Chapter 1

Janice's POV

By the time I took the elevator downstairs, the movers from the moving company had arrived.

"Ms. Walker, we'll start moving your things now."

I nodded, and my phone buzzed with a message from Simon.

[Where did you go? Don't just wander off like that.]

I blinked. The chat window was a wall of my own bubbles, showing that I had always been the one reaching out. This sudden show of concern made my fingers tremble.

The moment I opened the chat, another message popped up.

[Go downstairs to the hardware store and buy me a wrench. Gem doesn't have one.]

I stared at the two messages for several seconds.

So… He had not noticed I wasn't behind him at all. He had only noticed I was gone because he wanted something from me.

I scrolled up through our chat history. Every message had something to do with Gem.

[Give Gem the skincare products your coworker brought you from overseas. I'll buy you another set.]

[Gem said she wanted coastal cuisine for dinner. We'll go together after work later. I already made a reservation.]

The messages Simon sent me were always statements. He had already made the decision, and my opinion had never crossed his mind.

The most recent text message was from a rainy day, when I asked if he could come pick me up.

[I'm already home. Take a cab home.]

The next second, Gem posted a photo on her social media. It showed someone with a tilted umbrella shielding her as she got into the passenger seat.

[I almost got caught in the rain. Good thing someone came to save me!]

I knew that car interior too well.

I used to think he was my boyfriend, and Gem was my best friend. I should have been happy they got along.

And yet, every time I took a step back, Simon pushed further.

This time, I didn't reply.

As I packed my things in my room, Simon sent another message.

[Why aren't you back yet? Gem said she wants plainland cuisine, so I'll take her there first. Come over by yourself later.]

This wasn't the first time. We might have clearly agreed to have dinner together, but whenever work or traffic made me a little late, all that was left for me was cold scraps.

Simon cared little if I was hurt by that.

"Gem has a sensitive stomach, so she ate first. It's just a little cold. It still tastes fine. Stop making a fuss."

Stop making a fuss.

When a pipe burst in my apartment and water flooded the place, he said the same thing when I called him.

"How can I have time to deal with that for you? Find a repairman yourself. Stop making a fuss."

So I washed the curtains myself, replaced the light bulbs myself, and slowly learned not to rely on him.

But with Gem, he became a different person.

"You're a woman. You don't have to force yourself to be so tough. If you need anything, I'll help you. Anyway, you live so close to Janice, so it's not a problem."

I couldn't understand it. It was the same kind of help. When it was me, I was making a fuss. When it was for Gem, it was not a problem at all.

I swallowed the bitterness in my throat and sent Simon a message.

[You two go ahead. I have something else I need to do.]

After a long while, he finally replied.

[Throwing a tantrum again? Just how old are you, Janice? Stop acting out like this.]

I had thrown a tantrum before.

Last winter, I had a fever of 103 degrees Fahrenheit. I was freezing all over, and I called him to ask him to bring me medicine.

But Simon said he was at Gem's place. Gem's cramps were so bad that she couldn't get out of bed, and he was making her something to drink

I said I felt awful, too. He was silent for two seconds before saying, "You can still call me, can't you? How serious can it be? Just order delivery. It'll be there in twenty minutes. Just hold on."

That was the first time I felt I couldn't take it anymore.

He was my boyfriend, but I never came first with him.

And so, I told him I wanted to break up.

Simon said nothing and blocked me first. He knew I loved him very much. He knew I couldn't leave him. So, he let me cry for two days until I ran out of tears.

Only then did he have Gem ask me out for dinner.

Pathetically, I took him back. After that, I never made a fuss again.

This time, it was different.

I wasn't throwing a tantrum.

I meant it.