Chapter 3

3

Then, Chad's phone rang.

He never hid his calls from me. He always said we should trust each other completely.

He answered, and my ears perked up. I could hear the woman on the other end.

"Chad, you wore me out last night. I just woke up. Good thing it's the weekend."

"You little wildcat, I told you to take it easy. You even ripped my underwear. You have to buy me a new pair and bring them over."

"And you have to help me put them on."

Chad's breathing quickened. He glanced at me, watching my expression.

I just stood there sipping my soup. He seemed to relax.

"Oh! I finished that report," he said.

"It's in the second drawer in my office. Just look for it."

Chad started putting on his act. Brittany obviously knew what was up.

This was a routine. A code they used to deceive me.

My hands tightened around the bowl. I used to trust him so much I wouldn't have noticed this stuff. Now that I was paying attention, it was unbearable.

"Why don't you come over now? I'm all rested up."

Brittany was deliberately teasing him. Chad's breathing became heavy.

"What, you can't find it?"

"Okay! I'll be there soon."

That's when I dropped the bowl. It shattered on the floor.

Chad was erasing all my love for him, little by little.

I had to keep telling myself, I could leave.

Chad told the housekeeper to clean up and said he had an emergency at work. He grabbed a box of coffee on his way out.

"Allie, wait for me. I'll be home soon," he said.

I knew he couldn't resist the taste of Brittany. He wouldn't be back for days.

I might as well take care of my own stuff while he was gone.

I was an orphan, craving love. I was terrified of getting it, only to have it taken away.

So, when Chad showered me with affection, I finally opened up and trusted him.

I gave up my dream of studying abroad to stay in his city.

And now? Reality was slapping me in the face, waking me up.

I typed out my resignation letter and sent it to my boss.

He called me almost immediately.

"Allie, why are you quitting?"

"You're a great worker. I was planning on offering you a promotion!"

Before all this happened, I would have been thrilled, called Chad right away to tell him the news.

I was working hard to become someone he could be proud of.

Now, I could only manage a bitter smile.

"I'm sorry, I'm leaving the city for personal reasons," I told him.

After talking to my boss, I started packing.

Chad had given me stacks of love letters. He said emails weren't personal enough. He wanted to write out his love for me.

I took them outside to the garden, lighting them one by one.