Chapter 5

Elara POV

Dragging my suitcase, I left the Jenkins' house. With nowhere to go, I took out my phone and booked the cheapest single room at a chain hotel.

Throughout my years of working, my family frequently asked me for money, and furnishing the new house had also cost a lot. My savings were alarmingly low.

Fortunately, the departure date for my overseas mission was soon, so I wouldn't be in this city for many days.

The cheap motel room was small and damp, and the sheets had a faint musty smell.

I lay down without taking off my clothes, staring at a dark water stain on the ceiling, only finding a little sleep past midnight.

The next morning, I was woken by my phone ringing.

"Adrian" flashed on the screen. I stared at it for a few seconds before answering.

"Elara." His voice was a little hoarse. "My stomach's not feeling well. When you come to the lab later, could you bring me some oat milk?"

I was silent.

"Elara?"

I mumbled a reply. I had originally wanted to refuse, but the words caught in my throat.

Some things needed to be said face-to-face.

After hanging up, I got up, washed, put on a simple shirt and trousers, and headed out.

Arriving at the lab building, I pushed open the door. Adrian was sitting at his desk, his fingers pressed against his stomach, eyebrows slightly furrowed, an aura of cold detachment about him.

Hearing the sound, he looked up. "You're here."

I walked over and placed the paper bag containing the milk on his desk. "Here."

Adrian opened it and took a sip, then frowned. "This oat milk... the taste is different from what you used to bring."

I said nothing.

Of course, it was different.

Knowing he was particular, every oat milk I brought him before, I made myself.

This one, however, I'd simply picked up on the way.

Adrian took a few more forced sips, but ultimately had no appetite and pushed the milk aside.

"You called me yesterday, did you need something?" He looked up at me, his tone flat. "At the time, Chloe had an accident, and the other party was very insistent. I couldn't really focus on anything else."

My heart felt a light prick, like a fine needle.

Yes, he couldn't focus on anything else.

Chloe's matters were always paramount, and I, his fiancée, was perpetually relegated to the "other" category.

"Nothing special," I said, looking down, my voice flat. "I just wanted to tell you that I've already handed over all my ongoing work to my colleagues yesterday. I won't be coming to the lab anymore."

Adrian looked at my face. "Our wedding is less than a month away. If you're thinking of quitting to be a stay-at-home wife, that's fine. I'll cover all your living expenses."

He paused, then added, "However, I suggest you still have your own career. If you sit around all day doing nothing, it'll cause problems for your health."

Listening to him, that self-mocking chill spread through me, little by little.

He wanted me to have my own career, not because he respected my abilities or admired me, but simply because he thought I'd get unhealthy if I stayed home.

Perhaps it was because he didn't love me.

That's why he hadn't noticed I'd already moved out of our new house.

That's why he couldn't see that I was once a top student, that my thesis had made waves in the academic world, that I could have had a much broader future.

Thinking this, it seemed there wasn't much difference between how he and my parents treated me.

"I'm not quitting to be your wife," I met his gaze, speaking calmly and evenly. "On the contrary, Adrian, I no longer want to marry you. So let's call off the engagement..."

"Adrian!"

The door was suddenly pushed open, and a cheerful figure ran in.

Chloe came to Adrian's side in a few steps, naturally linking her arm through his, her face upturned, a radiant smile on her face.

"Thank you so much for yesterday! If it weren't for you, facing those aggressive people, I would have been scared senseless and wouldn't have known what to do."

She was intimate and warm, practically pressed against him.

Adrian's body stiffened for a moment, and he instinctively looked up at me, meeting my calm, unruffled gaze.

His expression became a little unnatural. He cleared his throat twice, pulling his arm out of Chloe's embrace, his voice holding an almost imperceptible hint of indulgence and affection.

"Chloe, in here, I'm your mentor. You should watch your behavior."

Chloe stuck out her tongue, playfully shaking his sleeve. "Alright, alright, respected Professor Reed!"

She let go but leaned in closer, her eyes sparkling. "To thank my esteemed mentor for his help yesterday, I've booked a private room tonight. You absolutely have to come!"

Then, as if just noticing me standing nearby, she turned, her smile bright, and invited, "Dr. Jenkins, you should come too! The more, the merrier!"