When my boyfriend was hospitalized, I hurried to the hospital with a pot of soup, only to overhear a conversation between him and his friend. “Your first love is back. When are you planning to break up with the person who’s been taking her place? “After you guys break up, can I have a go? I haven’t had a woman like her before.” Maxwell didn’t rebut him as I expected but instead casually said, “Sure, she’s easy to get. Just sweet-talk her a bit, and you’ll have her in bed.” That night, I found a secret Twitter account, which recorded his years of lingering feelings for his first love. I didn’t confront him, didn’t make a scene. I calmly booked a flight to Peregrinia. Chapter On the day of our third anniversary, Maxwell Finch sprained his ankle by tripping down the stairs at work. I rushed to the hospital after getting his call. He explained he’d been in a hurry to meet me at the restaurant, worried I’d be waiting too long, and had missed a step. So, I took a few days off work to care for him, staying by his side in the hospital. On the day he was discharged, his good friend, George Martin, came to visit him, so I felt at ease and went home to make soup. I grabbed the warm thermos of freshly made chicken soup and rushed back to the hospital. As I approached the ward, the door was slightly ajar, and I overheard their conversation. George was patting him on the shoulder, trying not to laugh. “Eleanor’s back and you’re this happy? You even managed to trip on the stairs rushing to the airport to pick her up.” When I heard the name, Eleanor, my heart skipped a beat. Eleanor Dashwood had been Maxwell’s college friend and the only woman in their close-knit group of four. She was also Maxwell’s first love. They had dated for two years before parting ways when she moved abroad. Despite their breakup, they were still considered the perfect couple by their friends, and occasionally, the other two guys would joke about how Maxwell should have ended up with Eleanor, not me. In their eyes, if Eleanor hadn’t left, I would have never stood a chance as Maxwell’s girlfriend. He used to defend me when they joked like this. But this time, perhaps because I wasn’t around, Maxwell said nothing. George continued with his teasing, “Eleanor’s back. So, when are you going to kick out her replacement? “After you break up, can I date her? I’ve never been with a woman like her before.” Finally, Maxwell looked up, his brow furrowing, and smacked George playfully on the shoulder. “Eleanor hasn’t said anything yet, so why rush? “Plus, I’m not even fully recovered yet. I’ll still need her to take care of me at home.” At that moment, my ears seemed to ring. It felt like a heavy weight had settled over my senses, and the shock quickly gave way to a numb, dazed feeling. George didn’t seem bothered at all. He casually peeled an orange I had bought. “She seems so sweet, but you always tell me how wild she is in bed. “I really don’t get the contrast.” Though I was holding the warm thermos, it felt as if I had fallen into an icy abyss. I had never imagined that the boyfriend I had been with for three years could speak about me in such a degrading way behind my back. Maxwell’s voice rang out, cold and indifferent. “If you want to chase her, go ahead. She’s starved for attention and easy to get. “I just said a few sweet words to her back then, and that’s how we ended up in bed.” My breath caught in my throat. A deep, searing pain shot through my chest. I heard the two of them laughing softly in the room, and I felt a wave of nausea rise in my throat. I quickly covered my mouth and ran to the bathroom, gagging and crying, the tears streaming down my face. It hit me then, after three years of loving him, I was nothing more than his first love’s substitute. I had thought maybe he didn’t care for me as much, but I never imagined the level of contempt he held for me. He didn’t just love me, and he didn’t even regard me as a human being. To him, I might as well have been the trash on the street. The fantasy I had built crumbled. I could barely comprehend that the man I had imagined spending my life with was so fundamentally flawed. Looking back, it made sense. Maxwell’s friends could joke openly in front of me about him and other women. How could they possibly respect me behind my back? Every time they came over, they treated me like a maid, ordering me around. And Maxwell’s failure to stop them from disrespecting me was essentially his approval. In front of me, he merely pretended to be decent. I wiped my tears away and threw the chicken soup, which I had spent hours making, into the trash. At that moment, breaking up with him had never seemed so clear. When I walked into the room, I had managed to pull myself together. Upon seeing me empty-handed, Maxwell’s face instantly darkened, his displeasure clear. “Didn’t you say you were going to make soup for me? Why did you come back empty-handed?” George, standing next to him, added, “Yeah, Adeline, Maxwell just told me how thoughtful you are.” With a sly grin, George leaned in and said, “Adeline, you might not even get the chance to cook soup for Maxwell anymore.” I instinctively looked at Maxwell, but he made no move to stop George’s comment. It dawned on me then. Perhaps, with Eleanor back, Maxwell wanted to get rid of me immediately. He wasn’t even pretending anymore, or maybe this was his way of giving me a little “punishment” for my defiance. Chapter
