Chapter 1

My boyfriend Ethan Blake was always busy with work.

He set a rule with me that our dates couldn't exceed one hour.

On our fifth anniversary, I went to the restroom during dinner.

When I came back, he'd already paid the bill.

He said impatiently, "This date has already gone three minutes overtime. I don't have time to stay with you."

I looked at the unopened cake sitting nearby.

Calmly, I said, "Then I'll take a cab home myself. You don't need to give me a ride."

But the next day, I saw a reminder on his phone.

[Cancel everything. Wait for Madison's call.]

So he did have time. He just didn't want to spend it on me.

In that case, I wouldn't waste my life on him anymore.

Ethan grunted in acknowledgment and turned to leave.

No extra explanation. He didn't even look back at me once.

The waitress approached. "Excuse me, Mr. Blake only paid for his portion."

She paused, pushing another bill in front of me.

"This is yours."

I stared at the numbers on the bill, precise to the decimal point, my fingers slowly curling.

Even our anniversary dinner, he wanted to split.

I swiped my card calmly.

Walking out of the mall, a torrential rain poured down.

The icy rain hammered against me as I stood by the roadside, watching taxis with their "occupied" lights speed past.

On my phone screen, the ride-share app's queue number didn't budge.

I retreated back to the mall lobby and found a corner seat, sitting alone until it got dark.

The rain gradually lessened, and I finally got a ride.

Back at our apartment complex, even the short walk left me completely soaked.

I opened the door in a sorry state. The living room lights were off, pitch black.

Only a box of fresh lychees sat on the dining table.

I found it strange. Ethan had never bought me fruit before and didn't know I liked lychees.

The study door suddenly opened. Ethan said coldly, "Why did you call me earlier?"

"That was my scheduled work time. I told you not to disturb me."

I gripped my phone, the screen still showing the unanswered call from half an hour ago.

The rain had been pouring then. I just wanted to ask if he could bring an umbrella and meet me at the complex entrance.

Now, I only said, "It was nothing."

"Don't do meaningless things like that again." He dropped that line.

His gaze moved to the table.

"Peel the lychees and put them in the fridge."

I asked, "For whom?"

A trace of impatience entered his voice. "A colleague. Why are you asking so many questions?"

A colleague.

Who else besides Madison?

The study door closed again. The living room was dark once more.

I picked up the box of lychees, peeled one, and put it in my own mouth.