Chapter 4

Blake's POV

Quinn stopped chewing. A bewildered glint flickered in her eyes for a split second before it was replaced by a mocking look.

"Did you think that I would concede to you if you threatened to break up with me?" she demanded.

Seth didn't even bother lifting his head. His fingers flew across the screen as he asked, "Why are you even bothering to entertain him, Quinn? He just wants attention.

"Look at this pasta. Is this the same one that we had in the diner in Dormino?"

"The one we had was creamier," she answered, sweeping her gaze across the screen. "Don't you remember how you got a stomachache in the middle of the night after you ate it? I was the one who had to go out at midnight to buy medicine for you."

"You're the one who didn't stop me from ordering it."

"I tried, but you didn't listen to me."

They began chatting among themselves, completely ignoring how I had asked for a breakup a few minutes ago.

"I'm going to the restroom," I said, standing up.

Quinn didn't even spare me a glance. Instead, she just poured a glass of warm water for Seth.

The table was empty by the time I returned from the restroom. The waitress had an awkward look on her face as she approached me with the bill, saying, "The lady and the man who were here have already left, sir. They said you would settle the bill."

I scanned the QR code and paid for the meal. Quinn's car had disappeared from the curb when I walked out of the restaurant.

The apartment in the city was about 12 miles away from the restaurant.

I wrapped my thin coat tighter around myself before starting my trek home, one step at a time. This was Quinn's warning to me—that the consequence of upsetting her was abandonment.

However, I knew that once I completed this 12-mile walk, there would truly be nothing left between us.

…

I dragged my old suitcase out from under my bed after I made it back to the apartment.

Quinn had immediately brought me back here after I reported my stalker to the police. She made it clear that there would be no room for compromise when she shoved my suitcase under the bed and told me that this was my home from then on. I would never need to move again.

I placed my clothes into the suitcase in neat stacks.

"What are you doing?"

Quinn had suddenly appeared at the bedroom door when I was distracted.

"Packing my belongings," I answered.

"How much longer are you going to keep this up, Blake Beckett?" she snapped.

"We're not together anymore, Quinn," I said. "It only makes sense for me to move out since we're no longer a couple."

Quinn's expression darkened. "Aren't you tired of using the same tricks for eight years, Blake? Do you think that I will concede to you and coax you just because you're packing your stupid clothes and pretending to leave?"

"I'm not pretending," I retorted as I zipped my suitcase.

Quinn made her way to the living room, grabbed a stack of receipts, and threw them at my face. "Fine! You can leave if you want to, but you have to settle the bills first before you go."

I grabbed the stack of receipts and flipped through them.

The first page was Mom's hospital bill that Quinn paid on my behalf when I lost my scholarship during my junior year in university. The second page was half the apartment's rent after I moved in, based on the market price.

Every bill was recorded in meticulous detail. She even calculated the water and electricity bills down to the last two decimals.

My fingertips felt a little numb as I stared at the countless numbers. I had stayed by Quinn's side as she established her business. When she didn't have enough funds, I worked three jobs a day and only ate bread for a whole month.

In the end, I managed to save up 100,000 dollars. Her eyes reddened when I pressed the stack of cash into her hands. She then pulled me into her arms and told me that everything she owned also belonged to me from then on.

I thought Quinn and I had stopped caring about what belonged to whom a long time ago.

"Do you have to be so calculating with me?" I asked.

The corners of Quinn's lips curled up into a smile. "Even blood-related brothers settle their bills properly. That's especially so since we're not in a relationship anymore.

"Just be good and stay here if you don't have enough money. Don't threaten to break up with me over the most insignificant things. Besides, it's not as if you have somewhere to stay after you move out."

Quinn assumed I didn't have enough money because she knew I sent most of my money back home to pay for Mom's rehabilitation training. However, she had no idea I had just won a large monetary prize from a design competition.

I took a deep breath. "Fine. I'll pay."

"Are you here, Quinn?"

Just then, Seth's voice resounded in the living room. He looked extremely excited as he held a thick stack of papers.

"The furnishing drafts for the unit opposite this one just came out, Quinn. Hurry and help me decide what color the carpet in the living room should be!" he exclaimed, spreading the drafts on the dining table.

The number "1502" was printed on the drafts, indicating that they were meant for the unit opposite our apartment.

Quinn's expression stiffened slightly before she said, "It's not safe for Seth to stay by himself. I bought the unit opposite ours for him so it'll be easier to take care of him. Don't overthink this. Only his name is on the deed right now, but if you behave yourself, I can add your name too tomorrow."

"Just look at how generous Quinn is, Blake," Seth said with pursed lips. "She's just giving the unit to you. It costs about 2,000 dollars to add a name to a deed. You've really lucked out."

He then tugged on Quinn's sleeve and dragged her outside. "Hurry and take a look for me, Quinn. Do you think that the bedside cabinet is a little too low?"

Quinn let herself be dragged out of the door by Seth. She turned back and glanced at me before she stepped across the threshold, saying, "Put your things back where they belong after you've come to your senses. I don't have the patience to keep coaxing you."

I pulled out my phone and booked a flight ticket to my hometown in Healwich. After I wired Quinn the money I owed her, I hailed a cab to the airport.

I didn't care if she included my name on the deed. I didn't want the apartment or Quinn anymore.

Carrying my suitcase, I made my way to the boarding gate without looking back even once.