Chapter 2

2.

I sat on my sofa all night, staring at the stars until the sun began to peek through the curtains.

It wasn't that I couldn't sleep; it was that every time I closed my eyes, I saw Shane and Jade together.

I wanted to stop caring, but letting go of three years of devotion takes more than a few hours.

At dawn, I threw on a coat and headed out.

As I walked past the courtyard, I ran straight into the two of them sharing a goodbye kiss.

Jade saw me immediately. She arched a provocative eyebrow and pulled Shane closer, turning a polite peck into a deep, French kiss.

My hands balled into fists as I fought the urge to scream. I turned to walk away.

"Wren, stop right there!"

Shane's voice was a low growl. He was stumbling toward me, clearly hungover.

I stopped but didn't turn around. He reached me, smelling of cheap gin and her perfume.

"What the hell did you say to Jade last night?" he demanded.

I looked at him, genuinely confused. "What are you talking about?"

Shane's face darkened, and he suddenly swung his hand, slapping me hard across the cheek.

"Stop acting! Jade didn't sleep a wink after your call. She insisted on driving me back before sunrise!"

"I just crashed at a friend's house for one night. Do you really have to be this dramatic?" he spat.

I poked the inside of my aching cheek with my tongue and looked past him at Jade, who was watching with a smirk.

"Miss Rose, care to explain what really happened?" I asked calmly.

Jade hadn't expected me to be this composed. Her smug expression faltered for a split second.

She cleared her throat and stepped up to Shane, resting a hand on his arm.

"Shane, you've got it wrong. Wren didn't really say much. I just felt it was inappropriate for us to be alone together; people might talk."

"Who would dare talk?" Shane's voice rose as he glared at me.

The threat in his eyes was crystal clear.

When I didn't argue, he took Jade's hand and shrugged.

"We've been best friends since we were kids. What's wrong with a little get-together? So what if we stayed in the same room?"

"If Jade wanted me, you wouldn't even have a chance with me. Don't be a joke," he sneered.

Jade couldn't hide the triumphant smile spreading across her face.

"Enough!"

My heart was already in pieces, and I had reached my limit.

I used to think that even if he wasn't passionate, he still loved me in his own way. I thought marrying him would be the greatest blessing of my life.

Now I realized it was all just a pathetic fantasy I had built in my head.

The argument ended there. Shane got back into Jade's car without another word.

The exhaust fumes hit my face as the engine roared, and they sped away into the distance.

I watched them until they were out of sight, then I got into my own car.

I drove my second-hand sedan aimlessly for a while until my heart stopped racing.

I had two weeks before I moved abroad. I needed to finish my projects at work.

I spent the day organizing my files and handing everything over to my colleagues.

I made sure to point out every potential issue and explained the solutions several times.

My colleague, Lola, was staring at me blankly. I tapped her forehead gently.

"Did you get all that? Or should I go over it again?" I asked.

Lola snapped out of it and looked at me with a frown.

"You're such a catch. Why doesn't Shane see that? He's literally driving you out of the country."

"Be honest with me, Wren. Are you ever planning on coming back?" she asked quietly.

I paused for a moment, then gave her a small, empty smile. "Probably not."

Lola had known Shane since they were kids. His parents had actually wanted her to be their daughter-in-law.

But she and Shane never had any chemistry, so that plan fell through.

When she found out I was dating him, she used to drop hints, asking if I knew about Jade.

Back then, I had told her they were just childhood friends. Lola would just go silent and tell me not to love him too much.

I remembered telling her, "Shane and I are great. That'll never happen. Just make sure you're ready for the wedding!"

Thinking back on those words now, I realized how much of a fool I had been.