Chapter 2

2.

When Callan and I first met, he knew about my emotional shadows. But back then, things were different, and he never called my breakdowns disgusting.

He used to hold me in his arms and wipe away my tears over and over again. He even studied psychology just for me, comforting me when I needed him the most.

He chased me for two whole years. During a college anniversary party, the power went out for ten minutes.

Callan held my hand tightly, anxiously comforting me over and over again, telling me he was there and would always be there.

Later, he confessed his feelings to me. He said, Leighton, let me protect you from now on, and I will love you with all my heart. I will make you the happiest person so you never remember your past pain.

In our fifth year of dating, he still treated me as well as he promised. But in the sixth year, Genevieve came back from abroad, and he changed completely.

The moment I saw Genevieve, the memories that haunted me every day rushed back. In middle school, she knew I was terrified of closed spaces, yet she locked me in a freezing equipment room.

She told everyone this was my punishment for not saying hi to her first. She purposely threw in bugs and snakes, making hissing sounds that terrified me.

I kneeled in that tiny room, begging them in pain to let me out. Outside, I could hear Genevieve laughing and joking. She mockingly rolled a glowing crystal ball through a hole in the door.

Seeing a trace of light, I lunged forward and grabbed that crystal ball tightly. Then, Genevieve burst into mocking laughter, treating me and the crystal ball like she was walking a dog.

She led the crowd to laugh at me, completely ignoring my pleas with pure contempt and insult. "Look at her, crawling on the floor chasing this crystal ball, doesn't she look exactly like a dog!"

The pitch-black room was filled with her piercing laughter. I covered my ears to block it out, but stones were thrown into the room, hitting my forehead.

For six agonizing hours of torture, my body was covered in bruises and cuts from the stones. That was the day I was diagnosed with severe mental trauma.

I told Callan that she was the main culprit who caused my endless dark days. Callan looked surprised, but chose to defend her, saying she wasn't that kind of person.

Later, he found out the whole truth about the incident. But then he said she was just young back then, everyone makes mistakes, and told me to forgive her.

This was coming from Callan, the man who always claimed he hated bullies the most. I went to his office, begging him to stop seeing her so much for my sake.

But all I ever got was his lack of understanding and constant complaints. He accused me of being petty and not as generous as Genevieve.

He said I intentionally came to the company just to mark my territory. After that, things got worse, and he didn't even bother answering my calls.

To avoid seeing me, he just slept at his office. This time was his first trip home in three months. Yet, it was just to bring Genevieve over, giving me a so-called wedding gift to trigger my painful memories.

Then, he insulted me and slammed the door. I couldn't accept how such a good person had suddenly changed so much.

So no matter what humiliating things he did to me, I still chose to stay by his side. Even when he postponed our wedding again for Genevieve, I still thought about it.

I thought that as long as he came back and treated me like before, I would pretend nothing happened. But finally, when he called me disgusting, I was able to let everything go.