I remained silent, my eyes fixed on Maxwell. I couldn’t believe this was the man I had loved for three years. I used to think that even if Maxwell didn’t love me enough, as long as I loved him, it would be enough. I foolishly believed that, maybe one day, he would be moved by my devotion. But now, everything was mocking how naive I had been. “The soup I made today didn’t turn out great, so I drank it myself.” I smiled as I picked up the lightest bag and walked quickly out of the room, leaving first. “Come on, get your things, let’s go home.” I didn’t want to carry all of his luggage like a servant, which I had done every time before. The atmosphere on the way home was tense. Maxwell was still angry with me. But I wasn’t planning on soothing him. I needed time to calm my own emotions. As soon as we arrived home, Maxwell’s other good friend, Dorian Everhart, showed up. He came in, grinning, holding a cat in his arms. I had always been allergic to cat fur, and I instinctively recoiled, covering my nose. “Maxwell, didn’t you tell them I’m allergic to cats?!” Frowning, I kept my eyes on the Ragdoll cat in Dorian’s arms, not daring to relax for a second. When I was a child, I didn’t know I was allergic to cats. I once held a neighbor’s cat and ended up in the hospital for an entire week. “Adeline, why are you being so dramatic?” Maxwell hadn’t spoken yet, but Dorian was already rolling his eyes at me. “This is Eleanor’s Ragdoll cat. She brought it from abroad, it was really expensive. I begged for a while before she let me hold it for a few days.” “Adeline, don’t be so unreasonable.” Maxwell had been dissatisfied with my attitude for a while now, feeling embarrassed in front of his friends. Now, he finally had the chance to vent. His expression darkened terribly. “It’s just a cat. It’s not going to kill you.” He no longer even pretended to hide his disdain for me. He took the cat from Dorian and shoved it toward me. “Don’t be ridiculous. What’s the big deal with a cat?” Maxwell knew full well how severe my allergic reaction could be, yet he still treated me with such indifference. I tried to avoid the cat, but Maxwell kept pushing it closer. The cat, startled and in pain from being held too tightly, screeched and lunged toward me uncontrollably. Even though I reacted as quickly as I could, its claws scratched my neck, and I inhaled a mouthful of cat fur. Within half a minute, I began struggling to breathe. My heart raced, and a cold sweat broke out all over my body. “Call… call an ambulance…” Maxwell sneered. “Adeline, stop pretending.” Dorian noticed my face turning pale and spoke up, his voice urgent. “Maxwell, Adeline’s not faking it! We need to call 911!” As they hesitated, I collapsed heavily to the ground. Just before I lost consciousness, I saw Maxwell’s panicked face and heard Dorian and George scrambling to call an ambulance. When I woke up, I was alone in a dark hospital room. Because of their so-called “playful teasing”, I almost went into shock and was rushed to the hospital. And now, none of them were here with me. A nurse walked in, turned on the lights, and replaced the IV medication. “You’re extremely allergic to cat fur. You absolutely cannot be around cats again.” I gave a wry smile and asked, “Do you know when those three guys left?” “The three boys?” The nurse furrowed her brow, looking surprised. “They left once they saw you weren’t in danger. They didn’t stay.” She seemed incredulous. “Were they not just strangers to you?” I forced a smile. “One of them is my boyfriend. But not for long.” I checked my phone, and Maxwell’s message popped up on WhatsApp. [We went out for dinner. If you’re fine, just go home on your own.] George had posted on his Instagram twenty minutes earlier. [Reunion with old friends, so happy!] The picture showed the four of them, with Maxwell gazing lovingly at the girl beside him. Their eyes were full of affection, and Maxwell’s admiration for her was plain to see. Looking at that photo, I couldn’t hold back the tears anymore. The pain in my chest felt suffocating. At this point, I couldn’t deceive myself any longer. The one Maxwell truly loved was Eleanor. If Eleanor was willing to come back to him, I would lose all value to him. Chapter
