Chapter 1

Another heavy rain. The company security guard politely handed me an umbrella.

"Miss Smith, you're lucky. Your boyfriend's here with an umbrella again."

I took it with a bitter smile.

The truth was, I had left mine at home on purpose.

We were only halfway through rainy season, and my boyfriend had brought me an umbrella twenty times.

He had also gone to pick up his childhood sweetheart twenty times.

A month ago, on a rainy day just like this one, I slipped and fell.

Blood poured from my thigh in an instant.

But my boyfriend hesitated. He asked if I could make it to the hospital on my own.

Because he had not taken the girl home yet.

Our baby was gone.

Today I had deliberately told him I forgot my umbrella. The rain was heavy, and the subway had shut down.

He replied with a single, flat "okay."

I really thought he would come.

Until I saw his social media post.

"I told her the rain was too heavy to go out and sketch, but she just had to. Lucky I was quick. Not a single drop landed on her."

I stared at it for a long time. Then I turned around, walked back into the office, and handed in my resignation.

The rainy season in this city lasts too long.

I am done waiting for someone to hold an umbrella over me.