warmth of the moment. But now, I forcefully pushed the bathroom door open, pointed at the black lingerie inside, and demanded in a low voice. “What is that?” He paused, then straightened up and explained. “It poured rain on the way back, and Serena got soaked, so she came in to borrow the bathroom and take a shower.” He habitually added, his tone the usual dismissive command: “You put it away for her. I’ll take it to her tomorrow.” “Oh, and when you make breakfast tomorrow morning, could you brew some ginger tea? She got rained on today, she’s probably not feeling well.” Liam was recently promoted to team leader. He was busy with work and often forgot to eat. To take care of his health, I woke up an hour early every day to prepare his breakfast and lunch bento. He was a picky eater and didn’t like vegetables or fruits, so I changed up the dishes to ensure he ate a balanced diet. And now he wanted me to take care of Serena too? Ha. He sure knew how to use me—a free, dutiful nanny. Sure enough, whoever gave their heart was the loser. I suddenly let out a cold laugh, wiping my eyes. I took off the ring on my finger, placed it on the nightstand, and pointed at it as I told Liam: “Here’s your ring back.” Liam looked confused: “What do you mean?” I didn’t reply, turning to continue packing my luggage. Liam finally saw the suitcase on the floor. His voice became agitated as he rushed forward and grabbed my arm. “Chloe, how long are you going to keep this up? I’m already trying to be nice.” His grip on my hand was tight, my skin turning faintly red. The old me would always fear Liam like this, on the verge of losing control. I’d immediately wonder if I’d gone too far, making everyone unhappy. But now, why should I care about him anymore? I stopped my internal struggle, forcefully pulled my hand free, closed the suitcase, and walked towards the door. “You’re ridiculous!” “You’re overreacting!” “If you leave, don’t come back!” He cursed loudly from the center of the room, but his words went in one ear and out the other. While waiting for the elevator, I even heard Liam forcefully open and slam the door. It seemed he wanted to see if I was truly determined to leave. Since I had decided to stand up for myself, I wouldn’t look back at him again. Liam, I’m truly letting you go. Stepping out of the apartment complex, the evening breeze whistled past. I reflexively hunched into my clothes, the dizzying sensation in my head becoming even more pronounced. I raised my hand to my forehead, feeling a distinct warmth. I squatted by the roadside, trying to hail a cab to a hotel, but my hands were shaking, stiffly unable to open my phone screen. A Mercedes pulled up in front of me. A burly man got out of the car, scaring me so much that I quickly hid behind my suitcase. “Chloe?” A gentle voice spoke, sounding kind. I looked up at him. He walked towards me, silhouetted against the light. In a haze, I thought I recognized him. But before I could reply, I collapsed.
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