Chapter 2
“Then, may I ask, my lady, where are you planning to go on this day off? Care to bring me along?”
I quickly declined and hung up. I had only agreed to Gavin’s proposal to spite Jeremy. For him, it was a way to deal with his family’s pressure to get married. Essentially, we’d made a deal, so I didn’t want him involved in my personal life and saw no need to tell him I was in the hospital.
When I got home from the hospital, I found Georgia standing downstairs in my apartment complex. She gave me a strange smile as I approached, leaving me puzzled. Suddenly, I saw Jeremy coming out of the elevator, carrying a box. He noticed me standing beside Georgia and walked over slowly, box in hand.
“Amanda, Georgia’s been feeling scared to stay alone after what happened last time, so I’m moving in with her temporarily to keep her company,” Jeremy said, his tone informing me rather than asking for my opinion. Then again, he no longer needed my opinion for anything; I was no longer anyone to him.
I nodded, brushed past him, and headed home. Although I tried to seem indifferent, bitterness spread through me. I hadn’t managed to completely uproot Jeremy from my heart. He was like a rose that had taken root deep within me–beautiful but thorny. Yet now, he no longer bloomed, only pricking me and pushing me farther away.
When I returned to the empty apartment, most of his belongings were already gone. The clothes I had bought him, though now faded from countless washes, were gone as well. He had newer clothes, gifts from Georgia, but his pride wouldn’t let him keep them.
That night, Jeremy called. His tone had softened, no longer as harsh as it had been in recent days. “Amanda, it’s just a month with her; it’ll be over soon. Take care of yourself. Call me if you miss me.”
His comforting words reminded me of our earlier days together, but his actions were the last thing I could accept. He was giving me a classic “sweet after the slap” treatment, the barest consolation after the worst betrayal. He rambled on about little details, reminding me to lock the door when I was alone, to stay safe, and so on.
79.6%%
Chapter 2
My vision blurred, and I couldn’t bring myself to speak. I knew if I opened my mouth, my voice would break. I didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of thinking I could never live
without him.
Suddenly, I heard Georgia’s sweet voice on the other end of the call. “Jeremy, who are yout talking to? I can’t sleep. Could you come keep me company?”
Jeremy quickly said, “I have to go,” and ended the call.
had been stolen from me?
Staring at the disconnected call, I felt an emptiness in my chest, as if something precious
I had known Jeremy since I was five, and we had been together since I was seventeen. We were both orphans; he only had me, and I only had him. I couldn’t understand why someone like Georgia, who had everything, would set her sights
on him.
If it weren’t for Georgia, perhaps Jeremy and I could’ve gone on together. Georgia had chased him for five years without ever giving up, and the ridiculous part was that Jeremy’s heart was slowly shifting toward her. It showed that he was not someone I could truly depend on for life.
This time, I decided to step aside and give them my blessing.
Taking a deep breath, I swallowed all my grievances, finally coming to terms with it all. Just then, my screen lit up with a message from Gavin.
