Chapter 2

Mom instantly sensed that something was off. "Didn't you say before that you were seeing someone and didn't want to come back home for a blind date, Daisy?"

I replied flatly, "I'm not seeing anyone anymore."

Mom remained silent for a moment before asking, "Did that man wrong you, Daisy?"

Mom's question immediately brought tears to my eyes.

Did I feel wronged? Of course I did. I had given Zachary three years of sincere devotion, only for him to misinterpret everything I did because of Wendy's casual remarks.

I couldn't help but feel a pang in my chest whenever I remembered Zachary saying he felt stifled and telling me to learn to be independent like Wendy.

I didn't want Mom to worry, so I pretended to sound cheerful, even though tears pricked at my eyes. "It's nothing like that. It's because we weren't right for each other. I also didn't want to drag this out anymore, Mom."

"It's not that big of a deal—what's done is done. You should just come back home since you're broken up. You see, the guy I'm setting you up with is really good-looking—totally your type, Daisy," Mom said with a smile, not pressing me for details.

I hummed softly in agreement, feeling a little warmth return to my heart after talking to Mom.

I hung up and stared out the car window at the bustling, brightly lit streets. It was only a half-hour drive home, but it felt like an eternity.

I suddenly remembered the scene when I first met Zachary. He wore a plain white shirt and sipped his coffee.

He was easily the most eye-catching person in the cafe back then.

I remembered the day we officially started dating, when he bought a bouquet of red roses and handed them to me with a smile, saying it was a day worth celebrating. I remembered the first time we held hands, our first hug, our first kiss, and many more.

Every single memory of us together had felt so sweet back then.

Just then, my phone buzzed with a WhatsApp notification—Wendy had sent me a video. Zachary was drinking heavily in the video, looking utterly miserable. "I'm not eager to tie the knot this fast either, but Daisy and I have three years behind us. I have to do right by her."

Wendy pressed on, asking, "Do you actually love Daisy, then?"

I held my breath, still foolishly clinging to a shred of hope.

Zachary went quiet for a beat, then tipped his head back for another drink. "I wouldn't say I love her that much, but she's the most suitable person to settle down with."

Wendy let out a derisive laugh, her tone dripping with disdain.

I broke down in tears as the video went black. I felt a massive pang in my chest, the ache so intense it took my breath away. It turned out that to Zachary, I didn't even merit a confession of affection.

I was just a convenient choice to settle down with.

How utterly ridiculous.

I began packing my belongings once I returned to the apartment. Zachary invited me to move in with him two years ago when my lease was up, saying it would save on rent and help build our relationship. I eventually agreed to his invitation.

I had treated this place as our home and dedicated myself to taking care of it, yet here I was, leaving in disgrace.

Once I finished packing, I noticed that more than half the apartment was empty. I arranged to ship the larger items back to my hometown, while I packed the things that reminded me of my relationship with Zachary into boxes and left them at the dumpster corral.

Zachary called around 11:00 pm. I could hear loud chatter and music in the background, making it obvious that he was in a bar.

"It's my birthday today, so I'm out with a few friends of mine. I won't be coming back tonight, Daisy."

I instinctively wanted to dissuade him, but I stopped myself before I could say anything. Zachary and I had already broken up, so where he went or when he came home had nothing to do with me anymore.

I said indifferently, "Suit yourself."

Zachary sighed helplessly. "You're still upset about what happened, huh? I'll return home early tomorrow morning and pick up your favorite ravioli, Daisy."

I was about to tell him it wasn't necessary, but someone yanked the phone away from him. "How much longer are you going to keep this up? Please stop walking all over Zachary just because he's easygoing, Daisy!

"You know very well that women should stand on their own two feet. You're being utterly pathetic by constantly hovering over a man and trying to keep him on a short leash, Daisy!"

She abruptly hung up on me after saying that.

I held my phone tightly, my heart growing colder. Wendy was right—it was utterly pathetic of me to keep centering my life around a man who didn't really love me.