Chapter 2

I was briefly stunned when I heard that, and it took me a moment before I turned to shoot Lucas a dumbfounded look.

"What?"

As he shut his eyes, he spoke in a tone so calm that it was as though he were talking about the weather.

"Earlier today, you chose to vanish without saying a single word, making Kimberly and me both worried sick about you.

"It wasn't easy for the two of us to finally get some time off. So even if you aren't considerate enough toward me, you should at least feel bad for Kimberly. She isn't your nanny."

When he finished speaking, I sat there, unmoving. However, it felt like there was a hole in my body, letting icy winds gush into me.

Worried about me? Then why hadn’t I received a single call or message from them? Had they really been worried, or did they simply think I had ruined their fun?

"Look at you. All I did was lecture you a little, and you’re already crying."

Lucas' eyes were filled with exasperation as he gazed at me in the way one would at a child who refused to grow up.

I bowed my head, my tears dripping messily onto my clothes.

I said, "Alright. I won't do it again."

Sighing, he patted my head. "Why don't you head back home first? I still have to discuss some treatment plans with Kimberly."

After he left, my phone rang.

It was Dad calling.

"Anna, didn't you say you were bringing your boyfriend over for dinner? Has he still not gotten off work?"

Not wanting him to hear me, I clamped a hand over my mouth and tried desperately to stifle my sobbing.

"Anna? You there?"

It took a while before I was finally able to calm down.

"He isn't coming, Dad."

…

During dinner, my parents could tell that I was in a bad mood and kept loading food onto my plate.

I set down my cutlery and took a deep breath before announcing, "I don't want to be a nurse anymore."

When they heard that, their eyes widened in surprise.

"Didn’t you insist on studying medicine back then, even if it meant repeating a year?"

"Did something happen at work? Don't give up on your dream so easily, Anna!"

I silently shook my head.

Studying medicine had always been Lucas’s dream, never mine.

During an ordinary evening study session in our final year of high school, he had reached out a hand to me.

“Anna, work a little harder. Stay with me forever.”

Because of those words, I set off down the path of pursuing him without hesitation.

From then on, what awaited me were countless obscure technical terms, intricate and complicated procedures, and endless sleepless nights. What came so easily to others required ten, even a hundred times, the effort from me.

After getting a job as a nurse, I made sure to be even more careful and constantly vigilant so that I wouldn't let down my patients.

Despite that, Lucas' response was always the same. He would pinch my cheek and say, "You need to be more like Kimberly when it comes to work. Don't be so sloppy all the time."

I was supposed to be his girlfriend, yet it had been a long, long time since he had treated me as an equal.

The next day, I finished typing my resignation letter before heading to the cafeteria to have lunch.

Kimberly suddenly appeared and sat beside me. While scooping half of her mashed potatoes onto my plate, she scanned me.

"Were you crying again last night?"

Bewildered, I lifted my head to stare at her.

She seemed surprised to see that I looked fine.

"Lucas and I were so busy with work that it was already late into the night by the time we stopped, so we booked a hotel room to stay in. He told me just now that he forgot to inform you about it, so he was sure that you would throw a tantrum."

I had spent the night at my parents' house, so I had no idea whether Lucas had returned home. Even if I had known, though, it wouldn't have mattered anymore.

I resumed eating. "I see."

Astonished at my reaction, Kimberly tilted her head and leaned over to take a closer look at my face.

"You really didn't cry? Hmm, well then, someone should be a good sport and admit that they lost the bet. Hand over the yogurt."

Lucas suddenly materialized behind me and stuffed a bottle of yogurt into Kimberly's outstretched hand. Then, he took the seat on my other side, a small frown furrowing his brow.

"Has our Anna matured? If this had happened before, you would've caused a fuss for three days straight."

"Hey now, Anna wouldn't do that!"

The two of them immediately began arguing over who knew me better.

Sitting between them, I could no longer make out a word they were saying.