Chapter 3

3

Xavier didn't come home all night.

The next morning, he rushed through the door with breakfast, looking exhausted.

"The doctor said you were discharged. Why didn't you tell me?"

Bianca popped her head out from behind him. She walked in as if she owned the place and sat on our sofa. She purposely left her collar open to show off the marks on her neck.

She looked at Xavier and smiled, ignoring me completely. "You still live here?"

I looked at Xavier. He gave me an apologetic smile. "Bianca heard you were sick and wanted to visit. Don't overthink it."

He reached out, trying to check my temperature, but I flinched away.

Xavier looked confused. I said flatly, "You're dirty."

His hand retracted, a flicker of guilt crossing his face. "I just came from outside. Let me wash my hands first."

Bianca was poking around the living room. When she looked at me, her eyes were full of provocation. "So, you're the little intern Xavier mentioned?"

I didn't want to talk to her.

The next second, she let out a shrill cry of excitement.

She had found a thick stack of letters tucked away.

I frowned, getting ready to tell her to put them down. But her next words froze me in place.

She held the letters up and giggled at Xavier. "Xavier, I can't believe you wrote me so many letters!"

My head started spinning. "What did you say?"

She kept smiling, her eyes gleaming with malice as she saw my reaction. "This little flower is the secret code between Xavier and me. Look, every single envelope has a flower drawn on the back. These were for me, weren't they?"

When Xavier and I first started dating, he loved writing me letters.

He said that paper and ink were more meaningful than a text message.

It turned out those letters weren't for me either. I let out a self-deprecating laugh.

I didn't want to watch their little play. I told them I wasn't feeling well and went upstairs.

Bianca immediately wrapped her arms around Xavier's neck. "I saw them. I knew you still cared about me."

Xavier's voice dropped, his breathing getting heavy. "Stop it. We're at the house."

Bianca didn't care. She kissed him hard.

"You said she was boring. Don't you want to do something risky for once?"

I stood on the stairs, watching them coldly.

Bianca noticed me.

Her eyes were mocking. She looked directly at me.

I could read her lips. She was saying, "Look at you. You're just a replacement. One word from me, and everything you have belongs to me."

As if to prove her point, she reached out.

She easily slid the ring off Xavier's finger and tossed it onto the hardwood floor.

That ring was a gift from me years ago. It wasn't expensive, maybe even a bit cheap, but Xavier had always cherished it. He never took it off, not even to shower.

He used to rub that ring while kissing me, saying, "Elara, I'm so happy you finally accepted me."

But now, he was like a dog in heat, lost in his kiss with Bianca. He didn't even notice the ring hitting the floor.

Just like his promises, it was now just a piece of trash that no one cared about.

I met Bianca's triumphant gaze and said nothing.