Chapter 2

Harry exchanged a glance with the new tenant, offered a few more awkward pleasantries to me, and then hurried away.

I curled up on the couch and scrolled through Darius' and Sonya's latest social media updates.

Right after landing, Darius and Sonya headed straight for that Mistland grill restaurant, the one featured in the viral video about their hefty, generous portions. They laughed happily and heartily on camera.

As for the accommodation they stayed in, it turned out to be the same guesthouse I'd mentioned in passing just a few days earlier.

So, it wasn't that they hadn't heard me. They simply hadn't cared to listen.

I hastily wiped away the moisture welling up in my eyes before hiding all of their social media posts. Then I got up to pack my things and get ready to move out.

Four days later, Darius called me.

"Rennie? Have you gotten off work yet? Sonya and I just landed back home. We bought some souvenirs for you. Wanna head over to the new place together? You said that you had something important to tell me, didn't you?"

I glanced out the window. It was absolutely pouring.

"Sure. But it's hard to get a cab in this torrential downpour. Why don't you just swing by and pick me up instead?"

A long silence followed on the other end of the line.

After a long pause, Sonya's timid voice finally came through.

"Rennie, can't you just take a cab to your new place instead? Darius is at my place now, cooking for me. If he has to go and pick you up, it'll mean a detour and getting stuck in traffic."

My tone immediately turned cold.

"Didn't he say that you guys just landed? Whatever. Then we'll just go another day."

I hung up on her right after that.

Not long after, I got a text message from Darius. He said, "Don't take your temper out on Sonya over such a small thing. I'm on my way to pick you up now."

His message made me burst out in laughter. I immediately replied, "Forget about it. It's also the first time I ever learned that you actually know how to cook. We'll just go some other time. I don't want to leave the house today."

He didn't reply.

Two hours later, my doorbell wouldn't stop ringing urgently. I heard Darius yelling my name outside.

I opened the door with a frown.

"Didn't you read the message I sent you? I don't want to leave the house today."

But Darius was already yanking me out the door, not caring about my protests. "Stop making a fuss. Sonya got an upset stomach on the plane, so I was just making her some chicken soup.

"I initially told her to stay at home to rest, but she insisted on coming along no matter what because she saw that you were angry. Talk to her. If not, she won't be able to get over her guilt."

I said nothing and shook his hand off, rubbing my reddened wrists. I grabbed my bag and followed him downstairs, heading straight for the backseat without even glancing at the front passenger seat, because I knew Sonya would be there anyway.

Just as expected, she was there. And when she saw that I didn't bother going to the front, she turned her head around to me and said awkwardly, "Sorry, Rennie. I'm really not feeling well, so I won't be getting out of this seat for now. I'm sorry you have to take the backseat."

I just hummed in reply.

When Darius saw how coldly I was responding, he turned around and glared at me, starting up the car while trying to ease up the tension.

"Rennie. Sonya only tagged along because she was worried that you were upset that we went on the trip together. She came to apologize to you. Aren't you going to say anything to her?"

What was I supposed to say? Did they usually have anything to say to me anyway?

I just leaned against the car window and replied nonchalantly, "I don't have anything to say."

Darius didn't know what to say next. Instead, he smiled awkwardly and started talking to Sonya about other things.

Yet as they kept chatting, the topic somehow drifted back to the time they'd spent together in Mistland.

"Remember when we tried to feed the pigeons at Quayside Beach, Darius?"

"Of course! How could I ever forget? The pigeons kept flocking around me, and I nearly fell into the water! And you also got dye all over me when we were doing the tie-dye craft!"

"And you still have the nerve to bring that up? You totally ruined my dress! I can't even wear it anymore thanks to you!"

They kept chatting and bickering back and forth, but it all felt like needles pricking my heart.

After a while, Darius got tired and finally seemed to realize that I, his fiancée, was still sitting in the backseat.

"Rennie, let's all go to Bodeya when we have the chance next time. Didn't you say that you'd been feeling tired at work lately and wanted to take a break? When that time comes—"

I didn't want to listen to him anymore, so I cut him off and said, "We're here. Let's get off."