Chapter 3

The transfer process went surprisingly fast. HR notified me that I was to report to my new position in Haldon on Monday.

I didn't tell anyone.

It wasn't out of spite. I just suddenly realized that they'd never consulted me about any of their life decisions, so I didn't need to go out of my way to tell them about mine.

On Thursday night, the group chat suddenly came alive after several quiet days.

Ethan tagged me first.

"Lena's birthday is next week. Help us book that rooftop restaurant."

Vincent followed right after.

"Take a look at the cake options, too. She doesn't like too much frosting."

Then, Nicholas dropped three designer bag links in the chat.

"You've got good taste. Pick one, and we'll all chip in."

I stared at the glowing screen for a long moment before letting out a bitter laugh.

So, the group chat wasn't completely useless after all. Whenever they needed someone to make reservations, plan an itinerary, or pick out a gift, they still remembered me just fine.

I replied, "Why don't you handle it yourselves this time? I've been busy lately."

Ethan called almost immediately.

"How long could it possibly take to book a restaurant? Didn't you always handle these things before?"

I continued packing books into a cardboard box as I answered, "Which is exactly why you should handle it this time. It's about time you all learned how."

His tone grew noticeably colder.

"Is this all because of the group chat? Zara, don't you think you're taking this a bit too seriously?"

I stopped what I was doing. For the first time, I decided to ask him directly. "Ethan, what exactly do you talk about in that group chat?"

"What else could it be? Food, games, and random stuff. Nothing important, really," he replied casually.

I pushed further. "Then, why does everyone know about Lena changing jobs, Vincent's breakup, Nicholas moving out, and Callum being admitted to the hospital?"

Ethan was quiet for a couple of seconds. Then, he let out a dry laugh.

"Because you're always busy!" he said casually. "Besides, haven't you always hated hearing about this kind of trivial stuff?"

I was at a loss for words.

After all these years, even my likes and dislikes had apparently become something other people could decide for me.

…

That evening, Callum came home after being discharged from the hospital. When he noticed the two missing cardboard boxes in the living room, he simply asked if I was decluttering again.

While he was taking a shower, his phone on the table lit up several times. I didn't touch it. The screen just happened to be facing up.

At the top of the screen was the familiar group chat—The Misfortune Squad.

Ethan asked, "Is she still upset about the group chat?"

Vincent replied, "Just give her a couple of days to get over it. She's always been like this."

Lena said, "Is it because of me? Maybe I should cancel my birthday plans so Zara won't feel uncomfortable seeing me."

Nicholas quickly replied, "What does this have to do with you? She's just been under a lot of stress at work lately."

In just a few sentences, the four of them had summed up my feelings and dismissed them. Not one of them bothered to ask what I was actually thinking.

If anything, Lena came across as the one who needed comforting far more than I did.

Callum stepped out of the shower and wrapped his arms around me from behind.

"Don't be mad at Ethan anymore. We've almost finalized the Javelle trip. I'll buy you a new camera to make it up to you," he said gently.

I asked, "When did you guys finalize everything?"

"We talked about it in the group chat a while back. We've paid the deposit for the B&B," he answered without thinking.

As soon as the words left his mouth, he paused. Then, he lowered his head and kissed my hair.

"From now on, we'll post everything in the main group chat, okay? Just stop dwelling on this one thing."

In the past, I probably would have let it go and made up with him. But this time, I gently slipped out of his embrace.

"Alright, we can talk about it when there's a chance," I replied coldly.

Callum didn't catch the meaning behind my words.

He had no idea I'd already canceled the renewal of my lease for next month or shipped half of my books away. And he certainly didn't know I had only two days left before I was gone.

…

The next day, HR sent me the final handover form. I went through it and signed each section.

The last item asked, "Should family members and emergency contacts be notified?"

I paused for a moment before writing, "No."

In the past, I'd always consulted Ethan, Callum, Vincent, and Nicholas before making any decision. But for the first time, not having to explain myself felt liberating.