Immediately after asking about his engagement, I regretted bringing it up. The question was unnecessary, and given his current state, he was clearly unhappy.My careless words had inadvertently poked at his wounds, making it seem like I was highlighting his misery. That wasn't my intention at all. Yet, the knowledge of his unhappiness did bring a certain sense of relief.Hearing my question, Chris looked uncomfortable for a change. He hesitated, carefully studying my expression. "You heard about it too? It's true that we were planning to get engaged, but the night before the ceremony, I couldn't sleep."Every time I closed my eyes, I saw you. That's when I realized that after all those years with you, I've fallen for you. Zara, I can't live without you. I can't go through with it because I don't want to be with anyone but you."His words hit me like a punch to the gut. My hand slipped, and the bottle of water I had just opened fell to the ground, spilling its contents like a bird e
Chris continued, "Zara, I've been thinking about why you suddenly left me, and I finally understand now. It's because of that dress, isn't it? You were always the one taking care of my laundry, and I never once did the same for you, not even when you were going through your period."I was so insensitive and selfish. Yet, I washed a dress for Faye. It was my mistake, and I'm truly sorry. Zara, from now on, I'll make sure to handle all of your laundry—only yours. I'll take care of all the cooking and pack your lunch every day. I'll take care of everything, okay? Please, Zara?"I let out a long sigh before pulling my hand away and lifting my head to meet his gaze. "That won't be necessary," I said calmly.Chris stopped speaking, seemingly unsure of what I had said. "Zara, what did you say?"I stood up, maintaining my expressionless demeanor as I returned the towel to the bathroom. I then looked at him and repeated, "I said that won't be necessary, Chris. I can cook for myself, and whe
I was wearing high heels, which caused me to twist my ankle when I fell, sending sharp pain through my leg. My shoulder scraped against a tree by the roadside, peeling off a large patch of skin. Blood began to ooze out.I sat on the curb, penniless and crying uncontrollably. The physical pain was unbearable, but the pain in my heart was even worse.I couldn't understand why Chris chose to leave despite the fact that the long drive would take hours and the rain would likely subside before his arrival.Seemingly oblivious to this reality, Chris failed to recognize that any classmate passing by could have easily assisted Faye with an umbrella or a ride. Nonetheless, he insisted on traversing the city and driving for hours to aid her.I couldn't help but feel hurt by his constant tendency to prioritize Faye over me. I was his girlfriend, yet he disregarded his promise to spend my birthday with me.It made me wonder when Chris would ever prioritize me. Like any other girl, I yearned fo
My mind wandered back to our first encounter during our freshman year. Chris wore a simple white shirt, its hem tucked neatly into his trousers. His short hair shone in the sunlight, and his youthful gaze held a captivating innocence.I had been instantly enamored, irresistibly drawn to him. When he asked me to be his girlfriend, I boldly declared, "Chris, no matter what the future holds, even if the sky falls or the world turns upside down, I'll always love you."Back then, I naively believed that my love alone would be enough. I thought that my devotion would eventually touch his heart and make him love me in return.However, I didn't know then that love itself was a consumable resource. If one didn't nurture it and let it grow, it would inevitably dwindle and fade away.No matter how deep the love was, it could never escape this fate.I gave a faint smile. "Well, Chris, I once thought I could warm your heart. But I overestimated myself and underestimated how cold your heart cou
Chris sat there in silence. Perhaps he had never considered this question. Or, more likely, he never thought it was an issue at all.I continued, "Or perhaps you enjoy having me as a convenient stand-in for the one you truly love. I was there to provide comfort in your moments of loneliness and despair. And when the real deal came back, you could just coldly cast me aside."Chris buried his face in his hands, his shoulders trembling as if his entire world had crumbled around him.Once upon a time, the mere sight of his pain would've been unbearable to me. But now, as his suffering lay bare before me, my heart remained untouched. It was then that I realized how stark the line between love and indifference could be."Stop saying you love me. It sounds painfully ironic. Your love is something I no longer need or desire. Have you seen my new home? It's small and modest, and with my meager salary, it'll take years to afford a house of my own. "Despite this, I find solace in the know
The next day, I officially reported to the police station and started my new life serving the people from dawn till dusk.Three days later, I began to understand what Chris meant by not giving up.Every evening, he would wait for me at the entrance of the police station, his eyes lighting up with a peculiar gleam as soon as he saw me—like a dog seeing a bone.I refused to speak to him and wouldn't even spare him a glance as I walked past. I remained steadfast in my resolve, treating him as a complete stranger.Despite my cold treatment, Chris was undeterred in his mission to pick me up from work every day. He would bring a bouquet of flowers every other day, usually red roses, but occasionally sunflowers or baby's breath.I would pass by him without a glance, and he would shove the flowers into my arms like a nervous teenager before running off.Chris even hand-washed all the clothes I had left at our old place and gave me a few pieces every day, asking me to take them home.He
I didn't look at Chris' reaction and walked straight to the designated street for my ride. Lulu and Queenie were waiting for me, and we had plans for a leisurely shopping spree and a carefree dinner.Chris, who once occupied a position above everyone else in my life, had finally relinquished his place, giving way to the people I truly loved and valued.All this happened because of the wrong choices I made and the misplaced trust I gave. Thankfully, everything was back on track.I even felt a strange gratitude toward Faye. If it weren't for her calculated interference, Chris and I might have continued our toxic entanglement for a while longer, which would have been truly terrifying for me.The car soon arrived. It was a white Haval driven by a young woman. I got into the back seat and saw Chris sitting on a bench, opening the round box and staring blankly at the birthday cake inside. Tears streamed down my face.Goodbye, the man I loved for five years.Goodbye, my false ideal of a
Winston was an acquaintance, so I thought hearing him out was fine."What is it? Go on," I said.Winston's eyes lit up with excitement. He took off the bag he had slung over his shoulder, unzipped it, and pulled out an old, slightly yellowed photo. He handed it to me, gesturing for me to look at it.I took the photo and scrutinized it for a while but couldn't make out anything significant. The photo showed more than a dozen men and women. Four children squatted in the front row, grinning from ear to ear.It seemed to be a family portrait, but everyone in it was unfamiliar to me."Why do you want me to look at this?" I asked, though what I really wanted to say was that I didn't recognize a single person, and asking me to look at this made me wonder if he was crazy.Winston remained silent and handed me another photo.The background of this one looked like a park, with many children in the frame. The kid grinning at the front had a missing tooth. The boy behind him looked older an