Chapter 2

As the movers went in and out, my apartment was slowly being emptied.

Only then did I realize that despite being together for seven years, almost nothing in my home had anything to do with Simon.

There was a pair of dusty slippers, a cup he had used. I couldn't find a third piece after that. Even the slippers and the cup were things I had bought for him. He had never given me any real presents.

When Gem moved in, he gave her a housewarming present. On her birthday, he bought a huge bouquet of her favorite white roses.

But with me, he always said, "Those things don't matter. When two people are building a life together, being practical matters more."

I had questioned him. I had been upset about it before, too.

But all he said was, "I gave your best friend gifts to make you look good, didn't I?"

I laughed at myself mockingly.

Then, my phone rang with a call from my mother, Anne. "Janice, have you and Simon talked about the wedding?"

Not long ago, Simon and I met each other's families.

Both our parents were happy with us being together. Just as they were about to choose a wedding date, Simon said his career was at a critical stage and there was no rush to get married.

I was disappointed at the time, but I understood he was under a lot of pressure at work.

Now, I only felt relieved.

For a man who couldn't even find my apartment… Was I supposed to marry him and spend the rest of my life waiting alone in an empty home?

"Mom, we're not getting married. I'm planning to break up with him."

Anne's voice tightened. "Why? Did he do something to you?"

"No. I just suddenly realized we're not right for each other," I said.

Mom fell silent on the other end of the line. After all, everyone knew I had loved Simon for seven years. Everyone knew what those seven years meant.

Mom knew.

Gem knew, too.

Back then, I was the one who had pursued Simon. To get closer to him, I listened to the bands he liked, read books in his industry, and even secretly joined his gym just so I could run into him.

After graduation, he took a job in Southburg. Without another word, I gave up the job my advisor had recommended and followed him there with my suitcase.

My mom was so angry that she ignored me for three days, but I only said, "Mom, if I miss my chance with him, I'll regret it for the rest of my life."

Back then, even Gem had snapped at me in frustration. "Janice, you're completely hopeless when it comes to him!"

Gem and I had been friends for ten years. She had long since become as important to me as family. None of us had expected that she would naturally accept my boyfriend's care as if nothing was wrong about it without caring about my feelings at all.

I looked at Gem's new social media post about her romantic dinner, and my eyes turned red.

The video was tagged at the restaurant I had spent so much time researching. Candles flickered on the table, food plated exquisitely, and soft piano music played in the background.

Every time I asked Simon to go there with me, he always said, "We're about to get married. Can't you be a little more frugal? Dinner there costs hundreds. We can have a candlelit dinner at home too."

He had sounded so reasonable that I pushed down my disappointment repeatedly.

But now, he had taken Gem to the restaurant I had been dreaming about all because she said she wanted to eat there.

When my last item was moved out, I sank into the couch, exhausted.

The last time I moved, I called Simon. All he said was that work was busy and he couldn't get away, so I should hire movers myself.

To save money, I gritted my teeth and moved everything on my own.

In the end, I was so exhausted that my back flared up, and I had to stay in bed for two days.

But when Gem moved, Simon specifically took a day off and said, "Moving is exhausting. Your best friend is a lone woman moving everything on her own. We should give her a hand."

I watched him running around, sweat soaking his hair.

Suddenly, he felt like a stranger.

So… It wasn't that he did not know how to help with a move. He just couldn't bear to take a single day off for me.