I suddenly remembered that Maxwell often typed on his Twitter page, but I had never seen him post anything. A thought surfaced in my mind, and I started looking for clues in his social media accounts. Maxwell’s Twitter was empty, but in the list of accounts he followed, I found one named “All for Eleanor”. My hands trembled as I clicked on it. I discovered that this account had been updated for six years, with thousands of posts. It was like opening Pandora’s box, and the contents inside left me speechless. Every single post was about Eleanor, filled with an uncontrollable love and obsession. The first posts chronicled their relationship, and the later ones showed Maxwell’s relentless thoughts of Eleanor, even years later. [November 9, 2021. I’m with someone else now. I won’t wait for you.] That day was one of the many times I had confessed my love to Maxwell. Eventually, he agreed to be with me. But now I realize it wasn’t because he was moved by my feelings; it was because that day, Eleanor had gone abroad. [March 10, 2022. I slept with someone else. You’re dating someone else. We’re even now.] I remembered that night well. Maxwell had been drunk, clinging to me, not letting me leave. In the end, he sweet-talked me into sleeping with him. [May 16, 2023. Are you really not coming back? I hate you. I’ll never forgive you!] That year, Maxwell had held me tightly and pulled a diamond ring out of his pocket, putting it on my finger. He looked at me with tender eyes and promised, “Adeline, I will marry you.” I took a deep breath but couldn’t summon the courage to read any further. I scrolled to the most recent post. [I lost to you in the end. After all these years, I still can’t let go. I will always love you.] The picture was of the two of them, smiling happily, hands tightly clasped together. Tears fell uncontrollably from my eyes, dripping onto the screen and blurring my vision. I felt stabbed by lies and betrayal, my heart bleeding. It dawned on me. Throughout the three years we’d been together, Maxwell’s love had never truly been mine. I finally understood that his love for Eleanor was intense and sincere, lasting for years. Maxwell had been willing to overcome every obstacle to be with Eleanor again. Even though she had abandoned him years ago, he still loved her without fail. But what about me? I shook, finally understanding everything. No wonder Maxwell never argued with me. It was because he never cared about our relationship in the first place. No wonder Maxwell never paid attention to my feelings. It was clear I didn’t matter to him. No wonder Maxwell had been so frantic when he fell down the stairs and broke his leg. It wasn’t because he was in a rush to see me but because Eleanor’s unexpected return had unsettled him. I forced myself to hold back the tears, taking screenshots of everything as evidence. I suddenly realized that maybe this was for the best. At least now, I wouldn’t be softhearted anymore. If I hadn’t accidentally overheard his comments behind my back, if I hadn’t found his secret Twitter account, I might have lived my whole life deceived, foolishly believing he had truly given up on his first love. I finally saw through Maxwell’s charming exterior, recognizing the darkness within. I understood now that all his love for me had been a lie. Now, I no longer had any reason to continue this relationship. At that moment, my boss, Jasper Blackwood, called. I took a deep breath, trying to steady my voice. “Adeline, there’s an opportunity to work at our Peregrinia branch. I wanted to ask if you’d be interested. You’d be stepping straight into a director’s position, and this opportunity is quite rare.” Jasper tried to persuade me earnestly. This wasn’t the first time a promotion had come my way. Last time, because I wanted to settle down with Maxwell in Eldoria, I firmly turned down the opportunity to work in Fendell, even though it had once been a dream I truly cherished. But now, there was nothing left worth giving up my dreams for. “Thank you for offering me this opportunity. I’m willing to take the position in Peregrinia.” My resolve to break up had never been stronger. My mind was desperately signaling for self-preservation. Even though my heart ached like it was being torn apart, I was willing to endure the pain. After hanging up, I immediately booked a flight to Peregrinia for a few days later. Once discharged from the hospital, I went straight home and packed up all my belongings. During this time, I didn’t run into Maxwell. I guessed he was still busy with Eleanor. The next day, while sitting in a taxi on my way to the airport, I saw Maxwell’s Twitter account had been updated the night before. [At our reunion, my heart couldn’t help but betray the longing within.] The picture showed him and Eleanor holding hands, fingers tightly intertwined. I calmly swiped past it, but the pain in my chest still lingered, faint yet sharp. Then Maxwell sent me a message. I guessed he must have noticed the changes at home. [You were discharged yesterday? Where are you?] I didn’t reply. He called me repeatedly, but I hung up each time. Finally, a minute before I boarded the plane, an unknown number called. I answered, and Maxwell’s anxious voice came through the phone. “Adeline, where have you gone? When are you coming home?” I smiled quietly, keeping my tone calm. “Maxwell, I know Eleanor is back. She’s the one you truly love, isn’t she?” I laughed bitterly, mercilessly exposing his scheme. “Now that she’s back, it’s only right that I, as her substitute, should step aside.” The announcement that the plane was about to take off came at just the right moment. I heard Maxwell gritting his teeth and shouting, “Adeline, where the hell are you?!”
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