Chapter 3

3

I made it back home in a total daze.

I checked my phone, but there was still no reply from Mason.

I collapsed onto the sofa and cried until I physically couldn't anymore. Eventually, I drifted into a heavy sleep.

I was somewhere between a dream and reality when I heard the sound of a key turning in the lock.

The bright overhead lights flickered on, startling me awake.

I looked up to see Mason standing in the foyer, kicking off his shoes.

He looked exhausted. When he saw me lying on the sofa, his brow pinched together. "Why are you sleeping out here?"

I looked at him closely. Suddenly, this man felt like a complete stranger.

He was never this passionate when he kissed me. He never whispered those dirty, sweet things in my ear.

In our relationship, I was always the one putting in the effort.

I thought it was just his personality. I thought he was just a reserved guy.

Tonight, I realized the truth. He wasn't reserved; he just didn't love me.

Mason shifted uncomfortably under my gaze. He looked away and spoke with a hint of annoyance. "I saw your text. What's with the drama now?"

He sighed as if he were the victim. "I've been buried in work lately. Once this project is over, I'll make it up to you."

Watching him act was almost funny.

His performance was actually quite amateur. I was just too blinded by love to see the cracks before.

I stared directly into his eyes. "Then let's get married."

A flash of pure annoyance crossed his face. He quickly masked it with a fake, soothing tone. "Lyra, we talked about this. We need to focus on our careers first."

He leaned in as if explaining something to a child. "We can talk about marriage once the company is stable."

I knew exactly why he wouldn't let me go. He needed my family.

His father's firm had been on the brink of bankruptcy. It was my father's massive investment that saved them.

Even Mason's current startup was built using my father's high-end connections and resources.

His company was thriving in the elite business circles of the city, and he owed it all to my dad.

With those ties, he could never afford to be the one who dumped me.

I looked at him, my voice cold as ice. "Then let's break up."

Mason probably thought I was just throwing another tantrum. He walked over and tried to wrap his arms around me.

"Lyra, don't be so childish. Stop being so dramatic, okay?"

The moment his skin touched mine, I felt a wave of nausea. I could only think of him and Mila together.

I shoved his hands off me and walked into my bedroom, locking the door behind me.