Chapter 4

When I opened the door, Robertson was sitting comfortably in my favorite spot on the couch, eating popcorn and spilling it all over the floor.

He wasn't even surprised to see me. He casually gestured for me to sit down, as if he were the master of this house.

I kicked his shoes out of the doorway and walked straight past him into the bedroom.

But he followed me in.

"Haven't seen Kylie in a few days. Are you throwin' a tantrum?"

Treating him like air, I opened the closet. That was when I realized how little of my stuff was actually left in this house.

"Don't worry, Kylie is doing great at my place. Honestly, she doesn't really want to come back here anyway."

I still ignored him, silently packing my suitcase.

Seeing my silence, he lost his cool. He stepped right in front of me, blocking my path.

"Kylie loves me, Howard. Just face it and get out."

I honestly couldn't comprehend this man.

One minute he was claiming they were "just friends," and the next he was demanding I step aside.

I stopped packing and looked him dead in the eye.

"Are you done?"

He blinked, taken aback.

"If you're done, get out. I need to pack."

Robertson’s face twisted in anger, his voice turning sharp and nasty.

"Damn, Howard. You really are a pathetic coward, aren't you? Your wife is sleeping with another man, and all you can do is pack your bags?"

BANG!

I slammed my fist against the closet door right next to his head. The heavy wood let out a deafening boom.

Robertson gasped, stumbling back two steps in terror.

"You're right. I can't take it anymore," I said, my face completely expressionless. "But even if I leave, it doesn't mean a piece of trash like you gets to act tough in front of me."

Right then, I heard the sound of keys jingling at the front door.

Kylie walked in.

The second she saw a pale Robertson standing by the bedroom door, she didn't even ask what happened. She immediately started lecturing me.

"What is wrong with you, Howard? You block my number, you don't come home for days..."

"Robertson was worried about you! He’s been waiting here for days just to make sure you're okay, and you decide to bully him the second you get back?"

"I'm bullying him?" I laughed, completely exhausted. I didn't even want to explain.

"Fine. Since you love him so much, go live with him!"

At that moment, Robertson started playing the victim again.

"Kylie, maybe I shouldn't be here. I'm just making Howard uncomfortable. He hates me anyway. I'll just leave..."

"Look at you, Howard. We've been friends for so many years, and you're still acting so childish," Kylie said, grabbing Robertson’s hand before turning to glare at me.

"I’ve told you a thousand times, Robertson and I are just best friends. If we wanted to be together, we would have done it long before you came along!"

She always used that line.

But whenever Robertson snapped his fingers, she would drop everything and run to him.

On our engagement day, Robertson had just returned to the country. One phone call from him, and Kylie abandoned our families at the restaurant to pick him up from the airport.

On our wedding day, Robertson couldn't stand seeing us get married, so he threw a tantrum and went missing.

Kylie literally paused the ceremony, demanding everyone search the venue just to find him.

And now, it was the exact same thing.